The history of the Adele Simpson brand begins with Adele Smithline, who began her career as a designer with Ben Hirschel in 1927.
Adele bought Mary Lee Fashions in 1949, renamed the company Adele Simpson, and introduced her affordable clothing line to the New York public.
Simpson adapted French haute couture to American realities and turned it into ready-to-wear collections. In the 50s, she spent some time designing jewelry, which is still in great demand in vintage jewelry stores.
In 1964, Simpson released a special collection for Bloomingdale’s in New York under the auspices of Givenchy.
In 1985, Adele Simpson retired, and her daughter and her husband ran the business until they sold it to Barron Peters in 1991, who decided not to continue producing clothing under the Adele Simpson brand.
Adele Simpson died on August 23, 1995, at the age of 91, at her home in Greenwich, Connecticut.
