MANUFACTURING

OBITUARY: Burton Horwitch, Lingerie Manufacturer, 89

photo

Burton Horwitch

Burton Horwitch, who was president and chief executive of Deena Lingerie for more than 50 years and a founder of Kellwood Co., died at his Los Angeles home on June 18. He was 89.

Born in Chicago on Nov. 7, 1925, he was the eldest son of Albert and Celia Horwitch. After serving with the Army Air Corps during World War II, Horwitch returned to Chicago and joined his father in 1946 to start Albert Inc., an intimate-apparel company that was later renamed Deena Lingerie. From a business and industry perspective, Horwitch was a leader, visionary and pioneer.

In 1952, he moved his production facilities from Illinois and Michigan to Arizona, becoming one of the first “Eastern” manufacturers to discover the West.

Later, in 1960, recognizing the shift in fashion to the West Coast, Horwitch moved Deena’s merchandise, design and headquarters to Los Angeles.

In 1961, the lingerie maker joined industry pioneers Harvey and Barney Morris as a minority partner in their groundbreaking project—the California Mart, to house apparel showrooms. Now called the California Market Center, it encompasses three buildings and 2 million square feet of space.

In that same year, Horwitch joined 12 other business leaders to help create Kellwood Co., a major clothing company that is still in operation today. These two events helped to change the apparel industry in the U.S. and Los Angeles. In the late ’80s and early ’90s, he saw the value of technology as a business advantage and created DeenaTech, a beta partner for companies such as IBM, Gerber, Lectra and Manhattan Associates, testing many of their innovations for the apparel industry and being the first apparel company to use an AS400 Gerber Laser Cutter and Auto Spreader, a Lectra Digital Grader/Plotter and Manhattan Associates PLMS.

Deena Lingerie was sold in 1996.

While Horwitch took great pride in his business accomplishments, he was equally proud of his community contributions. His active role in the community included being on the board of directors at the Jewish Federation of Los Angeles, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, City of Hope and Stop Cancer as well as serving on the board of directors at City National Bank, Adat Ariel Temple and Hillcrest Country Club.

Horwitch’s greatest pride and joy was his family. He is survived by his wife, Roberta; his three children and their spouses: Rick Horwitch and his wife, Amy; Debbi Molnar and her husband, Todd; and Lisa Horwitch; as well as five grandchildren: Katie and Alex Horwitch and Brandon, Benjamin and Spencer Molnar; and his two brothers, Arnold and Elliott Horwitch.

In honor of his life, a fund has been established at the American Jewish University to perpetuate and strengthen the Jewish family.

Donations can be sent to the American Jewish University, c/o The Burton Horwitch Memorial Fund, 15600 Mulholland Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90077.