Marc A. Seldin, chairman of the board at Miss Elaine Inc., died June 5 at his home in St. Louis. He was 86 years old.
Seldin joined Miss Elaine, his family’s business that was previously named Sel-Mor Garment Co., in 1953. Seldin described himself as head of product development for the women’s sleepwear and loungewear manufacturer, which is headquartered in St. Louis.
According to a spokeswoman, he was responsible for introducing some of the innerwear industry’s most innovative styles and fabrics and built Miss Elaine into a top-selling brand. The Underfashion Club, an intimate apparel nonprofit organization, honored Seldin in 1981 with a Femmy Award for his achievements in the industry.
Seldin graduated from Princeton University in 1951 with a degree in architecture, then served as a Coast Guard captain during the Korean War.
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Miss Elaine, now a 90-year-old business, is run by his son, James Seldin, but a spokeswoman said Seldin remained actively involved in the company’s creative process throughout his life.
In later years, Seldin contributed to a variety of charitable organizations, including the City Academy, a private school in St. Louis, the St. Louis Children’s Hospital, the Jewish Federation and Washington University.
Along with James, Seldin is survived by his wife, Marjorie; two other children, Jeffrey and Sally; a stepson, Keith Fleischer, and four grandchildren. His former wife, Suzy Seldin, also survives him.