Elegant 1950s Fashion Designs by Paul Parnes

Paul Parnes was a notable American fashion designer active during the mid-20th century, particularly recognized for his elegant and accessible ready-to-wear collections. Emerging from a family rooted in the garment industry—his father, Louis Parnes, established a clothing business in Manhattan in the late 19th century—Paul continued and elevated the family tradition in fashion design.

In the 1920s and 1930s, Paul Parnes began making a name for himself by designing stylish, well-tailored women’s suits and dresses that balanced sophistication with practicality. He initially worked under other labels and partnerships before establishing his own brand. By the 1950s, the Paul Parnes label had become known for its refined and wearable garments, often sold in upscale department stores and featured in fashion magazines like Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar.

Though not as widely remembered today as some of his contemporaries, Paul Parnes contributed to the development of American ready-to-wear fashion, offering garments that embodied grace, structure, and understated luxury.

Cherry Nelms in short evening dress in navy blue silk satin spattered with lily pads of Venise lace and blue paillettes by Paul Parnes, photo by Kay Bell, Harper's Bazaar, October 1950

Dorian Leigh in figure-hugging suit with side-button detail by Paul Parnes, Vogue, September 1950

Evelyn Tripp in white linen suit with belt buckle closings and brown and white check detachable collar and cuffs by Paul Parnes, white piqué hat by Betmar, photo by Horst P. Horst, Vogue, April 1, 1950

Jean Patchett in Hockanum worsted suit, piped in black and belted by Paul Parnes, worn with white silk crêpe scarf by Sally Gee, photo by Frances McLaughlin, Vogue, February 1, 1950

Dovima in imported Irish linen sheath worn under short-sleeved polka-dot jacket by Paul Parnes, photo by Wenczel, Vogue, May 1, 1951

Gyongyi Armstrong in tweed suit with velvet cuffs and collar by Paul Parnes, Vogue, August 1, 1951

Model in small checked sheath with matching jacket by Paul Parnes, photo by Kenneth Heilbron, Harper's Bazaar, April 1951

Nina de Voogt in tailored charcoal gray suit by Paul Parnes, Vogue, September 1, 1951

Evelyn Tripp in narrow black and white nubby tweed suit by Paul Parnes, hat by John-Frederics, sealskin muff by maximilian, photo by Karen Radkai, Harper's Bazaar, August 1952

Georgia Hamilton in white worsted suit with pleated skirt by Paul Parnes, leather bucket bag by Josef, photo by Louise Dahl-Wolfe, Harper's Bazaar, December 1952

Gyongyi Armstrong in sheer wool suit and striped silk shantung blouse by Paul Parnes, Harper's Bazaar, February 1952

Ivy Nicholson in black wool dress with a coat-weight jacket in textured wool and weasel hair by Paul Parnes at Milgrim, velours and jersey turban by Chanda, photo by Roger Prigent, Vogue, September 15, 1952

Dovima in shaped suit by Paul Parnes, photo by Wenczel, Harper's Bazaar, September 1953

Anne Gunning in suit of snow-struck tweed sketched in black braid that winds to a whisk of collar by Paul Parnes, hat by Emme, photo by Gleb Derujisnky, Harper's Bazaar, August 1954

Model in a shaped suit of navy blue silk with dots spaced out on silk surah by Paul Parnes, hat by Lilly Daché, photo by Gleb Derujinsky, Harper's Bazaar, February 1954

Evelyn Tripp in slender dress of charcoal-gray wool-silk with short jacket trimmed with fox fur by Paul Parnes, featherd cap by Hattie Carnegie, handbag by Mark Cross, photo by Horst P. Horst, Vogue, September 1, 1955

Georgia Hamilton in box-jacket in beautiful stone-blue tweed over slender dress of thin blue wool by Paul Parnes, hat by Mr. John, photo by Louise Dahl-Wolfe, Harper's Bazaar, September 1955

Joan Romano in gold worsted tweed suit with shorter jacket by Paul Parnes, Canadian fox muff by Winter, hat by Emme, photo by Horst P. Horst, Vogue, October 1, 1955

Sunny Harnett in navy blue and white polka dot tissue taffeta dress and jacket, the dress is long bodied with a u-neckline, by Paul Parnes, white organdy hat by Emme, Greta handbag, photo by Leombruno-Bodi, Vogue, March 1, 1955

Jessica Ford in perfect resort suit of white silk by Paul Parnes, photo by Louise Dahl-Wolfe, Harper's Bazaar, December 1956

Lucinda Hollingsworth in bolero short jacket and Empire sheath of gray and black worsted herringbone, the top of the sheath is black silk by Paul Parnes, beret by Emme, photo by Karen Radkai, Vogue, September 15, 1956

Model in sheath of white dots over navy blue silk shantung and matching jacket rimmed in white by Paul Parnes, hat by Christian Dior-New York, photo by Lillian Bassman, Harper's Bazaar U.S., March 1956

Sunny Harnett in fitted suit of Italian silk and tweed with white linen collar and cuffs by Paul Parnes, Maline wrapped straw hat by Irene of New York, Coblentz bag, photo by Frances McLaughlin, Vogue, February 1, 1956

Joanna McCormick in printed silk dress wrapped with a cummerbund worn with spring-weight wool coat lined in the same printed silk as the dress by Paul Parnes, photo by Karen Radkai, Vogue, February 15, 1957

Linda Harper in belted, one-piece wool tweed dress with the look of a suit, by Beni Clair for Paul Parnes, hat by John Frederics, bag by Mark Cross, photo by William Ward, Harper's Bazaar, September 1957

Model in an oatmeal tweed wool dress with a boxy jacket cropped just past the waistline by Paul Parnes, leopard hat by Amrose, photo by Tom Palumbo, Harper's Bazaar, September 1957

Mary Jane Russell in wool dress and jacket by Paul Parnes, hat of silver fox fur, jewelry by Schlumberger for Tiffany, photo by Henry Clarke, Vogue, September 1, 1958

Monique Chevalier in gray worsted with huge collar of off-white platina fox, worn with white wool jersey pullover by Paul Parnes, rhinestone bracelet by Eisenberg, photo by Irving Penn, Vogue, September 15, 1958