Adolfo (1923-2021), a prominent American milliner and fashion designer of the 20th century, was born Adolfo Sardiña in Havana, Cuba. (Sources vary about the year, 1923 or 1933, but his New York Times obituary gives a confirmation of 1923 from his lawyer.) His father was a lawyer, his mother died in childbirth, and he was raised by an aunt who took him to fashion shows in Paris.
He immigrated to New York City by the early 1950s and worked as an apprentice milliner and then millinery designer at Braagaard, Bergdorf Goodman, and finally Emme, where he was known as Adolfo of Emme. His creative hat designs won him his first (of two) Coty American Fashion Critics’ Award in 1955 and the Neiman Marcus Fashion Award in 1959.
In 1962 Adolfo opened his own millinery studio using a $10,000 loan from his friend Bill Blass. Some of his hats from this early period were designed as accessories for Norman Norell garments. But Adolfo recognized that hats were becoming less important for women’s wardrobes and began designing clothes as well, and his salon evolved into a successful, prestigious dress business. Famous clients included Nancy Reagan, the Duchess of Windsor, Gloria Vanderbilt, and many other prominent women.
His clothing designs from the 1960s, including luxurious evening gowns, could be playful and flamboyant, though he is best known for his knits and Chanel-inspired cardigan suits of the 1970s and 1980s. Knits were light and versatile and fit well with the “separates” trend, where “building block” garments could be easily interchanged, and his suits provided conservative, comfortable clothing that remained chic.
In 1993 Adolfo closed his salon to focus on his licensing business, where he licensed his name to a wide range of products, including men’s wear, shoes, handbags, and perfumes. His longtime partner, Edward C. Perry, died in 1994. Adolfo died at his home in Manhattan in 2021.
