Daves was born in Cartersville, Georgia, in 1898, but moved to
New York City, in 1921, where she worked in the advertising industry. She first started to work as a fashion merchandising editor at
Vogue in 1933, and was promoted to managing editor in 1936. In 1952, she became editor in chief of
Vogue and later retired in 1963. She is distinctly known for the promotion of American ready-to-wear during her time at Vogue. A fashion writer noted, "She spotted the trend, and her major fashion impact was to make ready‐to‐wear chic." She wrote or co-wrote three books:
The Vogue Book of Menus, Ready‐Made Miracle: The Story of American Fashion for the Millions and
The World in Vogue. In 2019, fashion historian
Rebecca Tuite published an account of her
Vogue editorship,
1950s in Vogue: The Jessica Daves Years, 1952-1962. ==References==