Fashion Designs by Clare Potter in the 1940s and ’50s

Born 1903 in Jersey City, New Jersey, American fashion designer Clare Potter was one of the first American fashion designers to be promoted as an individual design talent in the 1930s. Working under her elided name Clarepotter, she has been credited as one of the inventors of American sportswear.

Fashion designs by Clare Potter in the 1940s and ’50s

Based in Manhattan, Potter continued designing through the 1940s and 1950s. Her clothes were renowned for being elegant, but easy-to-wear and relaxed, and for their distinctive use of colour. She founded a ready-to-wear fashion company in Manhattan named Timbertop in 1948, and in the 1960s she also established a wholesale company to manufacture fashions.

Potter was one of the 17 women gathered together by Edna Woolman Chase, editor-in-chief of Vogue to form the Fashion Group International, Inc., in 1928. She died in 1999 at home in Fort Ann, New York at the age of 95.

Model in two-piece evening dress of pink crêpe, the skirt wraps and holds with heavy tucks at the hem, the blouse is split in front, by Clare Potter, photo by Louise Dahl-Wolfe, Harper's Bazaar, November 1944

Model in golden-beige crêpe, bound and tied with shoestrings of the crêpe and banded in eggshell blue, the stole is in beige, blue and gold by Clare Potter, photo by Louise Dahl-Wolfe, Harper's Bazaar, April 1945

Model wearing a coral-colored rayon dress with matching shawl from Clare Potter, standing on the roof of New York's MOMA, 1945

Model in long, supple sheath of beige wool jersey down to the hemtop where it breaks out in pleats and loops in bright gilt thread by Clare Potter, photo by Louise Dahl-Wolfe at the Wildenstein Gallery, Harper's Bazaar, September 1946

Barbara Tullgren in an ice-yellow and heat-yellow stretch of a dress by Clare Potter, photo by John Rawlings, Vogue, June 1, 1947

Evelyn Tripp in soft, white wool blouse with gilt threads and buttons worn with black velveteen slacks topped by a circular peplum by Clare Potter, carpetbag by Mark Cross, photo by Robert Frank, Harper's Bazaar, October 1947

Joan Pedersen in stole and skirt of beige-and-white wool tweed over wool jersey shirt by Clare Potter, photo by Serge Balkin, Vogue, September 15, 1947

Lisa Fonssagrives in blonde on blonde narrow evening dress of smooth crêpe, its back bare to the waist and with its own stole by Clare Potter, jewelry by Miriam Haskell, photo by Louise Dahl-Wolfe, Harper's Bazaar, January 1947

Model wearing a long pale pink shirt-waist dress by Clare Potter, photo by John Rawlings, Vogue, 1948

Ricki VanDusen in Celanese crêpe dress by Clare Potter, Harper's Bazaar, April 1948

Ricki VanDusen in linen dress, circling the bell skirt and bodice with rows of lace by Clare Potter, photo by Irving Penn, Vogue, May 1, 1948

Suzy Parker in archer-brown shade dress of Bur-Mil crêpe with raglan sleeves, round collar and gold buttons by Clare Potter, leopard beret by Zelma Golden, leopard bag by Midtown, photo by Genevieve Naylor, Harper's Bazaar, October 1948

Katherine Cassidy in sleeveless white blouse of menswear shirting and beige linen skirt by Clare Potter, Buick Roadmaster convertible, photo by Herbert Matter, Vogue, May 15, 1949

Model in Celanese sharkskin tailored beach jacket over horizontally tucked two-piece suit by Clare Potter, photo by Louise Dahl-Wolfe, Harper's Bazaar, January 1949

Natalie Paine in a Clare Potter top of ribbed wool jersey and linen shorts, photo by Louise Dahl-Wolfe for Harper's Bazaar in Hammamet, Tunisia, June 1950

Natalie Paine in bright red wool jersey top with dolman sleeves, shirred on a band that just stops short at the waist with black irish linen shorts by Clare Potter, photo by Louise Dahl-Wolfe, Tunisia, Harper's Bazaar, May 1950

Natalie Paine in paisley print two-piece bathing suit in gold, olive, scarlet and black by Clare Potter, white chiffon scarf by Echo, photo by Louise Dahl-Wolfe, Tunisia, Harper's Bazaar, May 1950

Betty Threatt in Great Lakes mink stole worn over a pale citron Moygashel linen sheath by Clare Potter, photo by Clifford Coffin, Vogue, December 1952

Sunny Harnett in brass-green Moygashel linen jacket, satin collar velvet-edged, mocha linen skirt and halter top, all by Clare Potter, photo by John Rawlings, Vogue, May 1, 1952

Cherry Nelms in shorter-than-long slacks of khaki linen with white linen pill-box top by Clare Potter, sandals by Capezio, photo by John Rawlings, Bay Roc, Montego Bay, Jamaica, Vogue, May 1, 1953

Dovima in dress by Clare Potter, photo by Horst P. Horst, Vogue, May 1953

Dovima wearing colorful print by Clare Potter in painted set by Marcel Vertes, photo by Horst P. Horst for Vogue, May 1953

Ivy Nicholson in multi-color dragon print silk dress with same print-trimmed cashmere sweater by Clare Potter, photo by Wilhela Cushman, Ladies' Home Journal, January 1953

Model in housecoat of pale blue satin by Clare Potter playing Scrabble with actor Peter Pagan, photo by Karen Radkai in the apartment of Mrs. Robert Patterson, Vogue, November 15, 1953

Nelly Nyad in linen sheath in pastel stripes with a straight jacket in coral linen by Clare Potter, photo by Leombruno-Bodi, Ladies' Home Journal, January 1953

Linda Harper in white China silk dress, scalloped and embroidered and belted in blue by Clare Potter, white straw hat with blue ribbon by Lilly Daché, photo by John Rawlings, Haiti, Vogue, May 1, 1954

Ivy Nicholson in Moygashel linen dress, close-bodied and off-shoulder by Clare Potter, sandals by Julianelli, photo by Henry Clarke, Sicily, Vogue, January 1, 1955

Anne St. Marie in pale pink-peach sheath of Irish linen and a cashmere cardigan rimmed in deeper grosgrain, both by Clare Potter, turquoise and diamond jewelry by David Webb, photo by Karen Radkai, Vogue, June 1, 1956

Cherry Nelms is wearing the longer beach coat than the shorts that are worn with it, both by Clare Potter in Irish linen, photo by Lillian Bassman, Harper's Bazaar U.S. June 1956

Evelyn Tripp in skirt and blouse in Jasco rayon jersey by Clare Potter, Vogue, November 15, 1956

Anne St. Marie in a feminine print dress in sheer hand-loomed Indian cotton in sweet-pea shades by Clare Potteer, straw hat by John Frederics, photo by Roger Prigent, Ladies' Home Journal, May 1957

Joan Friedman in blonde Irish linen suit with a light precision fit by Clare Potter, deep paisley cloche by Emme, photo by Roger Prigent, Vogue, January 15, 1957