Ceil Chapman was an American fashion designer who worked in New York City from the 1940s to the 1960s. She was noted for creating glamorous cocktail and party dresses and for working with celebrity clients including television and movie actresses.

1950s vintage image of Debbie Reynolds tries on a 1950s wedding dress with the help of designer Ceil Chapman.

Image:1950s image of Debbie Reynolds tries on a wedding dress with the help of designer Ceil Chapman. (Photo by Seymour Wally/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images)

For today’s ‘Vintage Fashion Designer‘ spotlight, we will be learning about Ceil’s background in fashion and then taking a look at her stunning fashion designs (as seen thru vintage ads, vintage images & real life dresses avail to purchase).

Let the fashion show begin!

“Here’s one house that understands the importance of the cocktail dress,”
Women’s Wear Daily

Vintage image of Fashion Designer 1940s-1970s Ceil Chapman

1950s Fashion Designer: Ceil Chapman-1950s Fashion label

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Vintage Fashion Designer Spotlight: Ceil Chapman

Highlights of Ceil’s Life & Career:

Born Cecilia Mitchell (1912), she spent her childhood in Rosebank, Staten Island. She moved to Manhattan with her family as a teenager.

As a young girl, Chapman designed and made her own clothes. She made her first formal dress when she was 15 years old.

She became a Chapman when she married her first husband Samuel, with whom she went into business in 1940.

According to her son, Peter Chapman, Ceil Chapman had no formal design training, but learned by working as a “buyer and business woman in the fashion industry”.

Peter also stated, that she had design skills akin to engineering and indeed, if one studies her skillful draping and tucking and folding of fabric, it is clear as to what he meant.

She wore exclusively black during the day, and almost always wore white for evening functions.

She never attended French fashion shows, preferring not to be influenced by Paris when designing for American woman.

Chapman was among those who succeeded in adapting Christian Dior’s “New Look” for relatively affordable cocktail wear targeted toward the American ready-to-wear market.

Chapman patented numerous designs between 1954 and 1960.

Ceil Chapman was reportedly Marilyn Monroe’s favorite fashion designer.

She provided the trousseau for Elizabeth Taylor’s 1950 wedding to Conrad “Nicky” Hilton.

Other celebrity clients included Deborah Kerr, Greer Garson, Grace Kelly and Aretha Franklin.

Several of Chapman’s designs, including a 1948 wedding dress, a late 1940s dress, and three 1950s cocktail dresses, are in the collection of the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Chapman died after a two-year illness on Friday, July 13, 1979 (Source).

Further reading about Ceil’s life HERE.

Her Fashion Designs as seen in Vintage Images and Vintage Advertising

Barbara Mullen in Ceil Chapman, photo by Toni Frissell, Washington D.C., Vogue, 1952

Source: Pinterest

Firth Floor Coverings – 1951 featuring a 1950s housewife in a Ceil Chapman dress.

Ceil was astute and derived additional income by lending her name and stylish image for advertising purposes to include Cadillac, which featured elegantly Chapman-dressed models draped over luxury cars. Ceil even appeared, pictured in her studio, in advertisements on behalf of Western Union Telegrams and Playtex (Source).

Source: eBay

As mentioned above here is a Western Union Telegram ad featuring Ceil, photo by Peter Benech, 1956.

1950s vintage ad: American fashion designer Ceil Chapman for Western Union Telegram ad, photo by Peter Benech, 1956

Source: Pinterest

Late 1940s Fashion-1949 Hollywood, CA- Vivid green, coral blue and yellow are combined in the tropical print frock by Ceil Chapman, designed for actress Elizabeth Taylor’s own wardrobe. The colorful afternoon dress features a deep plunging neckline and a pert stand-up collar. The full skirt, with deep pockets hidden in its folds, is topped by a fitted, short-sleeved bodice and a self belt.

Source: Getty Images

Gown by Ceil Chapman in an ‘Old Gold’ cigarette ad, 1951.

1950s vintage ad for old gold cigarettes featuring a 1950s evening gown by Ceil Chapman

Source: Pinterest

1950s vintage photo of Marilyn Monroe in Korea 1954 in a Ceil Chapman designed purple dress. Marilyn loved the dress so much she asked the designer to make her an identical dress in black.

Source: Pinterest

1954 Vogue Magazine image of fashion model Evelyn Tripp in a Ceil Chapman gown.

1950s vintage image of Evelyn Tripp Wearing a 1950s dress by Ceil Chapman in 1954 vogue magazine

Source: Fine Art America

1960s Vintage Ad for Kotex featuring a 1962 dress by Ceil Chapman and a Ford Galaxie 500 Convertible.

Source: eBay

Model in layered and ruffled nylon tulle gown, Vogue, October 1, 1950 for ‘William Winklers-Nylon tulle.’

1950s Fashion ad as seen in Vogue: Model in layered and ruffled nylon tulle gown by Ceil Chapman, Vogue, October 1, 1950 for Winklers-Nylon tulle.

Source: Pinterest

1955 Vintage ad for Galey & Lord.

“PARTY MANNERS – The “little-girl-look” assumes a sophisticated manner with the famous Ceil Chapman touch. For that demure but very delectable air…a winged collar and pyramids of white crocheted lace. On gossamer Galey & Lord cotton, of course”.

1950s vintage ad for Galey & Lord featuring a 1950s Dress by Ceil Chapman

Source: Pinterest

I just finishd travelling for a month and let me tell you, having outfits that can do multiple things is a MUST. I just love that Ceil feels the same way with this long skirt that has matching shorts. Plus you can wear the jacket or not for either outfit. Love it! -1950s magazine layout.

1950s Fashion: Travel Outfit by Ceil Chapman for women featuring a skirt that becomes shorts.

