Marguerite Rubel is the longest surviving member of the San Francisco Fashion Industries, established in 1920. She was raised on a farm in Iowa during the Great Depression and has never been able to figure out what was so “Great” about the Depression! In those days she often made clothes from flour and grain sacks for friends & family. A favorite was a “sack” dress with a braided belt of binder twine or with large patch pockets.

     Marguerite came to San Francisco in the early 1940’s to join the (WASPS) Woman’s Auxiliary Service Pilots. She had received flight training in Omaha and continued at the Sausalito Sea Plane Base to acquire a Sea Plane Rating. However, she was still too young when they no longer needed more women pilots.

     So Marguerite began dressmaking and custom sewing for friends plus waitress work, while attending school to learn professional pattern making. When San Francisco hosted the founding of The United Nations in 1945 she made raincoats for some of the visitors. They were well liked and her career in the apparel industry began to take flight.

Purchase Marguerite Rubel's New Order Map Jacket!