Donald Brooks

Donald Brooks (January 9, 1928 – August 1, 2005) was an American fashion designer. Though he was very successful, if not as famous as some of his contemporaries, his passion was his work for the stage and film, designing over 3500 costumes. His efforts were recognized by an Emmy Award and numerous other honors; he was also nominated three times for the Academy Award and once for a Tony.

Biography

He was born as Donald Marc Blumberg in New Haven, Connecticut on January 9, 1928. Brooks attended Syracuse University followed by the Yale University School of Drama, where he first decided to become a costume and clothing designer. He studied design at the Fashion Institute of Technology and then the Parsons School of Design in New York. Brooks' first job in the fashion industry was as a window designer for department store Lord & Taylor. He attracted the attention of Dorothy Shaver, the store's president, who hired him to design a clothing line that year.

By the 1960s, Brooks was a preeminent figure in American fashion, cited by the New York Times as one of "the three B's of fashion" alongside Bill Blass and Geoffrey Beene. He opened his first store in 1963.