Iris Lingerie
Sylvia Pedlar | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1900 New York, U.S. |
| Died | 1972-02-26 New York, U.S. |
| Occupation | Lingerie designer |
| Years active | 1929–1970 |
| Known for | Special Coty Award (1951, 1964); founder of Iris Lingerie; pioneering ultra-short babydoll nightgown design |
Sylvia Pedlar (1900–1972) was a prominent American designer known for her specialization in lingerie. She uniquely earned the Special Coty Award on two occasions, receiving it in both 1951 and 1964.
Originally named Sylvia Schlang and born in New York, she pursued art studies at Cooper Union and the Art Students League of New York before marrying William A. Pedlar. In 1929, she established Iris Lingerie, a company she managed until it ceased operations in 1970.
Pedlar’s acclaim stemmed primarily from the exceptional craftsmanship of her lingerie rather than promotional strategies or marketing efforts. She is recognized for introducing ultra-short babydoll nightgowns during the early 1940s as a wartime fabric conservation measure, although she personally disliked the label "baby doll." Among her creative achievements was a négligée inspired by the toga, designed specifically for women who preferred to sleep unclothed—a concept she explored repeatedly throughout her career. This particular design gained attention in 1962 when it appeared in both Life and Harper's Bazaar. Additionally, Pedlar reinterpreted Victorian-era garments such as the modest flannel Mother Hubbard nightgown by using sheer cotton fabrics and replicated nineteenth-century whitework embroidery through machine techniques, producing lingerie that rivaled luxury French handmade items.
The Costume Institute holds examples of Pedlar’s lingerie, and records documenting her work from 1946 to 1967 are archived at the Fashion Institute of Technology.
Sylvia Pedlar passed away in New York on February 26, 1972.