Hickson Inc.
 A circa 1913 Hickson label | |
| Company type | Women's Clothing |
|---|---|
| Industry | Fashion |
| Founded | 1902 in New York City, New York, United States |
| Founder | Caroline "Carrie" Hickson-Kennedy, Kathryn "Kate" Hickson, Richard J. Hickson |
| Defunct | September 1931 |
| Fate | Bankruptcy |
| Successor | Nelson-Hickson Inc. |
| Headquarters | New York , United States |
| Owner | Richard J. Hickson, Leslie M. Hickson, Philip S. Crooks |
Hickson Inc. was a prestigious fashion house and department store based in New York City during the early 20th century. Initially established as a men's tailoring business, it transformed into what designer Howard Greer once called "the most refined and costly specialty boutique on Fifth Avenue."
Throughout the 1910s, the company provided wardrobe pieces for actresses in silent cinema. By 1926, it inaugurated a custom-built retail location situated on a prominent corner along Fifth Avenue. Collaborations included partnerships with renowned figures such as Madeleine Vionnet and Georges V. Matchabelli. Additionally, Charvet & Fils leased space within their establishment. Nevertheless, the onset of the Great Depression led to their bankruptcy filing in 1931. Today, several garments designed by Hickson are preserved in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
History
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Hickson Inc., originally known as Hickson & Company, was created in 1902 by siblings Caroline "Carrie" Hickson-Kennedy, Kathryn "Kate" Hickson, and Richard J. Hickson. Their first base was located at 657 Fifth Avenue in New York City, with an initial capital of $800 invested by the founding family. After Kate and Carrie tragically perished in the 1915 sinking of the RMS Lusitania, management passed to Richard Hickson alongside his son Leslie M. Hickson and business associate Phillip S. Crooks. Richard served as president while Leslie and Phillip held vice-presidential roles.
Starting as a tailoring service for men, the firm evolved into an upscale dress salon that Howard Greer, who briefly worked there, described as "the most elegant and expensive specialty shop on Fifth Avenue."
In 1916, Hickson lost a legal dispute with Boué Soeurs, which accused them of purchasing that company's designs, replicating them, selling these copies under their own name, and removing original labels from purchased garments to resell them.
Hickson supplied numerous costumes for Pathé Exchange's 1916 film series Who's Guilty?. Among their notable creations was a pale pink dress inspired by a sari featuring a distinctive "bustle-back," designed for the patriotic 1917 silent movie The Gown of Destiny. This light-colored outfit was chosen for its suitability to black-and-white cinematography and gained popularity following the film’s release. Although both the studio and Hickson supported the Allies of World War I, the company emphasized that this design was developed independently from Parisian fashion influences to highlight America's growing fashion autonomy.
In February 1921, reports indicated that Hickson would create the gown, wrap, and hat worn by Florence Harding during her husband’s inauguration as the 29th President of the United States. The ensemble featured a shade known as "Mrs. Harding Blue."
By 1924, Hickson had begun collaborating with Madeleine Vionnet as she reestablished her fashion house between Paris and New York following World War I closures; her atelier occupied an entire floor within Hickson’s premises.
Starting in 1926, Georges V. Matchabelli, founder of the Prince Matchabelli perfume line, appeared at Hickson’s to market his fragrances and personally crafted custom scents for select clients.
In September 1926 it was announced that on December 31st that year, Hickson would unveil a new five-story edifice located at Fifth Avenue’s corner with 52nd Street. Designed by architects Springsteen and Goldhammer in an Italian Renaissance style, this building replaced the former site of the William K. Vanderbilt House. In early 1927, Charvet & Fils secured leasing space within this structure.
In October 1928, burglars broke into the company’s workrooms at 15 West 36th Street by breaching a wall on the tenth floor and stole garments valued between $30,000 and $40,000.
Demise and legacy
In September 1931, the company initiated bankruptcy proceedings in a United States court. Court documents revealed that a petition had been submitted to the municipal court aiming to remove the company from its location at 660 Fifth Avenue. After the bankruptcy declaration, ownership of the company's assets and property was assigned to the principal shareholder, Seel Singer. Singer continued to operate the fashion retail establishment at the same Fifth Avenue address; shortly thereafter, the business was rebranded as Nelson-Hickson Inc. following a collaboration with apparel designer Anne Nelson. By 1938, Nelson-Hickson relocated to a distinctive five-story residence situated at 9 West 57th Street.
A 1911 walking suit created by Hickson is preserved in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection, which also includes a circa 1913 evening gown, a 1916 evening cape, and an approximately 1918 wool suit.
Further reading
- Opinions in Individual Lusitania Claims and Other Case: (To May 27, 1925.). Mixed Claims Commission, United States and Germany. 1925. p. 440 – via Google Books.
References
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