Finding Aid for the Rudi Gernreich Papers, ca. 1933-1985

Processed by Manuscripts Division staff; machine-readable finding aid created by Caroline Cubé

UCLA Library, Department of Special Collections

Manuscripts Division

Room A1713, Charles E. Young Research Library

Box 951575

Los Angeles, CA 90095-1575

Email: spec-coll@library.ucla.edu

URL: http://www.library.ucla.edu/libraries/special/scweb/

Note

Finding Aid for the Rudi Gernreich Papers, ca. 1933-1985

Collection number: 1702

UCLA Library, Department of Special Collections

Manuscripts Division

Los Angeles, CA

Contact Information

Manuscripts Division
UCLA Library, Department of Special Collections
Room A1713, Charles E. Young Research Library
Box 951575
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1575
Telephone: 310/825-4988 (10:00 a.m. - 4:45 p.m., Pacific Time)
Email: spec-coll@library.ucla.edu
URL: http://www.library.ucla.edu/libraries/special/scweb/

Processed by:: Manuscripts Division staff, 1997
Encoded by:: Caroline Cubé
Online finding aid edited by:: Josh Fiala, December 2002

Descriptive Summary

Title: Rudi Gernreich Papers,

Date (inclusive): ca. 1933-1985

Collection number: 1702

Creator: Gernreich, Rudi, 1922-1985

Extent: 79 boxes (39.5 linear ft.) 3 cartons (3 linear ft.) 107 oversize boxes

Repository: University of California, Los Angeles. Library. Department of Special Collections.

Los Angeles, California 90095-1575

Abstract: Rudi Gernreich (1922-1985) was a dancer and fashion designer. He revolutionized the acceptance of slacks for women's fashions, created the knit look, the topless bathing suit, the Unisex look, and the thong swimsuit. He also designed the sets and costumes for Bella Lewitzky's Dance Company. The collection includes correspondence, clippings, bills, photographs, family papers as well as clothing, accessories, products, and related items designed by Gernreich.

Physical location: Stored off-site at SRLF. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. Please contact the UCLA Library, Department of Special Collections Reference Desk for paging information.

Language: English.

Administrative Information

Restrictions on Use and Reproduction

Copyright to portions of this collection has been assigned to the UCLA Library, Department of Special Collections. The library can grant permission to publish for materials to which it holds the copyright. All requests for permission to publish or quote must be submitted in writing to the Manuscripts Librarian, Department of Special Collections.] Credit shall be given as follows: [c in circle] The Regents of the University of California on behalf of the UCLA Library, Department of Special Collections.

Restrictions on Access

PARTIALLY PROCESSED COLLECTION UNAVAILABLE FOR USE: except for boxes 1-84. Inquiries regarding these materials should be directed, in writing, to the Manuscripts Librarian, UCLA Department of Special Collections.

COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE AT SRLF: Advance notice required for access.

Additional Physical Form Available

A copy of the original version of this online finding aid is available at the UCLA Department of Special Collections for in-house consultation and may be obtained for a fee. Please contact:

Public Services Division
UCLA Library, Department of Special Collections
Room A1713, Charles E. Young Research Library
Box 951575
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1575
Telephone: 310/825-4988 (10:00 a.m. - 4:45 p.m., Pacific Time)
Email: spec-coll@library.ucla.edu

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Rudi Gernreich Papers (Collection 1702). Department of Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library, University of California, Los Angeles.

Biography

Gernreich was born on August 8, 1922 in Vienna, Austria; in 1938 he escaped Nazi persecution and came with his mother to the U.S.; in 1939 he joined Lester Horton Dance Company as both a dancer and designer, and finished his education at Los Angeles City College in 1940; took his first collection to New York in 1944 for Harper's Bazaar; revolutionized the acceptance of slacks for women's fashions, created the knit look, the topless bathing suit, the Unisex look, and the thong swimsuit; from 1976-82 designed sets and costumes for Bella Lewitzky's Dance Company; lover of Harry Hay at the time Hay founded the first modern American gay liberation movement, the Mattachine Society, in Los Angeles in 1950-51; Gernreich died in Los Angeles on April 21, 1985.

Scope and Content

Boxes 1-84 include correspondence, clippings, bills, photographs, family papers as well as clothing, accessories, products, and related items designed by Rudi Gernreich.

