OBITUARIES
Gayle Kirkpatrick Dies at 62
NEW YORK — Gayle Kirkpatrick, 62, a sportswear designer who gained prominence in the Sixties and Seventies with his soft, big-sleeved silhouettes and flowing designs, died Jan. 25 at his home here.
The cause of death was AIDS, according to Howard Lawrence, a friend.
Kirkpatrick, who had spent 40 years in the apparel and retail industry, retired in 1993 after working for two years as a designer at Associated Merchandise Corp. (AMC).
Born in Tupelo, Miss., Kirkpatrick graduated from Memphis College of Art in 1955 and came to New York in 1957. His first job was at Saks Fifth Avenue, where he worked in display. He later held jobs as a sketcher at a cocktail and eveningwear firm called Miss America and worked for Arnold Scaasi as his assistant. He also spent two years in design at Junior Accent, a sportswear firm, and then at Aileen, a cotton knit firm, as design director.
In 1965, Kirkpatrick began a partnership called Atelier, where he designed better-price sportswear under the name Kirkpatrick for Atelier. At the same time, he did freelance design work in loungewear and leather for various other firms.
Atelier closed after three years, and Kirkpatrick started out again on his own, under the Gayle Kirkpatrick label, backed by Ben Shaw, an industry entrepreneur who backed many firms and was one of the founders of Oscar de la Renta. The label, which marketed eveningwear and sportswear, lasted for five years.
After closing that business, Kirkpatrick held a series of jobs, including design director for Leslie Fay Breckenridge; Tudor Square, a daytime and eveningwear firm, and Augustus, a ready-to-wear and sportswear firm. He also worked in private label at Carter Hawley Hale Stores before joining AMC.
A memorial service will be held Feb. 16 at 3 p.m. at Beekman Towers Hotel, where Kirkpatrick resided.
There are no immediate survivors.
Leonard diPippo
NEW YORK — Leonard diPippo Jr., vice president of real estate for Loehmann’s, died Friday at Beth Israel Hospital here. He was 43.
DiPippo, who had not been ill, died in the early morning several hours after collapsing while dining in a Manhattan restaurant, according to Loehmann’s executives. The cause of death has not yet been determined.
DiPippo had been with Loehmann’s for two years. “He was very competent and very experienced,” said Philip Kaplan, president of Loehmann’s. “It’s a tremendous loss for us.”
Before joining the off-price chain, diPippo was with Melville Corp.
Services will be Tuesday at 10 a.m. at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Scarsdale, N.Y.
He is survived by his wife, Debbie, and two children, Jake and Brooke.