anne klein (born hannah golofsky; august 3, 1923 – march 19, 1974) was an american fashion designer and businesswoman, a founder and namesake of anne klein & company. she co-founded anne klein & company in 1968 with gunther oppenheim, and within ten years her designs were being sold in over 750 department stores and boutiques in the usa. her design career began in 1937 when she was awarded a scholarship to attend the traphagen school of fashion, which led to her first job as a sketcher for dress firms on seventh avenue. in 1948 she married clothing manufacturer ben klein, with whom she launched the junior sophisticates clothing line. anne klein was the principal designer at junior sophisticates until 1960, when her marriage ended. in 1963, she married her second husband, matthew 'chip' rubinstein, and in 1968, they founded anne klein & company on 39th street. she also opened anne klein studio on 57th street. beginning in 1954 with the mademoiselle merit award, anne klein won numerous fashion awards and gained international recognition. in 1967, she patented a girdle designed for the miniskirt. in 1973, she was the only woman invited to participate in the battle of versailles, a competitive fashion show consisting of five american designers against five french designers, intended to raise money for renovations at versailles. on march 19, 1974, anne klein died of breast cancer at mount sinai hospital, new york, ny.
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