New York
From 1951 to 1959, Sarmi was head designer for Elizabeth Arden. It was during this time that he developed a reputation as a top designer, wooing an influential clientele that included celebrities, New York socialites, and foreign dignitaries. Pat Nixon wore a Sarmi for Arden gown to her husband's second Inaugural Ball in 1957. He was best known for his opulent evening looks, and for his use of extravagant fabrics such as swansdown. Sarmi left Arden and opened his own Seventh Avenue boutique in 1959. In 1960, he was awarded the prestigious Coty Award for fashion design. His collection included haute couture and ready-to-wear apparel that set the pace for 1960s fashion in New York. His designs commonly featured intricate embroideries, vivid colors, and racy hemlines as well as hand=silkscreened silks and the first-ever tie-dyed silk chiffons used in haute couture, designed and produced by Tzaims Luksus.
During the late 1960s, the house fell upon financial difficulties. In 1972, his business was renamed Ferdinando Sarmi, but it closed shortly thereafter.
Read more about this topic: Ferdinando Sarmi
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