The Goldworm company was founded in 1927 by Samuel Goldworm (d.1953) and his wife Gertrude (d.1983).[1] Their son, Robert Goldworm, joined the company in 1947, and succeeded his father as company president.[1] Under Robert's leadership, the company became quickly renowned for high quality knitwear, for which it won a Coty Award in 1956.[2] Robert Goldworm was an active promoter of knitwear, opening a base in Milan, Italy, where he could have top-quality Italian knits made for the New York market.[1] The first designer of American knits in Italy,[1] in 1959 he was made a Commander of the Order of the Star of Italian Solidarity by the Italian government in recognition of his active promotion and support of the Italian knitwear industry.[3][4] In addition to this, Goldworm won five Woolknit Design Awards.[5]
Following Robert's retirement in 1981 (Gertrude had retired a few years earlier in 1977), the Goldworm company was disestablished.[1] Gertrude Goldworm died on 23 May 1983,[6] and Robert Goldworm died 3 December 1991 of an embolism related to pancreatic cancer.[5]