In the late 1950s, General Motors introduced something new to the design floor: women. GM’s Styling Section, led by Harley Earl, began bringing in women designers from fashion, architecture, and industrial design to rethink how people interact with cars. Earl called them the “Damsels of Design,” and their influence still matters today.
Each woman was selected for her professional experience, not her novelty. Their work focused on usability, comfort, and real-life driving needs. They thought about details others overlooked—like storage for shoes, visibility for drivers of different heights, and control placement for easier access. These ideas were built into cars shown at GM’s 1958 Spring Fashion Festival of Women Designed Cars in Detroit.
The team’s designs included ten vehicles, all based on production models, with adjustments for function and feel. Each car had a name and personality. Some had extra storage, matching luggage, or trunk dividers for groceries. Others featured items like thermoses, travel kits, and movable makeup mirrors.
One of the most talked-about concepts was a Corvette. It was called Fancy Free, and it reflected a different side of performance. Ruth Glennie redesigned the Corvette’s interior with comfort, storage, and small but meaningful updates. There was space for a purse, access to a mirror and tissue holder, and subtle changes to seats and trim. The exterior remained unmistakably Corvette.
The “Damsels” worked in a shared studio, developing ideas after hours, meeting on weekends, and refining their work with intent. Their ideas were not treated as showpieces. GM considered public response as part of its planning process. Some of the features they introduced eventually became standard in later models.
The program did not continue past Earl’s retirement, but its impact was real. Women were rarely seen in automotive design roles at that time. This team helped show what could happen when different perspectives are welcomed in the process.
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