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Glamour and Innovation: Karen Stark

Karen Stark was the lead designer under the design house of Harvey Berin, a dress manufacturer that stood on 7th Avenue in New York City for nearly fifty years. Along with Nettie Rosenstein, Karen Stark was one of the American designers that prospered after World War II, helping to dispel the myth that French fashion designers were the leaders in the industry. This exhibit was curated by Maegan Jenkins, the inaugural Digital Exhibits Intern and MA/MS dual degree student in Costume Studies and Library and Information Sciences at New York University.

Karen Stark

(January 24, 1906 - June 1, 2003)

Karen Stark was the lead designer under the design house of Harvey Berin, a dress manufacturer that stood on 7th Avenue in New York City for nearly fifty years. Along with Nettie Rosenstein, Karen Stark was one of the American designers that prospered after World War II, helping to dispel the myth that French fashion designers were the leaders in the industry. Stark’s designs for Harvey Berin featured flattering, feminine silhouettes with clean lines and sturdy materials. They were also less complicated and more functional than what French designers at the time created. First Lady Pat Nixon selected one of Stark’s designs for Harvey Berin for the 1969 Inaugural Ball following the election of her husband, President Richard M. Nixon. Mrs. Nixon would again wear one of their designs during the spring of 1970, leading Berin to label her chosen ensemble his “swan song,” and shortly thereafter closing his label.

Gallery

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    Pat Nixon Inaugural Gown, 1969

    Designed by Karen Stark for Harvey Berin, First Lady Pat Nixon wore this gown to the 1969 Inaugural Ball. The gown is made from mimosa silk and includes a matching jacket embroidered with gold and silver thread and encrusted with Austrian crystals.

    National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution, Gift of Mrs. Richard M. Nixon

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    Black and Brown Sheath Dress, 1948

    The model from this September 1948 Vogue advertisement wears a brown and black striped silk taffeta dress designed by the label Harvey Berin. The gathered bustle over the hips is a reference to the padded undergarment worn by women in the mid to late nineteenth century. This ensemble is completed with a black velvet pillbox hat, a black clutch and tan below the elbow gloves.

    Erwin Blumenfeld/Condé Nast/Shutterstock

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    Pink and Black Floral Dress

    This dress by Karen Stark under the Harvey Berin label is made of silk with a floral pink and black design. The back features a V neckline with bows adorning at both the bottom of the V and at the sash encircling the waist.

    Grand Rapids Public Museum

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    Pat Nixon’s White and Brown Gown

    First Lady Pat Nixon wore this stunning white and brown Karen Stark frock to a performance of the Broadway play “1776” in the East Room of the White House on February 22, 1972. The dress is made of a floor-length belted skirt made of dark brown velvet. The glittering top is covered in light pink and brown sequins in a diamond lattice pattern.

    Richard Nixon Foundation

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    “1776” Performance

    First Lady Pat Nixon poses with two of the actresses who performed in the Broadway play “1776” in the East Room of the White House on February 22, 1972. Note the dazzling sparkle of the sequins on her Karen Stark dress!

    White House Historical Association

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  • Black Satin and Chantilly Lace Dress

    This black satin dress is sleeveless with Chantilly lace accents and an A-line skirt. The back features a scoop neckline. Karen Stark created this piece for Harvey Berin in the 1950s and follows a popular silhouette of the time.

    Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields, Gift of Mrs. William H. Ball, S0896.75.219 © Karen Stark

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