Gustave Tassell (1926–2014) was an American fashion designer and Coty Award winner who became a fashion star in the early 1960s with starkly refined clothes that appealed to women like Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Greer Garson and Princess Grace of Monaco.
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| Fashion designs in the 1960s by Gustave Tassell |
Tassell designed clothes that Jackie Kennedy wore as first lady on a highly publicized goodwill tour of India in 1962. That year the fashion press hailed him as one of America’s hottest new designers.
Once described as a “brunet Harpo Marx” because of his curly hair, Tassell earned a bit part as a cabaret patron in director Woody Allen’s 1980 movie “Stardust Memories.” Allen spotted him at the popular New York hangout Elaine’s “and liked his face,” said his sister, Rebecca Welles Weis.
Take a look at these vintage photos to see impressive designs by Gustave Tassell in the 1960s.
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| China Machado in gorgeous white crêpe gown by Gustave Tassell caught in luxurious long coil of natural dark mink by Maximilian, ring by Harry Winston, photo by Louis Faurer, Harper's Bazaar, February 1960 |
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| Isabella Albonico in violet tulle hat held together with black velvet bow by Gustave Tassell, photo by Irving Penn, Vogue, September 1, 1960 |
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| China Machado in 7/8 cape over a matching stone-beige tweed suit by Arthur Jablow, hat by Gustave Tassell, photo by Melvin Sokolsky, Harper's Bazaar, September 1961 |
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| China Machado in short evening dress of white piqué with cape-free back and held close in front by thin sash and a low-circling deep flounce by Gustave Tassell, photo by Richard Avedon, Harper's Bazaar, June 1961 |
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| Isabella Albonico in cape of mulberry and white printed silk lined in white silk over a matching dress by Gustave Tassell, hat by Mr. Arnold, photo by Saul Leiter, Harper's Bazaar, March 1961 |
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| Anna Carin-Bjorck in dress by Gustave Tassell, earrings by Mimi di N, photograph for Harper's Bazaar by Jeanloup Sieff, 1962 |
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| Dorothea McGowan in black silk gros de Londres evening dress, high-waisted and ruffled with stole padded for warmth by Gustave Tassell, ostrich feathered headpiece by Lilly Daché, photo by Irving Penn, Vogue, January 1, 1962 |
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| Ina Balke in crisp white suit in embossed cotton, the scoop-necked dress has a lowered waistline encircled with icy blue satin and wide brimmed hat all by Gustave Tassell, photo by Melvin Sokolsky, Harper's Bazaar, June 1962 |
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| Kouka Denis in white wool jacket over a green starchy silk dress with deeply squared neckline by Gustave Tassell, topknot coiffure twined with braids by Enny of Italy, photo by Melvin Sokolsky, Harper's Bazaar, November 1962 |
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| Model in elegant black wool tunic dress with a lifted waist by Gustave Tassell, painting "Homage á Thelonius Monk" by Kurt Sonderborg, photo by Karen Radkai, Vogue, March 15, 1962 |
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| Model in elegant pale beige wool coat-dress and huge straw hat, both by Gustave Tassell, photo by Bruce Davidson, Vogue, March 1, 1962 |
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| Anna Carin Bjorck in yellow jersey dress and overblouse with tiny stand-offish collar sashed by a self-belt and pale green derby, all by Gustave Tassell, photo by Saul Leiter, Harper's Bazaar, February 1963 |
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| Anne de Zogheb in black lightweight tweed suit, jacket flipped out at the hips over white silk blouse by George Carmel, violet straw bowler by Gustave Tassell, photo by Bert Stern, Vogue, January 15, 1963 |
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| Anne de Zogheb in wool tattersall check dress and jacket with long cuffed sleeves worn with yellow straw bowler, both by Gustave Tassell, photo by Bert Stern, Vogue, January 15, 1963 |
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| Dorothea McGowan in a beautiful print 'famille-verte' silk dress by Gustave Tassell, earrings by Hattie Carnegie, photo by Irving Penn, Vogue US, March 1963 |
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| Dorothea McGowan is wearing a white soutache braid top over water-green silk dress by Gustave Tassell, faux-pearl earrings by Hattie Carnegie, kidskin gloves by Aris, photo by Irving Penn, Vogue US, March 1963 |