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.

Gernreich, Rudi, 1922-1985--Archives.

Fashion designers--California--Los Angeles--Archival resources.

Container List

Fumi Boxes

Boxes 1-4

Fumi.

Contracts and Projects

Boxes 5-10

Contracts and Projects.

Drawer Files

Boxes 11-16

Drawer Files.

Paper Tracks

Boxes 17-26

Paper Track.

Physical Description: Box 25 is a flat box.

Soups

Boxes 27-29

Soups.

Design Projects

Boxes 30-37

Design Projects.

Miscellaneous Files/Items

Boxes 38-42

Miscellaneous Files.

Box 83

Miscellaneous Items.

Box 101

Miscellaneous Sketches, Oversized Photos, Furniture Drawings, Posters, etc.

Box 103

Miscellaneous Letters/Photos Old.

Papers and Clippings

Boxes 43-45

Papers and Clippings 1976-1980.

Box 85

Miscellaneous papers (newspapers, awards, clipping, drawings). Includes proclamation from Mayor Tom Bradley.

Family Papers and Photographs

Boxes 46-48

Family Papers and Photographs.

Box 93

Gernreich Family Papers (Family Photographs and Letters).

Box 104

Magazine and Paper Clippings, Photographs.

Box 110

Gernreich Family Photographs and Letters.

Correspondence

Boxes 49-51

Letters.

Taxes

Boxes 52-53

Taxes.

Files/Accounts Receivable, Invoices

Boxes 54-56

Files/Accounts Receivable, Invoices A-Z Resale/Ledgers, Cards.

Old Office Records

Boxes 57-58

Old Office Records.

Boxes 59-61

Old Office Records I.

Boxes 62-63

Old Office Files.

Old Bills, Receipts, etc.

Boxes 64-66

Old Bills, Receipt, etc.

WTS

Boxes 67-68

WTS A.

Boxes 69-71

WTS B.

Lewitzky

Boxes 72-74

Lewitzky.

Miscellaneous 3-D Artifacts

Box 75-77

Miscellaneous 3-D Artifacts.

Physical Description: Box 77 is a flat box.

Trophies

Boxes 78-79

Trophies (Cartons).

Plaques

Boxes 80, 84

Plaques (Cartons).

Rudi Gernreich Bank of Los Angeles

Boxes 81-82

Rudi Gernreich Bank Of Los Angeles 1982-1985.

Photographs

Box 86

Miscellaneous photographs (Photographs of Rudi working, photos of models, sketches and drawings).

Box 87

Miscellaneous photographs (layouts and drawings).

Box 88

Personal photographs (magazines with articles about Rudi, Crackers, photographs of Rudi various years).

Box 89

Rudi's personal photograph collection (autographed photographs of actors, dancers and models).

Box 90

Miscellaneous personal photographs from childhood (Photographs of Rudi alone, with friends and family 1940-1979).

Box 91

Miscellaneous Personal Photographs (Photographs of Rudi Alone and with Friends 1960-1970).

Box 92

Miscellaneous Personal Photographs (Photographs of Rudi Alone and With Models).

Boxes 94-96

1940s and 1950s (Photographs of Models from 1940-1959).

Boxes 97-98

1950s and 1960s (Photographs of Models and Rudi with Models from 1950-1969).

Box 99

1961-1964 (Photographs of Models and Rudi with Models from 1961-1964).

Box 100

1969-1981, Pubikini 1985 (Photographs of Models, Rudi with Models and Pubikini).

Transparencies

Box 102

Undated Transparencies.

Flat and Rolled Posters

Box 105

Flat and Rolled Posters.

Box 106

Posters and Layouts.

Box 111

2 large framed cloth posters.

Hedwig, Charlotte, and Elizabeth Muller

Box 107

Letters/Papers of Hedwig Muller.

Box 108

Letters/Papers of Charlotte Muller, Lotter, Correspondence.

Box 109

Photographs and Correspondence of Elizabeth Muller Gernreich, Includes Love Letters with Husband Siegmund 1910s to 1960s.

Mattachine Society Materials

Box 112

Mattachine Society materials (box not full).

Patterns

Box 113

Patterns begin this box.

Box 188

Patterns end this box.

Slides, Prints

Box 189

Flat box of slides, prints (not by RG).

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