Vera Way Marghab (1900–1995) was a pioneering entrepreneur in the luxury textile industry. Born in South Dakota, she studied piano in New York before co-founding Marghab, Ltd. on the Portuguese island of Madeira in 1933 with her husband, Emile Marghab. Together, they built one of the most esteemed embroidery houses, producing linens celebrated for their craftsmanship, exclusivity, and innovative design. Following Emile’s death in 1947, Vera led the company for nearly four decades, navigating shifts in global markets and political changes in Portugal before closing the business in 1984. Today, Marghab linens remain a benchmark of excellence, with a complete collection housed at the South Dakota Art Museum. The Vera Way Marghab Papers is a significant resource for understanding women’s leadership in business, the evolution of luxury branding, and the artistry of fine embroidery. Encompassing her personal and professional life, it includes correspondence, business records, design archives, financial documents, and marketing materials. The collection sheds light on the meticulous standards that defined Marghab linens, the challenges of sustaining a high-end brand, and Vera’s pioneering role as a female entrepreneur in the mid-20th century. It offers invaluable insight for researchers in business history, textile design, and gender studies, preserving the legacy of a woman who shaped an industry.
Hilton M. Briggs Library SDSU Archives and Special Collections (Thu,) studied this question.