Stunning Fashion Designs by Hannah Troy From the 1950s

Born 1900 in New York, American fashion designer Hannah Troy was always involved in fashion since she was a teenager. “I started sewing as soon as I could thread a needle,” she said. At 12, she was making clothes for her sisters. She also modeled at a very young age. After graduating from Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn, NYC, she worked in a blouse company, then opened her own business.

In the mid-1960s, Troy designed the “tent” dress so that “even the woman of large size could look elegant”. She described her style as “elegant, a little classic and timeless”. Her career peaked from the late 1940s until her retirement in 1968. She supplied top Manhattan stores such as Saks Fifth Avenue, Bergdorf Goodman, Bonwit Teller, Best & Co., Henri Bendel, Lord & Taylor, B. Altman and Bloomingdale’s.

Troy was credited with bringing Italian fashion to the United States and inventing the petite sizes. Pat Nixon and Mamie Van Doren were among her clients. She died at the age of 93 at Miami Beach Hospital, the city where she had moved some time ago. These vintage photos captured portraits of classic beauties wearing impressive fashion designs by Hannah Troy from the 1950s.

Dovima in an understated black and white checked dress of rayon taffeta by Hannah Troy, photo by Frances McLaughlin, Vogue, February 1, 1950

Lillian Marcuson in black rayon sheath with an overskirt of black rayon taffeta by Hannah Troy, stark white panne velvet hat by Lilly Daché, photo by Horst P. Horst, Vogue, November 1, 1950

Evelyn Tripp in crimson shantung silk suit with a sharp shape, diagonal button closure and shawl-collar, by Hannah Troy, hat by Mr. John, photo by Karen Radkai, Harper's Bazaar, April 1951

Janet Randy in short ball dress of black lace and net over rose-beige silk taffeta by Hannah Troy, photo by Horst P. Horst, Vogue, November 15, 1951

Mary Jane Russell in navy-blue silk taffeta dinner suit by Hannah Troy, skull-cap by Lilly Daché, photo by Richard Rutledge, Vogue, July 1951

Carmen Dell' Orefice in short two-piece dinner dress, the bodice woven with golden threads and pearl drops and braided cords, the skirt is white bengaline, by Hannah Troy, photo by Lillian Bassman, Harper's Bazaar, June 1952

Dovima in slender black wool jersey dress, the sunburst pleats shape the front only, the back remains flat, by Hannah Troy, black alligator bag from Bergdorf Goodman, photo by Roger Prigent, Vogue, August 1, 1952

Dovima in triochrome print taffeta dress by Hannah Troy, photo by Stephen Colhoun, Vogue, March 15, 1952

Evelyn Tripp in charming cotton print dress by Hannah Troy, photo by Horst P. Horst, 1953

Evelyn Tripp in English gingham dress by Hannah Troy with Jasmine EMBA mink coat by Ben Kahn, photo by Richard Avedon, Harper's Bazaar, June 1953

Georgia Hamilton in late-day heathery black-and-white jersey dress with rhinestone polka-dotting on the bodice covered with a shaped jacket by Hannah Troy, photo by Evelyn Hofer, Harper's Bazaar, July 1953

Mary Jane Russell in black velvet, satin and chiffon evening dress by Hannah Troy, photo by Milton Greene, Vogue, September 15, 1953

Mary Jane Russell in stiff white satin dress, gored to the figure and blazed with triangular clusters of brilliants, by Hannah Troy, photo by Tom Palumbo, Harper's Bazaar, October 1954

Cherry Nelms and unidentified model in beautiful pale blue and yellow satin and Orlon gowns, both designed by Hannah Troy, photo by Louise Dahl-Wolfe, Harper's Bazaar, October 1955

Ivy Nicholson in evening shirtwaist dress in a delicate, silk paisley organdie by Hannah Troy, sandals by Julianelli, photo by Henry Clarke, Sicily, Vogue, January 1, 1955

Marilyn Ambrose in slim-skirted over-blouse dress in black-and-white checked wool by Hannah Troy, hat by Emme, sandals by Liparé, photo by Richard Rutledge, Vogue, January 1, 1955

Anne St. Marie in dress of soft silk faille by Hannah Troy, hat by Sally Victor, bag by Greta, photo by Frances McLaughlin, Vogue, July 1, 1956

Anne St. Marie in white silk dress with double hem of black by Hannah Troy adapted from a Balenciaga design, rose tipped white organdie toque by Balenciaga, photo by Clifford Coffin, Vogue, April 1, 1956

Evelyn Tripp in navy wool crêpe slim short-sleeved dress worn under a short double-breasted jacket by Hannah Troy, red straw hat by Emme, Gucci bag, photo by Frances McLaughlin, Vogue, January 1956

Jessica Ford in red chiffon dress, floating from a deep waist by Hannah Troy, satin sandals by Mademoiselle, photo by Karen Radkai, Vogue, November 1, 1956

Sunny Harnett in red-dotted cotton dress with a fichu-cape buttoned into sleevelets in back and bow-tied in front by Fabiani adapted by Hannah Troy, photo by Lilian Bassman, Harper's Bazaar U.S. June 1956

Anne St. Marie in dress with deep v-back ending in fringed panels by Hannah Troy, turban hat by Emme, photo by Wingate Paine, Vogue, September 1, 1957

Anne St. Marie in late-afternoon sheath of black silk crêpe held in by a sash of taupe satin by Hannah Troy, bracelet and ring by Mazer, velvet bow by Mr. John, photo by Richard Rutledge, Vogue, July 1, 1957

Sunny Harnett in black crêpe dress with cluster-pleat skirt by Hannah Troy, Vogue, July 1, 1957

Ivy Nicholson in sheer worsted beige suit by Hannah Troy, photographed in the Cathedral Square in old Havana, Harper's Bazaar, December 1958

Mary Hilem in short silk chiffon evening dress printed in blue and black worn with brilliant blue coat of wool bouclé cuffed in fox fur by Hannah Troy, photo by William Klein, Vogue, October 1, 1958

Monique Chevalier in sheer black wool suit, the jacket trimmed in Canadian silver fox by Hannah Troy, photo by Irving Penn, Vogue, 1958

Anne St. Marie in white knitted wool day dress by Hannah Troy, dark ranch UMPA mink coat by B.Wollman, jewelry by Schlumberger of Tiffany, photo by John Rawlings, Vogue, August 1, 1959

Isabella Albonico (left) and Anne St. Marie in crêpe-rayon dresses by Hannah Troy, pill-box hats by Sally Victor, photo by William Klein, New York City, Vogue, July 1959

Isabella Albonico in red tweed city suit with cape-collar, which is really a dress with sleeved black wool top by Hannah Troy, hat by Emme, photo by Henry Clarke, Vogue, August 1, 1959

Mary Jane Russell in silk embroidered sheath by Hannah Troy, photo by Saul Leiter, Harper's Bazaar, April 1959