Elsa Schiaparelli

Name: Elsa Schiaparelli

D.O.B.: 10^th September 1890

D.O.D.: 1973 aged 83

Place of Birth: Rome, Italy

Gender: Female

Nationality: Italian

Occupation: Fashion Designer

Personal Profile

Schiaparelli was born in Rome at the Palazzo Corsini, she was of Italian and Egyptian heritage. Her mother Neapolitan aristocrat and father Celestino was a renowned scholar, curator of medieval manuscript and Dean of the University of Rome. Giovanni Schiaparelli the astronomer who discovered the so called Canals of Mars was her uncle.

Schiaparelli studied philosophy at the University of Rome where she had published a book of poems that shocked her conservative family.

She had married at the age of 18 to William De Wendt De Kerlor a Theosophist, it was said that he was her lecturer in Paris.

He drifted towards Europe and ended up In New York with him. Schiaparelli was pregnant at the time and gave birth to their daughter Maria Luisa Yvonne Radha De Wendt De Kerlor, William abandoned her and her daughter after having the baby. She then returned to Paris a single mother, she had applied for jobs with Poiret and Maggy Rouff but wasn’t successful.

Career and Work life

Schiaparelli became famous for her black knit sweaters with a white bow tie pattern at the neck. Anita Loos had purchased one and a New York store buyer had purchased 40 with skirt to go with them. She didn’t expect that and was shocked at the success of the sweater, she hired a group of American women to knit them.

She hired Salvador Dali to produce a white dress with a lobster print. Schiaparelli was the first to use shoulder pads hot pink, calling them shocking pink in 1947. She also had animal print fabrics and zips dyed the same colour as the fabric.

1930

She was well known for her surrealist designs, especially the two hats the giant shoe and the giant lamb chop both designs worn by the famous Franco-American singer, sewing machine heiress Daisy Fellowes, who happened to be Schiaparelli’s best clients and she even owned a pink gemstone inspired by the Shocking Pink.

Schiaparelli collaborated with Salvador Dali, Jean Cocteau and Alberto Giaconetti they were they surrealist artists between 1936 and 1939.

1934

Schiaparelli had opened her shop in London. She moved her Paris salon to 21 Place Vendome, she put at the windows of her boutique the work of surrealist artists and the handiwork of Dali which had got a lot of attention from the people walking nearby on their way to the Ritz Hotel.

1936

She introduced the Egyptian look with Pagoda sleeves, that same year the zip was invented. Schiaparelli used zips as part of her designs to create a look rather then putting them away where they are not seen.

‘DESK SUIT’ which was inspired by Dali was produced.

Mrs Reginald Fellows, Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor, Millicent Rogers and Lady Elsie Mendl were among Schiaparelli’s elegant clients.

She dressed many movie stars on and off the screen including Marlene Dietrich, Gloria Swanson and Tallulah Bankhead.

Mae West’s hour glass figure was what led Schiaparelli to use that shape for her perfume bottle ‘SHOCKING’.

1937

Back to front suit which was later copied by Karl Lagerfield in 1986.

1938

The Three Greta Fantasy’s collection, The Pink and Blue children’s world of Circus collection, The Lush Natural Insect life of PAGAN collection and the Frolic HARLEQUIN collection (which became the name of Schiaparelli’s lipstick).

During the 2^nd World War Schiaparelli house had closed down.

1945

Her house had re-opened

 1954

Her couture house declared bankruptcy, the young new trendsetter was Christian Dior. She decides to move to the USA.

She moved to New York City with Daughter Maria also known as Gogo who was born there in 1919 and William who she was briefly married too.

 1951

She had discontinued the couture part of her business and limited to just accessories and in the 70’s made wigs.

1954

Schiaparelli retired from work and that year she wrote her autobiography and titled it ‘MY SHOCKING LIFE’

 

1973

She died at the age of 83

1977

 Schiaparelli’s house was re-opened by a designer team and till now her lingerie and perfume is still sold.

Coco Chanel

Name: Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel

D.O.B.: 19^th August 1883

D.O.D.: 10^th January 1971 (aged 87)

Place of Birth: Saumur, France

Place of Death: Paris, France

Gender: Female

Nationality: French

Occupation: Fashion Designer

Personal Profile

Gabrielle was born in Saumur France, to an unwed mother Jeanne Devolle a laundry women. Her father is a street peddler with a horse and cart lived a nomadic life, Albert Chanel was his name. They travelled to and from market towns the family resided in rundown lodgings. Chanel’s Parents married several years after she was born.

When Chanel was born her name was entered at the registry as ‘Chasnel’, it could have been that it was a technical error or that it was an ancient spelling of the family name. Chanel had five siblings two sisters, Julia-Berthe, Antoinette and three brothers Alphons, Lucien and Augustin who was born and died the same year.

When Chanel was twelve years old the year 1895 her mother died from tuberculosis, Albert her father sent the two brothers out as farm labourers and the three daughters to Aubazine an orphanage at a bleak area of central France, the Correze. It was stark and demanding strict discipline, they also followed the Catholic faith. When Chanel turned 18 she was too old to stay at the Aubazine and moved to a boarding house set aside for catholic girls, in the town Moulins.

Career and Work life

With her sewing skills having learned at the Aubazine for six years Chanel was able to find a job as a seamstress. When not doing her day job she would sing at a Cabaret. It was then she discovered the name ‘Coco’ and requested to be called that. It could have come from a popular song that she sang or from the French word Cocette – A cafe entertainer.