Source: Alamy.com

Dressmaker Suit as seen in a 1950s Spadea Pattern Catalog (avail HERE as of April 2023).

Spadea Brand patterns were publicized in Life magazine during the 1950s and 1960s and sold via mail order. The catalog states: American Designers Patterns are original current models from the finest American houses by the top fashion creators in the country. The individuality of the designers, their handling of material… their theories of design are faithfully and strictly followed – so when you buy an American Designers Pattern, you are buying the blueprint of the original, not a copy (Source-Etsy)

1950s Fashion: Ceil Chapman Dressmaker Suit as seen in a 1950s Spadea Pattern Catalog

Source-Etsy CloesCloset

Spadea designer sewing pattern from the 1950s. This cocktail dress design by Ceil Chapman is incredibly flattering with a wide, scooped neckline, bodice and skirt drapery, and short sleeves.

1950s Fashion / 1950s Sewing Pattern: Spadea designer sewing pattern from the 1950s. This cocktail dress design by Ceil Chapman is incredibly flattering with a wide, scooped neckline, bodice and skirt drapery, and short sleeves

1950s Fashion: 1950s dress for evening by Ceil Chapman shown next to it's sewing pattern Fashion Illustration.

Source: Etsy – Mrsdewpew

1952 Fashion ad: “Charm handled in the Ceil Chapman manner – black embroidery etched on bright white organdy, with jersey top $110”.

1950s vintage ad from 1952 featuring a 1950s skirt and top by Ceil Chapman at the French Shop

Source: eBay

Examples of Ceil Champman in “Real Life”

1950’s Ceil Chapman powder blue silk satin, white tulle skirt evening gown.

Source: 1stdibs.com

1950s fit and flare shape satin gown in a dusty blue.

Source: Etsy – VintageBibandTucker

1950s Wedding Dress by Ceil Chapman.

Silver beads, crystas, paillettes and cord floral vine design peplum skirt. Strapless, boned bodice has fold over petal.

Rich and luxurious duchesse satin has beautiful drape and movement.

1950s Fashion / 1950s Wedding Dress. 1950s Ceil Chapman wedding dress.

Source: Vintage Bride

1958 silk tulle & taffeta ballgown in a couple of shades of green. Love those colours!

1950s fashion: 1958 silk tulle & taffeta ballgown in a couple of shades of green by Ceil Chapman - 1950s Vintage Fashion designer.

Source: Getty Images

The 1940s dress below is just so simple it is stunning. A 1940s black silk shantung evening dress (avail as of April 2023 HERE).

1940s Fashion: Vintage 1940s Ceil Chapman Black Silk Shantung Evening Dress.

Source: Etsy – CarnelianVintage

1940s Ceil Chapman Dress – Burnt Orange with a high shawl collar (avail as of April 2023 HERE).

1940s fashion: Vintage 1940s Ceil Chapman Dress - Burnt Orange - High Shawl Collar

Source: Etsy – bellofbow

1960s long sleeve sequin stripes cocktail party dress (avail as of April 2023 HERE).

1960s Fashion: 1960s Ceil Chapman Dress Tight Black Pencil Dress Long Sleeve Sequin Stripes Cocktail Party Dress

Source: Etsy – Frockittome

1950s Ceil Chapman jewelled rhinestone tear drop black velvet shelf bust dress.

Source: shrimptoncouture.com

I am now going to end this post with my dream dress. DREAM! A 1940s silk chiffon gown in a tropical / floral print. Those colours! Drool.

1940s Fashion: 1940s silk chiffon gown in a tropical / floral print by Ceil Chapman.

Source: liveauctiioneers.com

So many beautiful dresses & cool ads but so little space for this post! I hope you enjoyed learning about Ceil and seeing her stunning creations. I really enjoyed putting this together for you. Share you favourites in the comment section below!

Vintage Shopping: There were so many dresses avail for purchase on Etsy that I have started a collection of them on the site so you can take a look at that ones I could not show on this post. Take a look at the vintage dresses HERE.

Further Reading:

Vintage Fashion Designers (Archived Blog Posts)
Vintage Fashion 1920s-1960s (Archived Blog Posts)

Thanks for dropping by!

Liz

Brief History of Clare Potter

Clare Potter was a fashion designer who was born in Jersey City, New Jersey in 1903. She studied at the Art Students League of New York and began her studies at the Pratt Institute of Design in fine arts. After seeing clothes that Potter designed and made for herself, the director of the Pratt Institute recommended that she study costume design.

In 1925, before her graduation, Potter left Pratt to work for Edward L. Mayer, a wholesale dress manufacturer in Manhattan, where she spent three years developing her skills and designing mid-market sportswear.

In the 1930s she was one of the first American fashion designers to be promoted as an individual design talent. Working under her elided name Clarepotter, she has been credited as one of the inventors of American sportswear. Based in Manhattan, she continued designing through the 1940s and 1950s. Her clothes were renowned for being elegant, but easy-to-wear and relaxed ( favoring well-tailored linens and burnished wools in pants, shorts, pajamas, skirts and other sportswear ), and for their distinctive use of colour.

She founded a ready-to-wear fashion company in Manhattan named Timbertop in 1948. The company shared its name with the turkey farm in West Nyack where Potter and her husband, architect J. Sanford Potter, lived.

By the mid-1950s Clare Potter worked independently from a barn on her farm. Her later clothes were more tailored and dressy than her earlier designs.

In the late 1950s the Potters moved into a Japanese-style house on Lake Nebo in Fort Ann, New York that was designed and built by J. Sanford. In addition to their professional work, they bred Dalmatian dogs.

Sanford Potter died in 1994 and, at the age of 95, Clare Potter died in 1999 at their home in Fort Ann (Source).