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Hattie’s Facts
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Name: Henrietta Kanengeiser (Carnegie)-Zanft Changed name in 1909 in tribute to her mentor Andrew Carnegie.
Nicknames: Hattie, The Tiny Dynamo, Miss Hattie, Diminutive Blonde Ball of Fire. She was given the nickname Hattie when she was 16 years old while working at Macy's Department Store. Her first job was creating hats, and her full name was Henrietta (Hence Hattie). Hattie Carnegie got the nickname, "The Diminitive Blonde Ball of Fire", because she had blonde hair. She was very, very tiny. Hattie was an outstanding businesswoman. Even though she was very kindhearted and would help anyone, she expected her employees to work, didn't tolerate laziness and had a fiery temper. The nickname fit her perfectly.
Birthday: March 15th 1886
Place of Birth: Austrian countryside. Family emigrated to USA when Hattie was 14 years old in 1900
Height: 4ft/9" tall
Weight: 90 lbs
Blonde hair and blue eyes
Hattie was the second oldest of seven children. Two brothers and four sisters. She was the first born daughter.
Employment: Fashion Designer/Fashion Editor/Instructor, and began her career at Macy's Department Store.
Husband: Major John Zanft
Married Major John Zanft in 1928
Hattie was Jewish and spoke four languages: German, English, French and Yiddish. She was also left handed.
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Hattie Carnegie married Major John Zanft on August 22nd 1928. They were married at the City Hall in Philadelphia just minutes after they obtained the marriage license. Two weeks later had a formal marriage ceremony performed by a Rabbi at the Synagogue. Hattie attended with their family and friends.
Hattie's first husband was named Ferdinand Fleischman. They agreed to a divorce in 1923. This was the arranged marriage made by her father.
Hattie Carnegie authored an advice column in VOGUE MAGAZINE on Fashion and Fashion Trends during the 1920's. It was titled: "VOGUE POINTS BY HATTIE CARNEGIE". She answered reader's questions regarding "Fashion, Trends and Style."
Hattie's father, Isaac Kanengeiser, was a TAILOR by profession. Hattie followed in her beloved father's footsteps. Her father, however, was a tailor in a men's wear shop, and Hattie's shop only sold women's wear. Though he was mentioned as her mentor, Hattie's father never lived to see his daughter become a great success in the world of fashion and business, and open up her own shop. He died when Hattie was just a teenager, but was very proud of her when she began working at Macy's Department Store.
I was doing my usual Monday research for the Hattie Carnegie site and decided to look up the meaning of her name, which was Henrietta.
HENRIETTA - MEANING QUEEN OR RULER (Well, she was the Queen of the fashion world, and the first popular female fashion designer so her name suited her). In the book they give common nicknames for the proper name and famous people who have/had the name as their own. Next to the name Henrietta it said: Feminine of Henry Common nickname- Hattie (as in Hattie Carnegie- Fashion Designer). I thought that was cute.
Fashion Trends that Miss Hattie Started.... There are more but these are the ones I can recall from memory:
Hattie was the first to add sequins, pearls and sparkles to dresses.
Hattie was the first to raise the hems (ABOVE) the knee-which caused much controversy. Hattie introduced "The collarless sweater" into the new modern wardrobe. She was one of the earliest American designers to reject the corset, calling it a casket. Others soon followed. Hattie was the first designer to have Ready to Wear Labels. And was the first designer to go wholesale with a collection. Hattie Carnegie was the first successful "female" designer and one of the first successful business women. And wasn't really a Fashion Designer at all. She was a Fashion Editor and considered herself a teacher above all. She employed two generations of successful designers- many of whom went on to have even more successful careers due to their association with Hattie. Hattie helped to popularize black dresses. She thought that black was an essential color in every glamourous and stylish wardrobe. Although she designed and sold hats, and made special hats to match and compliment the dresses she sold, Hattie seldom wore hats. Yet she thought they were important factor for a wardrobe.
Many of Hattie's employees stated that she was severely nearsighted. She had some eye glasses with extremely thick lenses. She had a very difficult time seeing as she got older. Hattie was very stubborn and hated to wear her glasses and absolutely did not want to be photographed wearing them. There are a few photographs which show her wearing them. I'm not certain if she was aware that they were taking her picture at the time. There were no contact lenses in Hattie's day, but she would have been the first to acquire them. Another employee stated, despite the fact that Hattie was blind as a bat especially when she didn't wear her glasses, she knew her trade well, and could tell if a hem was a mere quarter inch off. She had eyes in the back of her head and knew everything that went on in the shop, or if something went wrong, she always knew who the culprit was. Nobody got away with anything when Hattie was around.
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In just about every photograph that was taken of Hattie, she is wearing her beloved three strand of pearls that John gave her. Hattie's pearls were priceless to her, and I have yet to see a photograph of her when she was not wearing them. They were her good luck charm. She may not have worn her glasses, but she always wore the pearls. Hattie Carnegie's earliest line of hats had the HATENGIE label-a little play on her name. I. Magnin not Macy's was the first company to acquire rights to Hattie Carnegie's "Ready to Wear" label in 1925. Hattie was the first designer to have a 'Ready to Wear' clothing line. Other designers followed her lead. Hattie Carnegie was chosen the celebrity spokesperson for Dodge Cars and Trucks in the 1920's and 1930's. Hattie carnegie initally began manufacturing costume jewelry to compliment her clothing line. Hattie Carnegie was famous for her very detailed animal pins. When Hattie Carnegie died in 1956 her estate was worth an estimated 12 million dollars after taxes. Hattie Carnegie was laid to rest in Ferncliff Cemetary in New York City. Hattie smoked like a chimney, loved to drink champagne, and couldn't function in the morning without having at least two cups of coffee.
Hattie's personal staff:
Her personal secretary was named Josephine (Jo) Hughes.
Her housekeeper was named Madeline, who was from Paris.
That was all she needed for a "Personal" staff as there was no need for a nanny. Hattie sadly was never blessed with children of her own.
Hattie and Major John Zanft had three homes. Their primary residence a townhouse located at 1133 Fifth Ave. in New York City. Their estate named "Four Winds" was located in Red Bank, New Jersey. The Property currently has family housing units for low income families. Hattie requested this property be used for this after her death. In tribute to her, the city of Red Bank named the property, "Carnegie Court". They had an apartment in Paris, France. Hattie spent as much as three months out of the year studying and working in Paris, so she had to rent a residence.
When Hattie married Major John Zanft in 1928, he gave her a pearl ring that was encircled with diamonds instead of the traditional diamond ring since Hattie loved pearls so much. The ring went perfectly with her three strand pearl necklace which was also a gift from John.
Please visit Hattie's Time Line here.
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