Mariska Karasz

Mariska Karasz emigrated from Budapest, Hungary to New York City in 1914, to join her mother and sister, designer Illonka Karasz. Already skilled in embroidery, sewing, and crochet, she decided to dedicate herself to work in textiles and fashion. She enrolled in the Cooper Union School of Art, where she studied fashion design under Ethel Traphagen. She also participated in M.D.C. Crawford’s textile design competitions, sponsored by Women’s Wear magazine, and was among the prizewinners in 1918. By the 1920s, Karasz was designing custom clothing for women, which combined elements of Hungarian folk embroidery and modern American style. In the 1930s, after her marriage and the birth of her two daughters,... more.