Lombardi, Ltd.

Tito Lombardi, a venerated couturier operating from a lavish Fifth Avenue atelier, finds his sartorial empire teetering on the brink of fiscal collapse, not due to a dearth of talent, but an overabundance of magnanimity in extending credit. His largesse is particularly pronounced towards Max Strohm, the impresario of a nascent musical revue, whose extravagant costume bill remains outstanding, contingent upon the show's elusive success. Blinded by a dazzling, yet ultimately superficial, allure, Lombardi becomes infatuated with Phyllis Manning, a showgirl from Strohm's ill-fated production. He lavishes upon her his most exquisite creations and, despite her evident disinterest in matrimony and her open flirtations with the affluent Bob Tarrant, proposes marriage. This romantic misjudgment causes profound anguish to Norah Blake, Lombardi's steadfast assistant, whose quiet competence and deep, unrequited affection for her employer remain tragically unacknowledged. The inevitable demise of Strohm's revue, coupled with Phyllis's swift departure for California with Tarrant, precipitates Lombardi's business into terminal decline. Salvation, however, emerges from an unexpected quarter: Daisy, one of Lombardi's models, accepts a proposal from Rickey, a seemingly humble chauffeur. Her subsequent discovery of Rickey's true identity as the scion of "Riccardo the vermicelli king," a man of considerable fortune, prompts her to enlist his aid in salvaging Lombardi's failing enterprise. Under Norah's sagacious stewardship, the business undergoes a dramatic revitalization. Through this crucible of near-ruin and rebirth, Lombardi's romantic myopia dissipates, allowing him to finally perceive and appreciate Norah's invaluable worth and enduring devotion, culminating in their poignant union.