Lanz Sleepwear Founder Dies at 90
Werner G. Scharff, one of the founders of Lanz, a women’s dress and sleepwear line, died Aug. 17 at his home in Santa Monica, Calif., after suffering from Parkinson’s disease. He was 90.
Scharff, who was born in Lindau, Germany, was a force in the Los Angeles apparel industry, as well as renowned for his work in reviving historic buildings in the Venice district of Los Angeles.
Scharff and his brother Kurt, former food merchants in Munich, left Germany in 1935. While living in New York, they met Sepp Lanz, an Austrian retailer and manufacturer, who became a close friend.
In 1938, the three piled into a Ford convertible and drove cross-country to Los Angeles, where they opened a women’s clothing store at 6160 Wilshire Blvd. Called Lanz, it sold Austrian-influenced skiwear and sleepwear. It was Werner Scharff who designed the now famous Lanz nightgown—the long flannel piece with Austrian-like print that became the company’s signature.
The Lanz retail chain grew to encompass 33 stores. At one point, the apparel line was sold in more than 5,000 doors. It still can be found in many stores around the country.
Scharff also was a firmbeliever in reviving Venice, the seaside Los Angeles community that owes much of its artistic glamour to the German native. He owned several Venice properties, including the Cadillac Hotel on the Boardwalk and the Beach House on Ocean Front Walk.
Scharff commissioned many of the area’s murals and was a patron of the arts. He also was a philanthropist honored by the City of Hope, which provides help to people battling life-threatening diseases.
Scharff is survived by his wife, Simone, and six children, including his oldest son, Christopher, who is chief executive of Dreamgirl International, a lingerie and clubwear maker.
The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the National Parkinson Foundation Inc. in Miami or the Foundation for End-of-Life Care in Encino, Calif. —Deborah Belgum
