Weekend, March 25-26, 2023 – SEE NATURE MADE FRESH FLOWERS AND FACTORY MADE SILK FLOWERS IN NEW YORK

By admin

FROM THE ARCHIVES

WEEKEND, MARCH 25-26, 2023

ISSUE  948

A TRADITION OF
MAUFACTURING

FABRIC FLOWERS IN

NEW YORK

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“DOLLARS FOR DAFFODILS”

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MACY’S FLOWER SHOW OPENS

THIS WEEKEND

UPDATE:
OUR FIRST DONATIONS HAVE ARRIVED 

THANK YOU TO RACHEL MAINES AND GLORIA, MARK HERMAN, CAROLINE CAVALLI, MR. & MRS. RICHARD MEYER,  NANCY BROWN, ARLENE &STEVE BESSENOFF, MARIE EWALD & DAVID DANZIG, BARRY & JUDY SCHNEIDER FOR THEIR DONATIONS.
WE ARE WAITING TO ADD YOUR NAME TO OUR DONOR LIST

We need your help this spring to help us restore and enhance our garden. 
Our goal is $2000.00 for a complete restoration of soil, drainage, plantings and fencing.
We will update donations daily.  We will list our donors.

Join us in making our garden thrive again.

ALL DONATIONS ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE

TO MAKE YOUR DONATION:

https://rihs.us/donation/
TO MAKE YOUR DONATION BY CHECK: 
R.I.H.S., 531 MAIN STREET, #1704. NY NY 10044

M&S Schmalberg Inc.

Custom Fabric Flowers since 1916

The historic M&S Schmalberg artificial flower factory first opened its doors in 1916.  The majority of business was custom wholesale orders of bulk fabric flowers.  Over 100-years later we have stayed true to our American made roots. Schmalberg fabric flowers are still hand-made in our New York City garment district atelier.  

Our family business was first started by brothers Morris and Sam Schmalberg. Their nephew, Harold began working at the factory at the age of 17. Harold was a holocaust survivor who lost his family in the war.  He was able to contact his American relatives, Morris and Sam, who helped him move to New York.  In time, Harold learned the family business and eventually inherited M&S Schmalberg—which has always been a NYC Garment District business.

Warren Brand, current President of M&S Schmalberg has been making fake flowers for over 40 years.  His sister Debra Brand joined the fabric flower business shortly after.  As Harold got older and eventually passed away, the two of them took on more responsibility.  In 2008, Warren’s son Adam joined the company, making it a 4th generation family business.   Sadly in July of 2019 Debra passed away after a long battle with Lupus.   

When Morris and Sam Schmalberg started the flower business in 1916, the NYC Garment District produced most of the women’s and children’s fashion apparel in the United States. In the 1940s there were dozens of “flower guys”. Throughout the years that number has shrank, and today, M&S Schmalberg is the oldest and last of it’s kind in America. 

M&S Schmalberg’s artificial flower business has changed drastically over the past 20 years.  We are a domestic factory surviving in an “import world”.  We now focus on specialty custom fabric flower projects for couture fashion designers, milliners and costume designers.  The factory remains ready to produce large production orders as well. M&S Schmalberg continues to manufacture all of its artificial fabric flowers in America. 

The New York City Garment District is still the fashion capital of the world.  M&S Schmalberg’s artificial flowers complement the couture and luxury designers that have made this city famous.  Each artificial flower is hand-made at our atelier using vintage tools and techniques with a tried and true quality that cannot be matched.  Contact us today to discuss your artificial flower needs! 

M&S Schmalberg is a 4th generation, family owned company. Our artificial flowers have complemented the apparel, wedding, accessory, millinery and home furnishing industries for over 100-years. M&S Schmalberg’s custom fabric flowers are still hand-made in New York City.  We have been featured in The NY Times, Women’s Wear Daily, Wall Street Journal, Vogue and on the runway all over the world.

Using the same vintage manufacturing process since 1916, we are able to provide exquisite quality and a level of artisanal customization that cannot be matched. Some of our vintage flower molds date back to the turn of the century. Styles can be fabricated in any material; including natural silks, synthetic polyester, real leather and suede, cotton, velvet, felt, velour and even exotic snake and alligator skins. As a garment district factory, we are capable of producing large production orders of bulk artificial flowers as well as special one of a kind couture pieces.

So call or visit us today and give your designs the finishing touch… a Custom Fabric Flower by M&S Schmalberg!

*We offer tours of the factory and discounts for fashion students

Macy’s Flower Show featuring DIOR will sprout at Macy’s Herald Square from Sunday, March 26 through Monday, April 1

WEEKEND PHOTO OF THE DAY

SEND YOUR ANSWER TO:
ROOSEVELTSLANDHISTORY @ GMAIL.COM
ANSWERS SHOULD BE RECEIVED BY 4 PM. SUNDAY

Text by Judith Berdy
Thanks to Bobbie Slonevsky for her dedication to Blackwell’s Almanac and the RIHS
Thanks to Deborah Dorff for maintaining our website
Edited by Melanie Colter and Deborah Dorff

All image are copyrighted (c) Roosevelt Island Historical Society unless otherwise indicated

 
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
M&S SCHMALBERG

PHOTOS COURTESY OF JUDITH BERDY

THIS PUBLICATION FUNDED BY DISCRETIONARY FUNDS FROM CITY COUNCIL MEMBER JULIE MENIN & ROOSEVELT ISLAND OPERATING CORPORATION PUBLIC PURPOSE FUNDS.

Copyright © 2022 Roosevelt Island Historical Society, All rights reserved.Our mailing address is:
rooseveltislandhistory@gmail.com