Bonnie August
Bonnie J. August | |
|---|---|
| Born | 2 January 1947 River Edge, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Died | 9 August 2003 (aged 56) Manhattan, New York City, U.S. |
| Occupation | Fashion designer |
| Years active | 1971–2003 |
| Known for | Revolutionizing activewear during the disco era; use of spandex and vibrant colors; Coty Award recipient |
Bonnie J. August (January 2, 1947 – August 9, 2003) was an influential American fashion designer credited with transforming activewear during the disco era. She brought unitards worn beneath wrap skirts into the spotlight and was a trailblazer in utilizing elastic materials such as spandex, integrating vibrant colors and patterns into athletic apparel. In recognition of her impact on women's fashion, she received a Coty Award in 1978. A graduate of Syracuse University, August assumed the role of design director at Danskin in 1975. She authored The Complete Bonnie August Dress Thin System (1981) and established the labels Bonnie August Activewear and Bodywear as well as Bonnie August Design Studio. Her creations are part of the collections at both the Fashion Institute of Technology museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Early life and education
Born in River Edge, New Jersey on January 2, 1947, August completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts in fabric design at Syracuse University in 1968. She expanded her expertise through studies in knitwear design at the Fashion Institute of Technology, jewelry design at Haystack School of Arts and Crafts and the Craft Students League, and computer graphics at Parsons School of Design.
Fashion career
Following her graduation from Syracuse, August worked as a guest fashion editor for Mademoiselle and designed ski apparel for Aspen Skiwear in 1971. She joined the women's apparel company Danskin as design director in 1975, drawing creative influence from ballet attire including tights, leggings, and leotards. Her 1975 Freestyle line combined knit leotards with jeans or skirts, with a self-tie wrap skirt introduced the following year.
August was a key figure in shaping the disco-era aesthetic by layering wrap skirts over unitards and championing stretch fabrics like spandex. She pioneered styles such as crop tops, tunics, and stirrup pants while being among the earliest designers to incorporate prints and bright hues into activewear. Her contributions were instrumental in bringing dance and exercise clothing into everyday casual fashion. In 1978, she earned a special Coty Award for revolutionizing women's dress.
Her work was featured in publications including People, Women's Wear Daily, Harper's Bazaar, the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, and Vogue. A 1979 article in People underscored her influence with the headline "Danskin Designer Bonnie August Has Got Almost Everybody Going Around in Next to Nothing."
Committed to enhancing female silhouettes through slimming designs, August shared styling advice in her 1981 publication The Complete Bonnie August Dress Thin System, which contained more than one thousand illustrations. She devised an alphabetical Body ID system that combined front and side profiles to categorize body types.
After departing from Danskin in 1984, she launched Bonnie August Activewear and Bodywear, where she served as both designer and president until 1993. Subsequently, she founded Bonnie August Design Studio, distributing apparel through leading department stores across the United States. Her ventures were among the earliest designer-branded activewear companies offering stretch sportswear, outerwear, hosiery, gym apparel, socks, and graphic T-shirts.
Personal and later life
In 1981, August wed Carl Van Brunt. The couple had one son before eventually divorcing.
She was honored with induction into the Council of Fashion Directors of America in 1986 and was actively involved in fundraising efforts alongside Fashion Group International and the Council of Fashion Designers of America.
After being diagnosed with cancer in 1997, August made a recovery and, in 2001, partnered with Wells Hosiery to establish an online catalog business that contributed a share of its earnings to charitable causes. She passed away from ovarian cancer on August 9, 2003, in Manhattan.
August's creations are preserved within the collections of the Fashion Institute of Technology museum, Seattle's Rock 'n' Roll Museum, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.