Nonnie Moore
Encyclopedia
Nonnie Moore was a fashion editor at Mademoiselle
, Harper's Bazaar
and GQ.
She was born in Plainfield, New Jersey
as Marjorie Eilers on January 21, 1922, and acquired the nickname "Nonnie" during her childhood. She was a graduate of Barnard College
.
Her first job was at Mademoiselle in 1950 as a secretary, rising through the ranks to become fashion editor there from 1970 to 1980. She was hired by Harper's Bazaar in 1980 and remained there until 1984. The New York Times
noticed the changes she made at Harper's Bazaar, highlighting how the magazine how been "looking a little dowdy", but that Moore had "noticeably sharpened the magazine's fashion point of view" by showing "brighter, younger and more stylish", complimenting her use of "young and exciting fashion photographers" such as Oliviero Toscani
.
Moore was hired by GQ magazine as its fashion editor in 1984. Jim Moore, the magazine's fashion director at the time of her death described the choice as unusual, observing that "She was not from men's wear, so people said she was an odd choice, but she was actually the perfect choice" and noting that she changed the publication's more casual look, which "She helped dress up the pages, as well as dress up the men, while making the mix more exciting and varied and approachable for men."
Traveling to Paris
and elsewhere around the world, Moore had a knack for finding designers who had something new to offer, including Perry Ellis
and Issey Miyake
, whom she publicized early in their careers. Wendy Goodman of New York
magazine described how "Nonnie was quick to pick up how important Miyake was before most people really understood his work", identifying and championing the work of Miyake and other rising designers.
The Council of Fashion Designers of America
recognized Moore with a lifetime achievement award in 1994, the year she retired.
A resident of Manhattan
, Moore died at Saint Vincent's Catholic Medical Center
at age 87 on February 19, 2009 due to a choking accident. She was survived by two sons, two grandchildren and a sister. Her husband Thomas L. Moore died in 1990; the couple had been married for 38 years.
Samuel Irving Newhouse, Jr.
, chairman of Condé Nast Publications
, the owner of GQ recalled that "Nonnie was a brilliant fashion editor and always added something special to the stories she covered for GQ".
Mademoiselle (magazine)
Mademoiselle was an influential women's magazine first published in 1935 by Street and Smith and later acquired by Condé Nast Publications....
, Harper's Bazaar
Harper's Bazaar
Harper’s Bazaar is an American fashion magazine, first published in 1867. Harper’s Bazaar is published by Hearst and, as a magazine, considers itself to be the style resource for “women who are the first to buy the best, from casual to couture.”...
and GQ.
She was born in Plainfield, New Jersey
Plainfield, New Jersey
Plainfield is a city in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population increased to a record high of 49,808....
as Marjorie Eilers on January 21, 1922, and acquired the nickname "Nonnie" during her childhood. She was a graduate of Barnard College
Barnard College
Barnard College is a private women's liberal arts college and a member of the Seven Sisters. Founded in 1889, Barnard has been affiliated with Columbia University since 1900. The campus stretches along Broadway between 116th and 120th Streets in the Morningside Heights neighborhood in the borough...
.
Her first job was at Mademoiselle in 1950 as a secretary, rising through the ranks to become fashion editor there from 1970 to 1980. She was hired by Harper's Bazaar in 1980 and remained there until 1984. The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
noticed the changes she made at Harper's Bazaar, highlighting how the magazine how been "looking a little dowdy", but that Moore had "noticeably sharpened the magazine's fashion point of view" by showing "brighter, younger and more stylish", complimenting her use of "young and exciting fashion photographers" such as Oliviero Toscani
Oliviero Toscani
Oliviero Toscani is an Italian photographer, best-known worldwide for designing controversial advertising campaigns for Italian brand Benetton, from 1982 to 2000...
.
Moore was hired by GQ magazine as its fashion editor in 1984. Jim Moore, the magazine's fashion director at the time of her death described the choice as unusual, observing that "She was not from men's wear, so people said she was an odd choice, but she was actually the perfect choice" and noting that she changed the publication's more casual look, which "She helped dress up the pages, as well as dress up the men, while making the mix more exciting and varied and approachable for men."
Traveling to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and elsewhere around the world, Moore had a knack for finding designers who had something new to offer, including Perry Ellis
Perry Ellis
Perry Ellis was an American fashion designer who founded a sportswear house in the mid-1970s.-The rise of Perry Ellis:...
and Issey Miyake
Issey Miyake
is a Japanese fashion designer. He is known for his technology-driven clothing designs, exhibitions and fragrances.-Life and career:Miyake was born 22 April 1938 in Hiroshima, Japan. As a seven year-old, he witnessed and survived the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. He studied...
, whom she publicized early in their careers. Wendy Goodman of New York
New York (magazine)
New York is a weekly magazine principally concerned with the life, culture, politics, and style of New York City. Founded by Milton Glaser and Clay Felker in 1968 as a competitor to The New Yorker, it was brasher and less polite than that magazine, and established itself as a cradle of New...
magazine described how "Nonnie was quick to pick up how important Miyake was before most people really understood his work", identifying and championing the work of Miyake and other rising designers.
The Council of Fashion Designers of America
Council of Fashion Designers of America
The Council of Fashion Designers of America, Inc. is a not-for-profit trade association of over 350 of America’s foremost fashion and accessory designers. As of 2009, Diane von Fürstenberg is the group's President and Steven Kolb is the Executive Director...
recognized Moore with a lifetime achievement award in 1994, the year she retired.
A resident of Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
, Moore died at Saint Vincent's Catholic Medical Center
Saint Vincent's Catholic Medical Center
Saint Vincent Catholic Medical Centers ' was a healthcare system, anchored by its flagship hospital, St. Vincent's Hospital Manhattan, locally referred to as "St. Vincent's". St. Vincent's was founded in 1849 and closed in 2010...
at age 87 on February 19, 2009 due to a choking accident. She was survived by two sons, two grandchildren and a sister. Her husband Thomas L. Moore died in 1990; the couple had been married for 38 years.
Samuel Irving Newhouse, Jr.
Samuel Irving Newhouse, Jr.
Samuel Irving Newhouse, Jr. , nicknamed Si Newhouse, is the chairman and CEO of Advance Publications, which, among other interests, owns Condé Nast, publisher of many marquee brands in the world of magazines such as Vogue, Vanity Fair, and The New Yorker. He is the son of Samuel Irving...
, chairman of Condé Nast Publications
Condé Nast Publications
Condé Nast, a division of Advance Publications, is a magazine publisher. In the U.S., it produces 18 consumer magazines, including Architectural Digest, Bon Appétit, GQ, The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, and Vogue, as well as four business-to-business publications, 27 websites, and more than 50 apps...
, the owner of GQ recalled that "Nonnie was a brilliant fashion editor and always added something special to the stories she covered for GQ".