Monika Tilley was born in Vienna, Austria, in 1934. After completing her primary education there, she entered the acclaimed Vienna Academy of Applied Arts, obtaining a masters. In the late 1950s, she immigrated to the United States hoping to enter the New York fashion industry. Rising quickly from the ranks, she worked at several fashion houses and, ultimately, formed Monika Tilley, Ltd. There she became renowned for her numerous Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition Covers – more than any other independent designer. Her clients included legendary names such as Levi Strauss. When the firm became one of the sponsors of the 1980 and 1984 Olympics, Ms. Tilley designed the parade and honor uniforms for the American team. She considered this a career highlight. From swimwear for Christie Brinkley to Vasarette lingerie, whether she was coming up with new colors for Monsanto or the design director at Polartec brands, Ms. Tilley’s unique vision set her apart. She twice received the Coty Award for her leadership in swimwear design. Over the last several decades she has also been an integral member of the Color Association of America.
An avid skier, Ms. Tilley first came to the Mad River Valley in the mid-1960s. By the end of the decade she bought a home in Warren Village, which remained a great joy for the rest of her life. She loved both the sense of community and the diversity of the people The Valley offered. Her Main Street home was a place of large gatherings and she enjoyed meeting the variety of people who would stop by her front porch, wave while walking along the road or come through the front door. Warren’s famed Fourth of July parade begins in her front yard and over the years she welcomed hundreds of visitors celebrating America’s birthday from her lawn and embankments. She was a loving parishioner of the Warren United Church and joked it was the only reason she got up early on a Sunday morning.
Monika Tilley is survived by the two children, Mona Tilley of New York City and Martin Tilley of Vienna, Austria, and by her brother Thomas Nowotny, sister-in-law Ambassador Eva Nowotny, sister Brigitte Kowallik, daughter-in- law Violaine Tilley, grandson Theodore Tilley and niece Katinka Frey of Vienna, Austria.
The family asks that donations be made in her name to the Mad River Valley Ambulance Service. A celebration of Monika’s life will be held at a later date.
