Born in 1922 in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Bill Blass left home at the age of 17 to attend the Parsons School of Design in New York and later served in the U.S. Army during World War II. He returned to New York, where in 1959, became the head designer of Maurice Rentner, Ltd. In 1970 Blass became owner of Rentner, which he renamed after himself. He was a pioneer in employing the business strategy of licensing his designs and name to a huge array of fashion accessories and automobiles. Celebrating his sharp cutting edge of contemporary design; this Lincoln Continental Mark V remains in stunning condition with only 10,000 miles showing on the odometer. The Bill Blass treatment cost over $3000 on top of the already pricey $13,000 luxury Lincoln when new. This example is maximum American opulence of the era.