Stan Herman on Over 70 Years in the Fashion Industry
The Return of the Sighs and Whispers Podcast
If you are a more recent subscriber (as many of you are), you might not know that I have a podcast, also called Sighs and Whispers (both are named after the lingerie catalogue Guy Bourdin photographed for Bloomingdale’s in 1976). Since 2019, I have been releasing long-form conversations with cultural creatives—photographers, artists, illustrators, models, designers, makeup artists, hair stylists, writers, historians, directors, and more—about their lives, careers, and creative processes. As I’ve explained before, so much of what I am seeking to learn about in these interviews is how these cultural creatives have molded their lives and careers by following their passions; what choices they’ve made, where it’s led them, and how they created the lives of their dreams. The paths my interviewees have taken are quite diverse, but they are always driven by a depth of curiosity and enthusiasm that is outside of the normal constraints of society and business. I generally seek out elderly creatives; those who’ve been through and seen it all, and who can share their perspective on a life well-lived. Some previous interviewees include fashion designers Norma Kamali, Anna Sui, Tere Tereba, Vicky Tiel, and Edina Ronay; director Jerry Schatzberg; photographers Duane Michals, Robert Farber, Willie Christie, Tony Vaccaro, Susan Wood, and Meryl Meisler; choreographer and dancer Martha Clarke; and artists Barbara Nessim, Allen Jones, Mel Ramos, and Mel Odomhttps://www.sighswhispers.com/episodes/episode-15-willie-christie; among many others.
Since this is very much a passion project (and one I’ve single-handedly taken care of every element), I’ve never been terribly consistent in releasing episodes weekly—but I definitely never planned on having a two-year break between episodes. I was continuing to record interviews throughout 2023 and into 2024, but somewhere between a big move and a very hard pregnancy, editing interviews fell to the very bottom of my to-do list. The more time went by, the more guilt I felt at the delay, further compounding my severe pre- and post-partum depression, and making the thought of editing increasingly frightening. Paralyzed by fear, I eventually decided to look into hiring an editor, who is now helping me work through my backlog.
I am very happy to be back sharing these conversations with you again. Luckily, as I relisten to these chats, I still find them so interesting, so wonderfully insightful.
First up is an interview I recorded with fashion designer Stan Herman in September 2024. When we spoke, Stan was just about to turn 96 and had recently released his memoir, Uncross Your Legs: A Life in Fashion. He is now 97, and as this episode airs, he will be retiring from QVC after 32 years. Stan is really an incredible powerhouse. With an over seventy-year career, he has been designing and working in the New York fashion industry since the early 1950s—first assisting uptown designers like Fira Benenson and Oleg Cassini, before moving to the Seventh Avenue rag trade. After becoming a youthquake fashion star as head designer for Mr. Mort in the late 60s, starting in the 1970s, he became the designer of choice for corporate uniforms; through his uniform designs for many different airlines, McDonald’s, FedEx, Amtrak and more, as well as his many-decade career selling robes and loungewear on QVC, he is the most worn designer ever. Even now, in his late 90s, he continues to design uniforms for FedEx, JetBlue, and other major corporations. From 1991 to 2006, Stan was also president of the CFDA, where he was instrumental in bringing New York Fashion Week to the Bryant Park tents.
Talking and listening to Stan was a delight. Our conversation zigzags through the many sections of his incredibly long, multi-faceted career, touching on his childhood, time in the army, the fashion industry and the Garment District, his long love affair with writer Gene Horowitz, poodles, and much more.
More photos from his career can be seen on the Sighs and Whispers website. If this conversation whets your appetite to learn more about Stan, pick up a copy of his beautiful memoir, Uncross Your Legs.
I had the privilege of meeting Stan Herman while working on the Uniformity exhibit at MFIT. He was the absolute best - so lovely to talk to and a genuinely nice person. What a life! What a designer!