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| Iris Bianchi in bright brown and white floral print silk dress with long wide sleeves, upraised waist and wide straight stole, by Gustave Tassell, photo by Hiro, Harper's Bazaar, March 1963 |
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| Tilly Tizzani in black and white moiré pattern two-piece of silk shantung by Tiffeau & Busch, plumed hat by Gustave Tassell, photo by Hiro, Harper's Bazaar, March 1963 |
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| Tilly Tizzani in late-day dress of black silk, the overblouse fastened with huge patent leather floral buttons by Jo Copeland-Pattullo, feather hat by Gustave Tassell, photo by Hiro, Harper's Bazaar, February 1963 |
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| Astrid Heeren in black silk twill suit and rough straw coolie hat by Gustave Tassell, photo by Jeanloup Sieff, Harper's Bazaar, May 1964 |
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| Brigitte Bauer in bias-cut overblouse of white plissé worn with black wool petit-point suit by Gustave Tassell, hat by John Frederics, necklace by Marvella, photo by Louis Faurer, Vogue, February 1, 1964 |
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| Brigitte Bauer in black and white tweed suit worn with hat and collar of white ostrich, made to order by Gustave Tassell, white satin shoes by Herbert Levine, photo by Helmut Newton, Vogue, October 1, 1964 |
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| Wilhelmina in floral print crêpe evening dress by Gustave Tassell, photo by Henry Clarke at Observatory of Jaipur, India, Vogue, December 1964 |
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| Agneta Frieberg in softly belled, narrow sleeved, black satin dress with canary diamond lights sparkling all over by Gustave Tassell, photo by Louis Faurer, Harper's Bazaar, November 1965 |
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| Benedetta Barzini in asymmetric toga dress dark bottle-green wool crêpe slanted over a narrow shaft of white silk crêpe by Gustave Tassell, shoes by Fiorentina, earrings by Hattie Carnegie, photo by Richard Avedon, Vogue, 1966 |
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| Isa Stoppi and Marisa Berenson in black and white long crêpe evening dresses, left is white satin-sleeved, and white sleeveless coat over black dress by Gustave Tassell, photo by Hiro, Harper's Bazaar, March 1966 |
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| Jean Shrimpton in lace toga with the gleam of silver threads with the fullness to one side floating over one arm, a scalloped hem, by Gustave Tassell, photo by Richard Avedon, Vogue, October 1, 1966 |
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| Marisa berenson in beautiful dress of gold and black lace over an underdress of black crêpe, sleeves and skirt edged in gold scallops, by Gustave Tassell, photo by Bert Stern, Vogue, February 15, 1966 |
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| Veruschka in lime lace, short narrow dress with scalloped edges over a raglan-slanted slip by Gustave Tassell, earrings by Mimi di N, coiffure by Ruel of Coiffures Americana, photo by Bert Stern, February 15, 1966 |
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| Veruschka in white linen dropped straight from a black-tied yoke to the widest hem of sleek black satin by Gustave Tassell, earrings by regina Novelty, coiffure by Imo, photo by Irving Penn, Vogue, May 1, 1966 |
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| Cheryl Tiegs in brilliant three-colored wool dress by Gustave Tassell for I. Magnin & Co., photo by John Engstead, Vogue, August 15, 1967 |
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| Mirella Petteni in yellow cotton guipure lace dress by Gustave Tassell, coiffure by Suga of Kenneth, earrings by Robert Originals, photo by Bert Stern, Vogue, February 15, 1967 |
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| Mirella Petteni in yellow guipure lace dress by Gustave Tassell, earrings by Robert Originals, photo by Bert Stern, February 15, 1967 |
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| Model in an ultrablue crêpe toga over shock-rose, loose evening pajamas by Gustave Tassell, necklace by Alma Davies, photo by Neal Barr, Harper's Bazaar, March 1967 |
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| Marisa Berenson in grand-entrance coat of printed silk in design of flower petals in slashing stripes, belted high with rhinestone buckle by Gustave Tassell, photo by Irving Penn, Vogue, February 1, 1968 |