|
|
William Wolff and Ann
Fording were opera singers. The two singers were
scheduled for a performance in Boston at the
Castle Square Theatre. Their costumes never
arrived and Ann spent a long weekend sewing
costumes for the performance. Presumably, William made some
contribution to the effort; exactly what is
unknown. Both of them appeared on time in costume
the night of the performance.
 When
the next troupe came into town and their costumes
also did not arrive, Fording and Wolff made
costumes for the new company. Having no other
pressing engagements elsewhere, the pair decided
to stay in Boston and make costuming their
full-time business. In true fairy-tale fashion,
William and Ann eventually married and continued
to operate the business until the late
1920’s.
Until
the Feldsteins acquired the company in late 1959,
Wolff-Fording had dealt mostly with custom-made
costumes, theatrical fabrics, trims, and
accessories. There was also a rental business. At
the time Bill Feldstein operated a fabric
company, General Textiles. Wolff-Fording became a
true family business with many relatives and
loyal employees. Bill brought the business into
the ready-made costumes and the mail order
business it is today. Stuart and Jeffrey
Feldstein, sons of Bill, now run the company and
are bringing Wolff-Fording to the Internet. |
|
