FIT Institutional Repository

Title

Vera Maxwell: Form and Function in American Sportswear

Contributor Names

Teuber, Audrey (Author)

Fashion Institute of Technology, State University of New York. Fashion and Textile Studies: History, Theory, Museum Practice (Degree granting institution)

MacDonell Robertson, Nancy (Thesis advisor)

Davidson, Hilary (Thesis advisor)

Date

2026

Degree Information

M.A. Fashion Institute of Technology, State University of New York 2026

Department: Fashion and Textile Studies: History, Theory, Museum Practice

Advisors: Nancy MacDonell Robertson; Hilary Davidson

Committee members: Brooke Carlson

Abstract

American designer Vera Maxwell (1901–1995) made significant contributions to the American fashion industry in sportswear design during the mid-twentieth century. Over the course of her career, which spanned the 1930s to the 1980s, Maxwell created functional and timeless garments for work and travel. This qualifying paper shares the history of designer Vera Maxwell, including her background in dance and her work as a fashion designer, followed by chapters on her design philosophy and process. Based on evidence drawn from interviews with Maxwell, print advertisements, and news articles, the final chapter showcases six of her most famous designs. Throughout this paper, I provide context on Maxwell's background, including her sources of inspiration and the influence of American society on women and their fashion choices in the mid-twentieth century.

Subject

Fashion

United States--History

Textile research

Design

Fashion design

Maxwell, Vera

Keyword

Fashion

American history

Textile research

Design

American fashion history

American sportswear

Fashion design

Functional fashion

Maxwell, Vera

Women's travel clothing

Rights

In Copyright

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Identifier

FIT Repository ID: etd_001055

URN: ISBN:9798252432144

Related Materials

Also available from ProQuest

Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 87-12

Masters Abstracts International

Type

Text

Thesis

Language

English

Publisher

Ann Arbor : ProQuest Dissertations & Theses