Harold Bauer, founder of Royce New York, died March 13, after a series of illnesses, according to his son, William.
For 50 years, Bauer devoted his life to growing the Royce, a leather bags and accessories brand stocked in Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdale’s, Nordstrom and Hudson Bay. Many of his bestselling original designs from the ’70s are still found on their retail floors, a testament to my Bauer’s vision.
Bauer’s business centered his family, partnering with his wife, Kathy, and sons, William and Andrew, in the business.
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“The greatest privilege in my life has been the opportunity to work with my father — we have over 8,000-square feet of working space at our headquarters, yet ever since returning to the business after grad school, I’ve chosen to work within five feet of him in our little office together and wouldn’t change it for the world,” William said.
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Bauer worked until the very end “much like my grandfather [his father Eugene, who preceded him in the leather goods manufacturing business here in the Flatiron district], who’s unrelenting passion allowed him to prolong his life as long as he did,” William said.
Bauer is survived by his wife; his sons Andrew and William and his wife Joanna; his daughter Celine and her husband Steven; grandchildren Brandon and Brianna, as well as loyal guardian and protector, his labradoodle, aptly named Royce.