Rommy Revson patented the ubiquitous hair tie now known as the scrunchie.
- Died: September 7, 2022 (Who else died on September 7?)
- Details of death: Died in Minnesota of a ruptured ascending aorta at the age of 78.
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Creating an iconic accessory
Revson had been working as a nightclub singer before she had a moment of fashion inspiration that turned into an undying trend. While house sitting in the Hamptons, she started feeling frustrated about the damage elastic bands were doing to her hair, and she became determined to come up with a gentler solution. She eventually landed on a piece of elastic covered loosely with fabric, buying a sewing machine and teaching herself to sew in order to create the prototype. Revson patented her creation in 1987 as the Scunci, named after her pet dog, though the item later became more generally known by the generic name scrunchie. She struggled with unlicensed copying of her invention for years, fighting a variety of legal battles. Though Revson’s original patent expired in 2001, the scrunchie has endured, seen on celebrities from Madonna to Hillary Clinton to Selena Gomez.
Notable quote
“I don’t know why I used navy blue thread, but I did and the first scrunchie was black and gold. The ugly prototype and the sewing machine are both in the Smithsonian (Museum) today.” —from a 2016 interview for Talk Business & Politics
Tributes to Rommy Revson
Full obituary: The New York Times
