Trendsetters: Dolores Gonzales

The designs of Dolores Gonzales (1907 - 1994) became a fashion craze throughout the 1950s and were even worn by two First Ladies. Dolores was dubbed “The Dior of the Desert” by the LA Times and her work helped define Tucson as a fashion city. Her claim to fame is popularizing the squaw dress – also known as the patio dress or fiesta dress – which incorporated techniques and details from Native American and Mexican traditional attire.