Nan DUSKIN LINCOLN (1893-1980), founder of the exclusive fashions specialty Nan Duskin departement store at 1729 Walnut st., Philadelphia. Only Bergdorf Goodman, I. Magnin and Neiman-Marcus are comparable to Nan Duskin's. Nan Duskin was an internationally known boutique that dressed Philadelphia’s high society. They carried merchandise from major designers such as Chanel, Donna Karan, Giorgio Armani, and Yves Saint Laurent to name a few. Nan Duskin was an important part of Philadelphia’s fashion history because it was place for women to get the latest fashion styles. Miss Anna Duskin Lincoln, who came to this country from Lithuania when she was 7 years old, was educated only to the sixth grade level. She founded the current business, known as Nan Duskin, Inc., in 1926 at 18th and Sansom sts. A few years later, she bought three homes in the 1700 block of Walnut st. and converted them into her store, which was to become a mecca of fashion for years. Miss Duskin was an innovator and one of the first to believe that fashion should be taught at the university level. She was a lecturer and critic for design students at Drexel University. She was the first to introduce European couture design in Philadelphia and was responsible for the debut of many famous designers such as Norell, Galanos, Monte Sano, Gustave Tassel and others. She was elected to Boston University's Business Hall of Fame. In 1958 she sold Nan Duskin to the Dietrich Foundation and retired from retailing to become active in civic and community affairs. In her honor the Dietrich Foundation donated space to house the Drexel Historic Fashion Collection at Drexel University. She devoted much time and effort to the Elder Craftsmen Shop in center-city Philadelphia.