Remembering Milwaukee Fashion Visionary Aloyse Hessburg, SSND

MILWAUKEE (March 5, 2025) – Milwaukee lost fashion education pioneer Aloyse Hessburg, SSND, who died earlier this week. Hessburg, a member of the Order of the School Sisters of Notre Dame, was instrumental in founding the nation’s first four-year fashion degree program at Mount Mary University in 1965. She also began the university’s annual student fashion show, which continues today. Hessburg was instrumental in growing the fashion program and building essential connections with local and national designers, merchandise buyers and manufacturers. She led students on visits to the studios and runways of Chicago, New York and Paris, and began the university’s Historic Costume Collection (now known as the Mount Mary Fashion Archive), which has since become a prominent resource for educational, cultural and artistic inspiration.

An accomplished designer in her own right, Hessburg’s work appeared on the runway in New York. In 1967, she created a mother-of-the-groom dress for the wedding of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s daughter. The dress captured the attention of media outlets across the country and brought national attention to the Mount Mary fashion program.

In 1975, Hessburg received the Gimbels Fashion Forum Award for her important contributions to business, community leadership and fashion. In 2013 she was recognized by Mount Mary for her 50-year commitment to the fashion design program.

“I can’t begin to express how grateful I am to the legendary Sister Aloyse,” shared Mount Mary alumna and designer Donna Ricco. “She unfurled the world of fashion for me and countless others by leading a serious program of study, inspiring confidence and curiosity about possibilities in the industry.”

Ricco added that Hessburg’s patience, encouragement and expertise encouraged her to pursue a profession in the industry.

“May her legacy be measured not by the years she lived but by the impact she made on my life and so many others,” she added.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.