Early 1970s Bill Blass Couture Hand Beaded Lion Print Dress w Elaborate Feather CollarBill Blass launched his label in 1970 when he bought out the Maurice Rentner label and re launched it under his own name. This has a similar feel to a dress I had in the shop a few years back that dated to 1971 and I suspect that this is from that same time period. Blass was arguably one of the most famous of the American designers. His forte was the ability to mix simple styles with unexpected materials in way that was very flattering to the wearer.