History Happy Hour: Dress for Success

“Dress for Success: Nelly Don and American Fashion” is part of Humanities Kansas's Speakers Bureau, featuring humanities-based presentations designed to share stories that inspire, spark conversations and generate insights that strengthen civic engagement.

Nelly Don, a Parsons native, built a fashion empire on the vision that women deserved affordable, stylish clothing regardless of means or status. From humble beginnings, Don built a company that treated her workforce of women fairly, brought fashion to millions of American women, and became the largest dressmaker of the century. Ellen “Nell” Quinlan Donnelly’s story is one of innovation, triumph, and hard work—all rooted in her small-town Kansas upbringing.

Marla Day, presenter, is the curator of Kansas State University’s Historic Costume and Textile Museum in Manhattan.

Grab a drink and bite to eat at the Lenexa Public Market and then join us upstairs in the Community Forum at City Hall.

When

Location

Held in the first floor Community Forum

Lenexa City Hall, 17101 W. 87th St. Pkwy, Lenexa, KS, 66219, View Map