There are so many reasons the CFDA will forever remember Howard Silver with great fondness and gratitude. Silver, who died at age 71 on March 6, was deeply committed to the American fashion industry and the organization, and regularly attended our meetings and functions. A friendly face who knew every CFDA staffer, Silver was always ready for a catch-up on fashion history, the current state of our industry, its future, red carpet dressing, and more.
But something else also made Silver special within the Council. Inducted into the organization in 2001, he was one of only two textile designer members in the organization’s 59-year history.
JASCO, the family business founded by his father in 1946, was one of the best known knitted textile resources in New York, a go-to for top American designers for matte and wool jerseys and other luxurious materials – all made in the U.S. Its hallmark: “When you see it, touch it, wear it, the fabric speaks for itself.”
American fashion legends Norman Norell, Claire McCardell, and Charles James to Halston, Diane von Furstenberg, Norma Kamali, Stephen Burrows, Scott Barrie, Giorgio di Sant’Angelo, Donna Karan, and many more used JASCO’s Signature Matte Jersey.
Silver entered the family business in 1980, and succeeding his father at Jasco “was Howard’s joy and his identity,” said Maida Silver, his wife of 50 years. And he took JASCO to new levels, working with designers and upscale private label manufacturers. He introduced cashmere, silk, and other precious fibers, many of which made their way into American runway shows and onto red carpets. Heidi Klum, for example, wore a white Zac Posen dress to the 2016 CFDA Fashion Awards made with JASCO fabric.
Silver also engaged with top fashion programs, providing scholarships, internships, seminars and luxury piece goods to emerging talents and students.
Along the way, he received several honors, including the 1981 Cotton Incorporated Textile Designer Award and a 1994 honorary Gold Thimble Award from Parsons. Silver was also a founding Board Member of Shenkar College of Fashion in Israel.
“Howard Silver loved our industry, and was adored by the talented creatives he worked with over the years – from the now-renowned designers whose careers he helped launch to the hundreds of students that he so generously donated fabric to,” CFDA Executive Vice President Lisa Smilor said. “He found great joy in delivering top-quality and innovative materials that brought their creative visions to life.”
Silver is survived by his wife, two sons, and four grandchildren. The family has asked that, in lieu of flowers or gifts, donations can be made to Westchester Jewish Community Services and Temple Israel Center of White Plains.
