1898 Born Sophie Hass in Houston, Texas, spends part of childhood in Atlanta, Geogia and later attends Agnes Scott College

1917 Marries Jay Henry Rossbach, a Philadelphia leather merchant. They have a son Jay Rossbach and divorce in 1926

1920’s Becomes active in Philadelphia society and designs costumes for Philadelphia theatrical productions

1929 hired by Adam Gimbel Saks as a stylist at the Salon Modern

1931 Becomes head of The Salon Moderne, the custom design department at Saks Fifth Avenue

1931 Marries Adam Gimbel

1934 Begins introducing her original designs into the Salon Modern selection

1939 During the showing of the Paris collections Sophie makes national news when she announces her support  for Mainbocher’s new back laced corset.

1942 Hires Tatiana du Plessix to design hats for the Salon Moderne

1943 Presents her first ready to wear wholesale  line to be sold at all Saks Fifth Avenue locations and other specialty stores

1947 Appears on the cover of Time magazine

1951 Introduces a new way to look at fashion when she holds a supper party at Saks to showcase her made to order collection

1957 Ignores chemise trend in favor of natural pronounced waistline and bust

1958 Eschews empire line for natural waistline and curves

1964 Features golf culottes in her Spring 1965 collection, the first designer to do so

1964 Elected to the International best Dressed List Hall of Fame

1965 Designs the red coat and dress that Mrs. Lady Bird Johnson wears to her husband’s inauguration.

1967 Forgoes the mini skirt trend for hemlines “one to two inches above- the-knee”

1969 The Salon Moderne closes due to financial constraints and Sophie retires

1969 Adam Gimbel dies

1972 Sophie Gimbel receives the Parsons Medal and announces the Adam L. Gimbel Design Library

1981 Sophie Gimbel dies