Honorable Nancy Bretzfield
When Nancy Jean Czar went from debutante and Olympic skating champion to MGM Studios starlet many years ago, a dark cloud came over the nation’s society and sports empires. The figure skater turned motion picture actress (and the last contract player on the Metro Goldwyn Mayer studio lot) appeared in a bevy of films that included many starring Elvis Presley like Blue Hawaii, Spinout, and Girl Happy.
At the age of 24, Nancy put away her SAG card and moved to the Far East, creating another stir with her very own fashion import business. For more than 30 years she has been in the forefront of the fashion business beginning with the start up of factories in Korea, from where she was the first to import denim jeans. Prior to the creation of the Jordache Company there was Nancy Bretzfield and there was Levi Strauss, Calvin Klein came much later. Unaware that the denim business would be as big as it is today, Nancy sold her jeans to another company and embarked upon the creation of leather garments, luggage and backgammon sets which became the rage of the 1970s. In addition, she called upon her Olympic skating championship background to excel as the coach of the Korean Figure Skating Team.
In 1976, while accompanying the Korean Team to Innsbruck, Austria, Nancy met and married Samuel Bretzfield, creator and owner of International Set, one of the nation’s largest sweater manufacturers.
Nancy and Sam also ventured into fashion retail with the founding of The Right Bank Shoe and Clothing Company, a pioneer of the Rodeo Drive phenomenon. The RBS&CC (later Donald J. Pliner’s RBCC) stores were considered front- runners of the new “fashion boutiques” worldwide. Nancy was responsible for the discovery of many of the day’s most famous fashion designers. After Sam Bretzfield’s death in 1986, Nancy took over his post as Consul General of Bangladesh (Bretzfield had been appointed in 1977) and served in that capacity until 1995. She is responsible for the development of Bangladesh, now the third largest garment manufacturing country in the world.
Today, Nancy Bretzfield is CEO and President of BECO, manufacturer's of an array of organic, natural products and fabric both fashion and household friendly. Her new venture in products from clothing to tote bags is making a difference. "The planet and the people who inhabit it must pay attention to keeping it as organic and natural as humanly possible." She says. "Organic cotton, jute, and bamboo are all natural and free of any synthetic fibers." Further, "Bangladesh is the perfect place to make these lovely things because it has always been organic." "The villages where the people work to process raw materials for sale to the mills are financed by the Grameen Bank, known for 'micro-loans' created by it's founder, Dr. Muhammad Yunus, winner of the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts."
Samuel Bretzfield Jr., Nancy’s son, resides in Bangladesh where he is Founder and CEO of bGlobal Sourcing (www.bglobalsourcing.com) an online IT business. In addition, he is an officer of BECO, founded by his mother in 2007. Nancy is vehement about making a difference. She believes in giving back a part of what we all take from the planet. “For every product sold, a portion of the funds goes to any one of the existing green charities.
At the age of 24, Nancy put away her SAG card and moved to the Far East, creating another stir with her very own fashion import business. For more than 30 years she has been in the forefront of the fashion business beginning with the start up of factories in Korea, from where she was the first to import denim jeans. Prior to the creation of the Jordache Company there was Nancy Bretzfield and there was Levi Strauss, Calvin Klein came much later. Unaware that the denim business would be as big as it is today, Nancy sold her jeans to another company and embarked upon the creation of leather garments, luggage and backgammon sets which became the rage of the 1970s. In addition, she called upon her Olympic skating championship background to excel as the coach of the Korean Figure Skating Team.
In 1976, while accompanying the Korean Team to Innsbruck, Austria, Nancy met and married Samuel Bretzfield, creator and owner of International Set, one of the nation’s largest sweater manufacturers.
Nancy and Sam also ventured into fashion retail with the founding of The Right Bank Shoe and Clothing Company, a pioneer of the Rodeo Drive phenomenon. The RBS&CC (later Donald J. Pliner’s RBCC) stores were considered front- runners of the new “fashion boutiques” worldwide. Nancy was responsible for the discovery of many of the day’s most famous fashion designers. After Sam Bretzfield’s death in 1986, Nancy took over his post as Consul General of Bangladesh (Bretzfield had been appointed in 1977) and served in that capacity until 1995. She is responsible for the development of Bangladesh, now the third largest garment manufacturing country in the world.
Today, Nancy Bretzfield is CEO and President of BECO, manufacturer's of an array of organic, natural products and fabric both fashion and household friendly. Her new venture in products from clothing to tote bags is making a difference. "The planet and the people who inhabit it must pay attention to keeping it as organic and natural as humanly possible." She says. "Organic cotton, jute, and bamboo are all natural and free of any synthetic fibers." Further, "Bangladesh is the perfect place to make these lovely things because it has always been organic." "The villages where the people work to process raw materials for sale to the mills are financed by the Grameen Bank, known for 'micro-loans' created by it's founder, Dr. Muhammad Yunus, winner of the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts."
Samuel Bretzfield Jr., Nancy’s son, resides in Bangladesh where he is Founder and CEO of bGlobal Sourcing (www.bglobalsourcing.com) an online IT business. In addition, he is an officer of BECO, founded by his mother in 2007. Nancy is vehement about making a difference. She believes in giving back a part of what we all take from the planet. “For every product sold, a portion of the funds goes to any one of the existing green charities.