"Liz Claiborne: The Legend, The Woman" (Taylor Trade Publishing, $24.95, 312 pages), by Art Ortenberg: "Liz Claiborne: The Legend, The Woman" looks at the fashion designer whose Liz Claiborne Inc. was the first company founded by a woman to be listed in the Fortune 500.
Claiborne designed coordinated outfits that were serious and stylish, but also affordable, for working women as they pioneered their way up corporate ladders in the 1970s and 1980s. The brand emphasized ensemble sportswear and quality while keeping the price tag moderate.
She also revolutionized the way department stores arranged their fashion merchandise by making sure her clothes were grouped together in one section, rather than separated by categories. This showed how complete outfits could be put together.
Written by Claiborne's husband Art Ortenberg, "Liz Claiborne" begins with the designer's death from cancer at age 78 in 2007, then jumps back to 1989, when the couple retired from the company's day-to-day operations.
The book contains accounts of the times Claiborne and Ortenberg spent together after their retirement, including a trip to Kenya, as they worked to support environmental causes.
The couple shared a love of adventure and wanted to tour the globe and create memories together. Then Claiborne was diagnosed with cancer in 1997. Her fight to survive is a common thread throughout the book.
"Liz Claiborne" includes great photographs that only an insider or family member could provide — and a sweet memory about her love of the color red. Ortenberg says his wife always had her nails painted red, and she was buried in a red urn.
Despite Ortenberg's obvious love and admiration for Claiborne, the book doesn't live up to its powerful title. The writing jumps around in no real order, and it's not a particularly interesting book.
Readers can learn more about the woman, her career and how she influenced the fashion industry from a search of the Internet.
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