Adele Simpson; Fashion Designer for First Ladies

Adele Simpson, 91, women’s fashion designer who dressed first ladies Lady Bird Johnson, Pat Nixon, Betty Ford and Barbara Bush. Born Adele Smithline in New York City, Mrs. Simpson studied design at the Pratt Institute. After designing for important 7th Avenue manufacturers, she founded her own company, Adele Simpson Inc., in 1949. A pioneer in the post-World War II sportswear boom, Mrs. Simpson created classic clothes and was one of the first to design a career woman’s wardrobe that included pants. She also introduced clothes that did not pull over the head, and was the first to design coats and matching skirts. She created the wedding gown for President Lyndon B. Johnson’s daughter Lynda Bird. In addition to women in politics, Mrs. Simpson’s clients included many in Hollywood such as Claudette Colbert and Elizabeth Taylor. Among the designer’s honors was the prestigious Coty American Fashion Critics Award in 1947. On Wednesday in Greenwich, Conn.