Publisher's Synopsis
Bill Blass, a native of Fort Wayne, Indiana is a hometown hero. He was born and raised in Fort Wayne and attended South Side High School. He is a distinguished alumni and graduated in 1940. He joined the United States Army and served in the military in World War II. He was part of The Ghost Army and in 2022 they were awarded a Congressional Gold Medal. The Ghost Army used inflatable tanks, radio trickery and imagination to fool the Germans on the battlefields of Europe. The unsung heroes of the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops carried out 25 battlefield deceptions in France, Luxembourg, Belgium, Germany and Italy.
Bill Blass had a dream - to become a world renown fashion designer. His 50-year career is a testament to his dream and desire to never, never, never give up. He worked for other designers early in his career and went on to create his own label. He dressed celebrities and First Ladies, women and men across the world. He received over 40 awards for his fashion design success. He was one of the first designers to sell his brand and became a wealthy man because of his business prowess and entrepreneurial ideas related to branding. He also collected art during his international travels. His New York apartment home and his Preston, Connecticut home were showplaces, often visited by dignitaries. Bill Blass died in 1982, at age 79. He made generous donations to the New York Public Library, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Indiana University. This coloring and activity book is meant for children, young adults and adults who also have a fashion design interest. We've included activities and information about his life that will both educate and inspire people. Let's celebrate this Blasstastic man! To learn more about his life, visit billblasslegacy.com or the Allen County Public Library that houses the electronic Bill Blass Archive in their "research" section.
