Artisans and Designers - by Matheson (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

One couple's bold vision for American fashion

Long before the fashion industry formally addressed questions of sustainability and advocated for "slow fashion," William and Elizabeth Phelps, a husband-and-wife design duo, were already working to create hand-crafted leathergoods and functional women's sportswear that could be worn for decades. Active from the 1940s to the late 1960s, Phelps Associates quickly won acclaim and found commercial success, attracting a broad clientele and becoming known for quality, utility, and craftsmanship.

Using vintage metal insignia and hardware, often military surplus, the Phelpses designed bags and belts that answered the need for American-made luxury goods during and after World War II. In the post-war period, the Phelpses experimented with new methods of production and branched into ready-to-wear fashion. Meanwhile, the pair worked to revive artisan workshops, emphasized fostering positive work environments for their employees, and offered employment opportunities for injured veterans.

Artisans and Designers is the first in-depth analysis of the Phelpses' partnership, their often overlooked contributions to the fashion industry, and their forward-thinking business practices. Rebecca Jumper Matheson draws on their pieces to connect their work to larger conversations about sustainable fashion, consumerism, industrialization practices, and the intersection of art with American identity during and after World War II. The result is an engagingly written, richly illustrated account of a brand committed to creating classic pieces that have stood the test of time.

Review Quotes

"Artisans and Designers provides an interesting case study to look at several topics that ultimately relate to ideas that are still critical in fashion today--namely, what counts as handmade, sustainability, slow fashion, and American design. Rebecca Jumper Matheson has done a truly excellent job of walking us through the lives of these designers and their company."--Casey R. Stannard, Beverly Griffin Shea Associate Professor, Louisiana State University

"If 'Claire McCardell' conjures a pretty distinctive image in your mind, but 'Phelps' yields a blank--it is time to read this book which, as the author succinctly notes in her first sentence, 'recovers the story of the life and work of husband-and-wife design team' William Drown Phelps and Elizabeth Heintges Phelps 'and their contribution to American fashion through their leathergoods and sportswear firm, Phelps Associates.' Busy women of the mid-twentieth century began to dress with comfortable functionality in their daily pursuits--without sacrificing fashionable cachet. The Phelpses' leather accessories contributed a sympathetic finish to the new workaday look. While achieving high accolades in the day, these small articles have dropped along history's wayside. Elizabeth Phelps enjoyed continued success with the sportswear line during her long widowhood. Author Matheson brings their fashion necessities and innovations back into full view, with meticulous research shared in a very approachable text with excellent illustrations. "--Susan W. Greene, author of Wearable Prints, 1760-1860: History, Materials, and Mechanics

About the Author