Seller Story: The Marilyn Lewis Designer Fashion Collection, Los Angeles, CA
“Before her time” is a characterization of Marilyn Lewis that arises frequently when discussing the restaurateur and fashion designer’s life. Lewis, who arrived in Los Angeles from Cleveland with aspirations of modeling, first became known for opening Hamburger Hamlet in 1950 with actor Harry Lewis (whom she eventually married). The eatery on Sunset offered an elevated diner menu and unpretentious seating — relatively unheard of in the city at the time — and quickly became a local institution, beloved by throngs of teenagers and Warren Beatty alike. The Hamlet would go on to become a chain with more than a dozen locations in Los Angeles and the Lewises; fashionable fixtures on the scene.
A longtime fashion aficionado, in 1966, Lewis created her own line, Cardinali, whose pantsuits, ruffles, swishy dresses and jumpsuits evoked a 1960’s career woman, who traded tweed trousers and suit skirts for sultry evening looks come quitting time. Marlo Thomas, whom she outfitted for the sitcom That Girl, became the poster child for the brand, and it garnered fans in LA and beyond; all of whom coveted Cardinali’s reworked classics and showstopping use of texture and color.
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Tacori 18K Sonoma Dew Droplets Ring
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
1950s West Germany Floral Brooch and Earrings Set Including Rhinestones
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Pair of Old Staffordshire Figures of Cats
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Alexander McQueen Two-Way Handbag in Floral Leather
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
LeCoultre & Cie "Atmos" Mantel Clock, Mid to Late 20th Century
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Kitchen Aid Standing Mixing
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
BVLGARI Luky Cat Silk Scarf with Box
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
14K Longines Diamond Dial Stem Wind Wristwatch
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Hermes "Les Cavaliers d'Or" Scarf 90 in Silk Twill
EBTH Columbus - Hilliard
Block Langenthal Transition Interaction China Luncheon Set
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
C. Liton Copy Oil Painting After Cornelis Springer of Dutch Street Scene
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Pair of Danish Modern Teak and Custom-Upholstered Side Chairs, Mid-20th Century
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Walter Stomps Abstract Geometric Acrylic Painting "Galactic Border No. 7"
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Sterling Amber Ring
EBTH Columbus - Hilliard
Alexander Calder Color Lithograph from Derrière le Miroir, 1976
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Stanley Furniture Faux Bamboo Oak, Cane and Glass Illuminated China Cabinet
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Sterling Citrine Necklace
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
L. Hils Hafele Desert Landscape Acrylic Painting, 1989
EBTH Columbus - Hilliard
Carved Wooden Wall Plaque with Floral Design
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Block "Wyndham" Crystal Biscuit Barrels with Godinger and Other Biscuit Barrels
Lewis led Cardinali for nine years before shuttering it, pulled in other directions by the family business. By 1987 that included Kate Mantilini, which, until its closure in 2014, was the favored locale for a Hollywood power lunch. Lewis’s later years saw her as a successful Hollywood producer and woman about town, always with an expert eye for fashion inextricably linked to her charisma and ability to command a room.
The collection here is part of the nearly 6,000 pieces of designer fashion that Lewis left in her estate after passing in May, many of which are vintage Cardinali of her own design. One-of-a-kind gems, like a persimmon-hued Cardinali trouser pantsuit, Yohji Yamamoto gloves, fierce magenta and clear Dolce and Gabbana boots, Louis Vuitton shoes, handbags from Chanel, Christian LaCroix, and more celebrate the vibrant life of a true original.
