Dorothy O’Hara, called a “sorceress at glorifying figures” by Vogue, was a designer that took glamor and sex appeal to its height in the 1940’s through the 1950’s. O’Hara got her start in California where she first worked as a model. Enamored by the golden age of Hollywood she began learning how to sew and took pattern-making classes at night after her modeling jobs.

Her costume design career initially launched her business take off and she worked on seven different films from 1945 to 1947 after first designing custom gowns for movie starlets. She is best known for her sculpted dresses that zip up the back. Draped in the bust and form fitting at the hips they appeared to be two piece suits but were actually dresses. Her designs came in a wide range of sizes from petite to plus.