History of Vera Neumann
Published On: 11-21-2011 01:20pm
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Category: History/Biographic Information
Vera Neumann was born in Connecticut 1907, and died in New York 1993. Vera studied art and design at New York City's Cooper Union. Immediately after World War II, in 1946, she founded the business with her husband, George Neumann, who was the son of a wealthy Viennese textile company owner, The third partner in the budding business was F. Werner-Hamm, who hand delivered the early creations to the Fifth Avenue department store B. Altman. Hamm said, he showed them to the buyer and he liked the new and fresh designs. In fact, he liked them so much the order almost floored us. How could we possibly deliver? But deliver they did! During the next decade Vera Neumann was well on her way to be a household name. People had not seen design like these on their table before and could not get enough of them!
In the beginning Vera turned her kitchen table in their New York City apartment into a work station where she screen printed botanical motifs onto linen placemats. Due to the ever increasing demand her offerings quickly expanded to include tablecloths, napkins and all manner of home accessories. She designed prints for scarves, apparel and furnishing fabrics, table linens and towels using only her first name, Vera. From 1946-67, she was a freelance designer for F. Schumacher & Co.
Vera Neumann was primarily a scarf designer, as well as a wonderful colorist with great graphic style. She signed her textiles Vera. Her fabrics are also seen in many blouses and dresses from the 1960s and 1970s, using silk as well as cotton. Vera also designed textiles for the home, such as napkins, tablecloths and towel sets. The Vera label is seen starting about 1947.
During the 50s, she began to use a small ladybug next to her signature "Vera" on her scarves and many other fabrics. The bulk of Veras 1970s designs were produced in the Hudson River town of Ossining, NY for many years. The production company was called Printex. They operated until the late 80s, at least, probably early 90s." Her own firm, the Vera Companies, produced linens, scarves and sportswear, however licensing agreements allowed her to develop dinnerware for Mikasa and Island Worcester, fabrics and wallpaper for Schumacher as well as bedding for Burlington Industries.
In the beginning Vera turned her kitchen table in their New York City apartment into a work station where she screen printed botanical motifs onto linen placemats. Due to the ever increasing demand her offerings quickly expanded to include tablecloths, napkins and all manner of home accessories. She designed prints for scarves, apparel and furnishing fabrics, table linens and towels using only her first name, Vera. From 1946-67, she was a freelance designer for F. Schumacher & Co.
Vera Neumann was primarily a scarf designer, as well as a wonderful colorist with great graphic style. She signed her textiles Vera. Her fabrics are also seen in many blouses and dresses from the 1960s and 1970s, using silk as well as cotton. Vera also designed textiles for the home, such as napkins, tablecloths and towel sets. The Vera label is seen starting about 1947.
During the 50s, she began to use a small ladybug next to her signature "Vera" on her scarves and many other fabrics. The bulk of Veras 1970s designs were produced in the Hudson River town of Ossining, NY for many years. The production company was called Printex. They operated until the late 80s, at least, probably early 90s." Her own firm, the Vera Companies, produced linens, scarves and sportswear, however licensing agreements allowed her to develop dinnerware for Mikasa and Island Worcester, fabrics and wallpaper for Schumacher as well as bedding for Burlington Industries.
