[1] John Moore was born in 1928 in Wilson, Oklahoma, and raised in Alice, Texas, where his parents managed a lumber yard and appliance store.
[2] He studied under Norman Norell and graduated from the Parsons School of Design in New York in 1950.
[2][3] Moore worked as a designer for Elizabeth Arden, Jane Derby, and Mattie Talmack before founding his own label in 1963.
[2] His clientele included Angela Lansbury, Lisa Kirk, and Marilyn Monroe.
[2] In the late 1970s, Moore converted his store into an antiques shop, which he operated until his death.