Neiman Marcus Fashion Awards

The annual Neiman Marcus Fashion Award and Exposition opened September 7, 1947, summing up the taste and standards of four decades of successful shop keeping! Award recipients were: the French Christian Dior, Italian Salvatore Ferragamo, British Norman Hartnell, and American Irene.

Norman Hartnell, leading British royal dressmaker, was unable to personally attend the award ceremony being too busy designing Princess Elizabeth’s wedding trousseau. Hartnell was commanded by the Queen to create the wedding dress of Princess Elizabeth in 1947 for her marriage to Prince Philip.

1947 was critical for recipient Christian Dior. That year, he launched the first collection where he introduced the postwar "New Look" which revolutionized women's fashion and continues to influence designers to this day. About Dior after the awards, Stanley Marcus said, “I must say that I think he is one of the most charming, delightful men I have ever met.”