Stunning Fashion Designs by Carolyn Schnurer in the 1940s

Born 1908 in New York City, American fashion designer Carolyn Schnurer was a pioneer in American sportswear. Her designs have been featured in the magazines Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and Life as well as in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Schnurer has also received awards for her designs from Coty, The Cotton Council, International Sportswear, Miami Sportswear, and Boston Sportswear. In 1956, her fashion line was reportedly making seven million dollars a year in sales.

Schnurer’s fashion career spanned twenty years, lasting from 1944 until her retirement in 1964. She died in 1998 in Palm Beach, Florida, aged 90. Here are some of fashion designs by Carolyn Schnurer in the 1940s.

Elise Daniels in short black shorts and Cholo coat very square and long-sleeved with scalloped yoke and hem by Carolyn Schnurer, cover by Louise Dahl-Wolfe, Harper's Bazaar, May 1945

Bijou Barrington in a Mother Hubbard beachcoat in white rayon trimmed with lace ruffles by Carolyn Schnurer, photo by Serge Balkin, Vogue, April 15, 1945

Model in a yoked Cholo coat of Cohama cocoa rayon with Peruvian pink shorts by Carolyn Schnurer, photo by Louise Dahl-Wolfe, Harper's Bazaar, May 1945

Betty Bridgers in black-and-white gingham with white collar with matching shorts, Bobby Munroe in plaid gingham, black-green-and white also with matching shorts, both by Carolyn Schnurer, Harper's Bazaar, May 1946

Bobby Munroe and Betty Bridgers in black-and-white gingham playsuits by Carolyn Schnurer, thong sandals by Mackey, photo by Louise Dahl-Wolfe, Harper's Bazaar, May 1946

Bobby Munroe in black-and-white striped cotton beach jacket by Carolyn Schnurer, photo by Louise Dahl-Wolfe, Harper's Bazaar, May 1946

Janet Stevenson in a snappy bellhop suit of navy blue challis jacket and shorts with pockets that stick out, over blue-and-white breastband and lapels by Carolyn Schnurer, photo by Genevieve Naylor, Harper's Bazaar, January 1946

Lauren Bacall in white coverall-coat, brass-buttoned with big roll-up sleeves over a navy-blue playsuit, by Carolyn Schnurer, photo by John Engstead, Harper's Bazaar, February 1946

Model in Dan River's rough-spun rayon tunic belted over black shorts by Carolyn Schnurer, photo by Serge Balkin at Frank Lloyd Wright's "Talisien West", in Arizona, Vogue, February 1, 1946

Sabine in short, shutter-pleated beachdress in beige rayon-shantung by Carolyn Schnurer, photo by Genevieve Naylor, Harper's Bazaar, January 1946

Sabine Weber (l) in aquamarine terry-cloth, belted monkey suit and Janet Stevenson (r) in skintight beige wool jersey suit belted in brown leather, both by Carolyn Schnurer, photo by Genevieve Naylor, Harper's Bazaar, January 1946

Joan Petit in teal-blue corduroy circle-skirt, matching rayon-crêpe skirt and wool cardigan by Carolyn Schnurer, photo by Frances McLaughlin, Vogue, August 1, 1947

Marilyn Ambrose in white cotton summer dress with short capelet jacket by Carolyn Schnurer, Harper's Bazaar, May 1947

Sabine Weber in a blue-and-white cottonbasque dress with a deep eyelet shoulder ruffle by Carolyn Schnurer, photo by Toni Frissell, President's Palace, Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Harper's Bazaar, February 1947

Sabine Weber in a one-piece suit of bright red shorts and strapless gray and white striped top by Carolyn Schnurer, photo by Toni Frissell, Jamaica, Harper's Bazaar, February 1947

Sabine Weber in white tennis suit of shorts and top and short pleated overskirt by Carolyn Schnurer, photo by Toni Frissell at the Citadel Hotel in Haiti, Harper's Bazaar, February 1947

Carol McCallson in long-sleeved white cotton shirt and blue corduroy swimming shorts and bra by Carolyn Schnurer, photo by Horst P. Horst, Vogue, May 1, 1948

Katherine Cassidy in Blue Erwin denim shorts and white Everfast linen-rayon shirt edged in gold rick-rack by Carolyn Schnurer, photo by Louise Dahl-Wolfe at the Palm Springs house of Raymond Loewe, Harper's Bazaar, May 1948

Model in a 'hook 'n twist' sunback dress of Bates cotton by Carolyn Schnurer, photo by Jane Troxell, Harper's Bazaar, May 1948

Model in a gray flannel skirt with back-tracking pleats and shapely black velveteen jacket, both by Carolyn Schnurer, photo by Genevieve Naylor, Harper's Bazaar, August 1948

Model is wearing a green Bates poplin dress under white eyelet with plain green sash by Carolyn Schnurer, photo by Paul Himmel, Harper's Bazaar, June 1948

Natalie Paine in Dan River tweed-woven cotton dress over a white piqué blouse by Carolyn Schnurer, shoes by Evins, photo by Louise Dahl-Wolfe, Harper's Bazaar, January 1948

Jean Patchett in button-back voile dress and Katherine Cassidy in voile bathing dress over slim maillot both by Carolyn Schnurer, Vogue, June 1949