George Stavropoulos

1920 George Stavropoulos is born in Tripolis, Greece, the seventh child for Peter Dmitri Stavropoulos and Dmitra Paraskeveopoulos.
1935-49 Stavropoulos takes his first job sweeping up in a tailor shop and begins designing costumes for theatrical productions.
1952 Stavropoulos is approached by Christian Dior to come and work at his Paris atelier. Stavropoulos declines the offer and instead continues to develop his own business in Athens.
1949-60 Stavropoulos opens a small couture salon, named Nikis 13, in Athens, Greece near Constitution Square. There he creates suits and coats in his special cut while also developing his signature draped silhouette. His clients list includes Queen Federika and the wives of wealthy Greek shipping magnates.
1960 Stavropoulos marries Nancy Angelakos, an American working at the U. S. Embassy in Athens and closes his successful couture salon in Athens.
1961 Stavropoulos and his wife move to the United States where he launches his debut American collection.
1961-63 Stavropoulos struggles to get his business off the ground and begins designing for private clients such as socialites Mrs. Robert Love and Elizabeth Oxenburg, the former Princess of Yugoslavia.
1963 Mildred Custin, the buyer for Bonwit Teller, discovers Stavropoulos and places a substantial order for his 1963 collection. Stanley Korshak, of the famed Chicago store, and Geraldine Stutz, president of Henry Bendel, quickly followed suit. Stavropoulos's wholesale, ready-to-wear business quickly takes off.
1965 Stavropoulos moves to a larger atelier located at 16 West 57th Street, which would remain his location for the duration of his career. Stavropoulos's wife, Nancy, gives birth to their son, Peter.
1966 Lady Bird Johnson appears at the opening of the new Metropolitan Opera House in Lincoln Center and the opening of the San Francisco Opera in Stavropoulos designs.
1966-69 Stavropoulos creates a number of noteworthy designs including his Calyptra wrap and short tunics based on the traditional uniform of the Greek Army's Evzone Guard. Stavropoulos adds dimension to his collection with the use of lace fabric and crystal pleating. He also begins blending multiple colors of chiffon for gowns with iridescent effects.
1970-79 Stavropoulos continues to work in his favored fabric, chiffon, and his design aesthetic aligns easily with the soft flowing line and feminine look of styles popular during the 1970s. His client list grew to include Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Elizabeth Taylor, Maria Callas, and Shirley MacLaine.
1980-91 Stavropoulos begins to get the daughters and even the granddaughters of his original clients and experiments with some of the decade's more playful silhouettes. He creates notable designs using suede and silk jersey. Stavropoulos creates his final collection for the spring 1991 season and passes away in December 1990.