By Marina Rybak
I had the privilege of meeting Frank Blaso Jr. of Hamilton Embroidery when I joined the renowned lingerie company, presently known as Carole Hochman Design Group. I felt like a kid in the candy store, learning the ABC’s of creating embroideries with Frank, which gave me the unique opportunity to dazzle my imagination.
Hamilton Embroidery is located in Union City, NJ about 10 minutes away from NYC. On the way to the factory, right outside of Lincoln Tunnel from the Jersey side, there’s a sign that reads: “Welcome to Northern New Jersey, Embroidery Capital of the World since 1872″. It is a haunting reminder that once there was an illustrious, proud and flourishing local industry only a tunnel away from the Fashion District.
Frank is the third generation manufacturer of Shiffli embroidery. His company was a part of a major embroidery center that originated in St. Gallen Switzerland. Swiss immigrants with ties to St. Gallen pioneered the industry here in the early 1870’s by importing the embroidery machines to North Jersey. Up until this day Switzerland continues to be a dominant supplier of embroidery machines around the world.
Frank’s grandfather Rocco Blaso, who came from Bari Italy, worked his way up and opened his own embroidery workshop in the 20’s. He kept it going 24/7 and turned it into a thriving business. At the time, all the inspirations, original designs and punchings came from Switzerland. The embroidery designers were educated in St. Gallen as well.
During WWII the embroidery industry partnered with the Government to help the military. Rocco Blaso also had an advantage. The silk fabric was used in creating the venice embroidery and the guipures. The grandfather had an overabundance of silk, initially having purchased tons of it from Japan before the war. He was the man to go to, since he “could deliver” during that time.
Eventually Frank Jr. joined his father Frank Sr. and expanded Hamilton Embroidery into a dynamic, successful enterprise.
When NAFTA was implemented and the production started to shift overseas, the neighboring embroidery industry slowly, but steadily went into decline.
So when I recently reconnected with Frank, I was happy to learn that he is “still standing”. My first question was whether or not he kept his archives and the embroidery library from his grandfather’s time. I am such a believer that this design vocabulary needs to be saved and preserved. I was relieved to find out that not only is he holding on to his creative legacy, but also Frank has rescued the archives of other embroidery companies that were going out of business.
Like an obsessive archaeologist, I rushed to his place to uncover another “Holy Grail”. l couldn’t wait to submerse myself in the books again from almost a century ago.
While I was looking through them, I discovered the scrapbooks from the 20’s to the 40’s. I was particularly amused to see the pages of inspiration from the Ballet Russe (I just revisited this inspiration myself). Going to Frank’s place is like going on an archaeological dig and I love “digging”.
Frank continues to work with major national brands, in spite of the fact that he does not have a website and spends most of his time in the neighborhood. Frank is known through his reputation and by word of mouth. He is still highly sought after. I hope he keeps the doors open a bit longer so that all of you from design community can meet a man of unprecedented creativity, expertise, charismatic professionalism and integrity.
If you would like to go through an authentic experience of creating something beautiful you may contact Frank Blaso Jr. at: 201.867.40.84
Hamilton Embroidery
907 21st. Street
Union City, NJ 07087
