SPORTY
ELEGANCE
BY HEIDI PRESS
pile other boys
were sowing their
wild oats on the
baseball and foot-
ball fields and on basketball
courts, David Josef was merely
sewing, an avocation which
has turned him into a fashion
designer of note.
From small beginnings at age 7
at his mother's sewing machine,
the 28-year-old Boston designer
has turned out a line of women's
fashions that has been picked up
by some of the country's top
department stores: Bonwit Teller,
Neiman-Marcus, I. Magnin,
Bullocks and about 200 small
boutiques.
Josef is heavy into padded
shoulders, but upon perusal of
some of his designs, there also is
a romantic bent.
For example, his leaf jacquard,
circle skirt dress is light and airy
with a soft design, perfect for a
candlelight dinner or dancing 'til
dawn. Perhaps a fancy luncheon
at the club would invite Josef's
comfortable cotton jersey v-neck
wrap dress. By day, leave the
neckline bare or accessorize with
a scarf. At night, pearls or
pendant give the dress a more
formal flair.
"My look is luxurious and
glamorous, no matter what time
of day," Josef says.
Full shoulders are another
hallmark of the Josef look. His
spring / summer collection offers
an oversized linen and cotton
unlined coat. The emphasis on
padded shoulders is beneficial to
women with figure flaws.
62 Jewish News
"I believe in padded shoulders.
It does great things for the body. It
makes the waist smaller and the
hip (look) narrower."
Josef admits to being
influenced by Hollywood
designer Bob Mackie, whose
lavish, sparkling and stunning
creations were modeled on
national TV weekly by singer
Cher. He admires the work of
Nolan Miller, creator of the
knock-out Dynasty costumes, but
says they are great for TV, "not
for every woman."
But neither are Josef's designs
for every woman.
"They're for anyone from 25 to
60, as long as her figure is
somewhat intact. They're for
anyone who's taken pride in
themselves." Most of Josef's
pieces go up to size 12, with
some even going to 14. Unlike the
Mackie and Miller creations,
designed for the super-slim,
Josef would rather "design for the
real woman."
Bonwit Teller at Somerset Mall
previewed Josef's DJ II and
David Josef Sport lines in a trunk
show earlier this month. The DJ II
line for spring / summer features
This cotton jersey two-
piece ensemble from the
DJ II line, features a
two-tone tunic with
cropped kimono sleeve
or straight leg elastic-
waist pants.