Biography carol little fashion designer

Known for her signature mixed prints and California casual chic sportswear, designer Carole Little died on Sept. 19 at her home in San Diego following a long illness.

She was 79.

At its height in the early 1990s, Los Angeles–based Carole Little Inc. had grown to a $350 million enterprise employing 1,200 people.

Little founded the company with Leonard Rabinowitz in 1974 when they spotted an untapped niche in the market between moderate apparel and designer labels.

Biography carol little fashion designer dies

On a trip to France, the two recognized the need for better clothing and an opportunity to open a new market.

“She really created this category that fell in between moderate and designer called better,” said Rabinowitz, who was Little’s close friend and business partner during and after their 22-year marriage.

“There was no alternative at the time for a woman to buy a $58 silk shirt instead of spending $100-and-something for designer or $18 for polyester. The whole concept of the better market was spawned from that.”