In this photograph by Abbie Rowe taken on January 20, 1961, newly-inaugurated President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy arrive at the National Guard Armory in Washington, D.C. for the Inaugural Ball. Mrs. Kennedy completed her Ethel Frankau look with a matching cape that closed at the neck and elbow-length gloves.

This is a sketch from the Bergdorf Goodman Custom Salon by the designer A. Kelly, depicting a fur collared coat in a 1930s silhouette. Though this design wasn’t made by Frankau herself, she likely instructed illustrators or offered suggestions on their sketches. After sketches were finalized, garments were usually draped or sewn onto a mannequin that was similar to the customer’s figure.

In addition to garments, the Bergdorf Goodman Custom Salon also created custom accessories! This illustration from 1939 suggests a straw hat with a flower perched at the crown and a lace veil that covers the front of the face. Lace and flower embellishments were a popular hat trend for during this decade.

This Vogue editorial from 1941 features a draped yellow dress from the Bergdorf Goodman Custom Salon.

Ethel Frankau, designer and director of the Bergdorf Goodman Custom Salon, worked at the famous salon from 1914 until shortly before her death in 1971.