Farewell, Liz

Liz Claiborne, who created stylish sportswear long before Nike and Adidas set their sights on the female market, passed away last Tuesday.

I don't think my generation knew just how revolutionary Liz Claiborne was in the world of fashion. Her clothing did not shock nor were they that radically different. But she produced them at a time when women needed them most...that was during the decade of the 70s till the 80s, when the working woman came to her own. She designed stylish, affordable, easy to mix-and-match clothing as the working woman became empowered and started being able to push herself up the corporate ladder. By 1985, Liz Claiborne Inc. was the first company founded by a woman to be listed in the Fortune 500.

TAGS: Adidas, Liz Claiborne, Nike, Sportswear