We attribute it to all the summer love this past season that inspired the onslaught of vibrant sixties floral and abstract prints seen waltzing down the fall runways of fashion week. All this flower-power energy has got our vintage veins pumping, as we spotlight a trendsetting designer of the 1960s and 1970s, local Miami designer, Mr. Dino. While the name may conjure images of a cartoon version of your friendly neighborhood dinosaur from Bedrock, this is far from the truth. It was by coincidence that this delightful name parallels the colorful and fanciful original designs of creator, Max Cohen. The name for this avant-garde design house was the product of a familial dinner discussion between Cohen and his family. While brainstorming names for the ensuing sensation of that period, ideas from each member were drawn from a hat. As fate would have it, Mr. Dino was pulled. Being a dire fan of Dean Martin, Cohen’s wife’s admiration towards the singer became the headliner for her husband’s designs. And so, Mr. Dino, the pioneer of sixties fashion, was born.
Often being compared with a design aesthetic similar to Emilio Pucci, all pieces of Mr. Dino’s precocious collections were bold and colorful, with exuberant prints of florals and abstract op art inspirations. Each garment received individual attention from Cohen, as he drew up unique and innovative prints, choosing the perfect color combinations and placements. This Mr. Dino blouse from the 1960s, newly added to the online store, demonstrates Cohen’s tactics with the bold pink hibiscus flowers superimposed upon the black backdrop. The trim is an abstract pattern of red and pink intwining twigs, which offer great contrast to the body of the blouse.
As Cohen’s marvel designs grew with popularity, the single man operation expanded from a small warehouse to a much larger scheme. In search of more efficient means of producing his creations, Cohen subsequently conceptualized the silk screening machine, used to transcribe Mr. Dino’s prints onto the fabric.
Check out all the groovy Mr. Dino items at C. Madeleine’s online boutique.
Other designers of this influence that draw resemblance are Averardo Bessi, Leonard, Lilly Pulitzer, and Emilio Pucci. Take a look at all there is to offer at Cmadeleines.com!
