Ruth Manchester Fire Island - H 2015
Courtesy of ABC Public RelationsRuth Manchester, a fashion designer known for her eponymous line in the mid-1960s, has died. She was 93.
Manchester, who introduced Enkalure nylon knit fashions to the industry, died on Jan. 21 in Los Angeles, her granddaughter, ABC public relations executive Amanda Cagan, told The Hollywood Reporter.
Manchester began her fashion career in budget-buying offices before designing raincoats for the brand Rain or Shine and blouses for Land ‘N’ Sea. In the mid-1960s, she launched her own clothing brand, Ruth Manchester Ltd., which became one of the first female-owned and operated garment-manufacturing companies founded in New York.
She was known for her “angel dress” design in the 1970s as well as her wrap dresses, which were sold at Bloomingdale’s.
In the 1980s, Manchester went on to design for Kingsbridge Road sportswear in L.A. and formed her own promotional merchandising company called On Time Promotions. She retired at age 84.
Manchester’s designs can be viewed at the New York Public Library, where they are stored in the permanent fashion archives.
In addition to her granddaughter, Manchester is survived by her daughters Melissa and Claudia, son-in-law Steven, other grandchildren Emily, Nathan and Hannah, and sister Sylvia.
Jan. 28, 4:40 p.m. Updated with Ruth Manchester’s correct age at her time of death.
