The Escada group was founded in 1976 near Munich, Germany, by Wolfgang and Margarethe Ley. The company took its name from an Irish thoroughbred racehorse and both Leys were betting on their enterprise to win. Today the Escada collection includes Couture fashion, Escada Sport and Escada Accessories, fur coats, handbags, sunglasses and jewelry. Margarethe Ley was the chief designer for the group until her death in 1992. She strongly adhered to the belief that a designer must never rely solely on creative talent to be a success; creativity must be balanced by a strong market appeal. Ley created a highly distinctive identity for Escada clean, slick, and sophisticated. She also pioneered the development of exciting new fabric combinations and color schemes when so many other designers were solidly into black. When Ley died she was succeeded by Michael Stolzenburg who brought a younger, more modern perspective to the company. Taking his influence from daily life, he believed the balance of
Read more »