LILLI ANN

Lilli Ann is a sought-after brand for vintage collectors – and it’s not hard to see why! This 1950s ‘New Look ’-esque day jacket, with a cinched-in waist and pleated sleeves, is well-crafted and very beautiful. It is a firm favourite in the Womenswear Archive here at The Vintage Showroom.

Lilli Ann began in San Francisco in 1934 with designer Adolph Schuman, who named the company after his wife Lillian. After WWII Schuman travelled to Paris, and is said to have bought so many textiles from French companies that it helped save them from closing down. 

Thanks to this Parisian connection, Schuman also befriended many designers there at the time, evident in the tailoring of many of his pieces – Balenciaga even anonymously donated designs to Lilli Ann as a favour to Schuman. Schuman passed away in 1985, and by 2000, the company had closed.

Our Womenswear Archive is available to view by appointment only. If you would like to book in for research and development, or retail, please email info@thevintageshowroom.com.