Philadelphia’s largest and most widely acclaimed fashion...

Philadelphia’s largest and most widely acclaimed fashion designer, Albert Nipon, said he put his business into Chapter 11 bankruptcy to prevent the Internal Revenue Service from seizing assets. The 60-year-old designer, who served 20 months in prison for bribing an IRS agent, blamed the bankruptcy filing on tax authorities. On Dec. 18, the IRS filed a claim against Albert Nipon Inc. for $3.68 million in taxes, interest and penalties allegedly owed. Nipon said he keep would operating under protection of the bankruptcy court and proceed with a previously announced plan to sell the firm to Leslie Fay Cos., of New York.