There are few designers who changed the course of American fashion. Claire McCardell, for example, pioneered American sportswear, while Ralph Lauren created an aspirational American lifestyle brand. But it was Anne Klein who championed classic, casual work wear that catered to the modern woman.

Known for her separates and the concept of a “fully coordinated closet,” Klein’s female-centric design approach altered the way women dressed. Recognizing a cultural shift, her clothing catered to the evolving lifestyle and role of American women that was no longer restricted to just the home. Posh dresses were replaced with casual blazers and trousers meant to be mixed and matched for any occasion. “Clothes aren’t going to change the world, the women who wear them will,” Klein famously said.

Klein passed away in 1974, but her legacy as a prominent figure in the American fashion landscape endures. As Anne Klein celebrates 50 years of business, the brand curated a capsule collection of vintage pieces from the archives that still hold true today. These one-of-a-kind items are up for sale exclusively through ShopBazaar.

In celebration of the milestone, we sat down the Biz Zast, Anne Klein’s Vice President of Global Marketing, to hear more about the late designer’s impact on American fashion, and her  plans to make the brand last for another 50 years.

How would you describe Anne Klein’s impact on the American fashion industry?

Anne Klein is often regarded as a trailblazing designer that forever changed the way women dress. She is credited with originating the concept of a fully-coordinated closet, and providing a uniquely American point of view to the global fashion industry. Her trademark separates became the hallmark of a purposeful and stylish wardrobe – one that has informed trends for decades.

Anne’s launched her career in the 1950s in New York City, designing petite collections for a company she founded with her first husband, Ben Klein. Her success, including winning her first of two Coty American Fashion Critics’ Awards in 1954, propelled the launch of a consulting design business in the mid-sixties. Initially a consulting platform for young designers, Anne Klein Studio ultimately became a licensing house for her namesake brand, which Anne started in 1968.

Anne’s debut sportswear collection of modern separates was an immediate success and quickly expanded to include jewelry, accessories, fragrance and more. For the next six years, Anne continued to win several prestigious fashion awards, and became a charter board member of the CFDA.

In 1973, Anne competed in The Battle of Versailles, an international fashion show held in France to fund the restoration of King Louis XIV’s palace. As the sole woman on a team of five American designers, Anne’s forward-thinking design approach and collection of modern separates clinched the team’s victory over their European counterparts. This unexpected accolade positioned America as a global leader in fashion and firmly established Anne as a visionary designer who shaped the way modern women dress today. Since its inception, the Anne Klein brand remains synonymous with modern, classic American style.

What do you think has kept the Anne Klein brand alive for 50 years now?  

Anne’s original platform and driving force behind her designs – to empower and celebrate women – is as relevant today as it was trailblazing in 1968. Our customer is thoroughly modern – she works, she’s a mother, she’s engaged. But we know she values style and we design clothes to complement and elevate her lifestyle. Anne Klein continues to provide purposeful pieces that make getting dressed easy, from head-to-toe. Each of our collections – from clothing, to footwear, to eyewear – make style, ease and functionality accessible. We continue to be a trusted resource as her complete wardrobe solution.

How do you intend to drive the Anne Klein brand into the future?

Our messaging, and how we design our collections, will always be rooted in and bound by Anne’s original mission: To put our customer first, and make her life easier by being her go-to resource for wardrobe, her style and her life. But we’re adding a modern twist to make our history relevant for today’s woman.

For example, this season we incorporated iconic [original] vintage pieces from past collections as a backdrop to Fall 2018, and through compelling styling, created a campaign that bridged decades of classic, wearable style to reinforce Anne’s mission and heritage: A celebration of what women can accomplish when they have the right wardrobe.

To drive engagement, Anne Klein partnered with Harper’s BAZAAR – a brand synonymous with cutting edge fashion and a longstanding voices dedicated to spotlighting risk-taking women, much like Anne herself – to bring the campaign and Anne’s voice to life. We unveiled a shoppable pop-up retrospective here in NYC that showcased the campaign looks, and other artifacts from Anne’s archives that allowed visitors to interact with the brand’s history in a tangible way. And, we invited three entrepreneurs who embody Anne’s spirit – Marlien Rentmeester of Le Catch, Daniella Pierson of The Newsette, and Lindsey Taylor Wood of The Helm – to unveil the exhibit with an empowering discussion about working women.