Chanel met a young French ex-cavalry officer and wealthy textile Heir ‘Etierre Balsan’. When she was 23 she became his mistress and moved to live with him for three years in his Chateau Royallieu near Compliegne. Balsan provided Chanel the beauties of the ‘Rich life’ Diamonds, Pearls and dresses. It was when she was living with Balsan that Chanel started designing hats, which soon became one of her deep interests.

1910

Chanel became a licensed hat maker which leads to her opening the Chanel Modes Boutique on 21 Rue Cambon, Paris. When theatre actor Gabrielle Dorziat modelled her hats in the F Noziere’s play ‘Bel Ami’ , in 1912 Chanel’s career had bloomed.

1913

She opened her boutique in Deauville where she had introduced the luxe casual clothes that were perfect for leisure and sport.

1915

Chanel-Biarritz was opened that’s when Chanel launched her career as fashion designer, she catered for the wealthy Spanish clients that were less affected by the war and had spent the holidays in Biarritz.

Chanel created clothing made from Jersey which could have been used for men’s underwear, the clothes were loose and casual.

1919

Chanel was registered as Couturier and established her Maison de Couture at 31 Rue Cambon.

Love life

Captain Arthur Edward ‘Boy’ Capel a wealthy member of the British upper class, he was one of Balsan’s friend. Chanel began an affair with him in the year 1908, Capel got her an apartment in Paris and opened Chanel’s first shops. It is said that the Chanel NO 5 perfume bottle design was related to Capel, it was either the Charvet toilery bottles that he carried in his leather travelling case or the design of the whisky decounter Capel used. Chanel admired this so much that she wanted to produce it in a expensive delicate glass. They had spent a lot of time together but Capel was never faithful to Chanel, the affair lasted nine years. Even after Capel married an English beauty in 1918 he didn’t completely break off the relationship with Chanel. Capel died in 1919 in a car accident, which was the most devastating thing that happened to her. Chanel placed a roadside memorial at the same place the accident happened which she visited in later years to place flowers .

1945

Chanel moved to Switzerland and eventually returned to Paris in 1954, that year she returned to the fashion world.

1971

Although she was tired she continued at her normal schedule overseeing the preparing of her spring collection. It was Sunday January 10^th that Chanel had gone for a long drive in the afternoon not feeling well and returned to bed early at the Hotel Ritz were she had died.

Paul Poiret

Name: Paul Poiret

D.O.B.: 20^th April 1879

D.O.D.: 30^th April 1944

Place of birth: France, Paris

Place of Death: France, Paris

Nationality: French

Gender: Male

Occupation: Fashion designer

Personal life

Paul Poiret was born into a poor family in the poor neighbourhood of Les Halles, Paris. His parents apprenticed him to an umbrella maker where Poiret collected scraps of silk left over from umbrella cutting patterns, with that he made clothes for a doll which one of his sisters had given him. When Poiret was a teenager he took his sketches to a prominent dress maker Madeleine Cheruit who purchased a dozen from him. Poiret continued to sell his drawings which ended up in major Parisian couture houses, and then was hired by Jacques Doucet in 1896. Later after that Poiret had moved to the House of Worth where he was responsible for designing simple and practical dresses.

Poiret got married to Denise Boulet in 1905, together they had five children. In 1913 Poiret told Vogue ‘my wife is the inspiration for all my creations, she is the expression of all my ideas’. The two were later divorced.

Career and work life

Poiret was known for freeing women from corsets and for inventing hobble skirts, harem pants and lampshade tunics. He was mainly known for the draping in dress making, that was a major change from the usual tailoring and pattern making of the past. Poiret had been influenced by antiques and regional dresses, he had majorly changed the history of costumes

A ballet soiree was held at his palatial home, costume ball attended by the cream of Parisian society and the artistic world. The Thousand and Second Night which was inspired by the fantasy of the sultans and harems ‘based on the Arabian Nights’. The gardens were illuminated by lanterns set with tents and live tropical birds, Madame Poiret lounged in a luxurious golden cage on the night. Poiret gifted his guests with a bottle of his new fragrance to fit the occasion ‘Nuit Persane’. A second perfume had later been released in 1912 ‘Le Minaret’, again based and emphasising the harem theme.

During World War 1 Poiret left the house to serve in the military by stream lining uniform production. He was discharged in 1919 he returned to Paris and the House was on the Brink of bankruptcy. New designers like Chanel were producing simple sleek clothes that relied on workmanship for excellent making. To compare Poiret’s elaborate designs seemed poorly manufactured although his designs were groundbreaking, his construction was not. His aim only for dresses to read beautifully from a distance.

All of a sudden Poiret was out of fashion in debt and was not getting any support from business partners, he soon left the fashion house. Come 1929 the house had been closed and the left over clothes were sold by the kilograms as rags.

After all the fame he had gone down the road of poverty which lead him to do odd jobs such as painting in the streets trying to sell his drawings to customers at Paris Cafe’s. He had only received help from his friend Elsa Schiaparelli who had prevented his name from being completely oblivious, even when Poiret died in 1944 it was Elsa that had paid for his burial.

Facts about Paul Poiret

·         His first design was a red cloth cape which he sold 400 copies of

·         He established his own fashion house in 1903

·         In the year 1909 H.H Asquith invited him to show his designs at 10 Downing street

·         Cheapest garment at the exhibition was 30 guineas, double the annual salary of a scullery maid

·         He expanded the house to furniture, decor, fragrance as well as clothing

·         1911 he introduced a new perfume called ‘ Parfums de Rosine’ named after his daughter which made him the first couturier to launch a signature fragrance linked to a design house. The perfume was launched on June 24^th 1911 in a flamboyant manner.

Madeleine Vionnet

Name: Madeleine Vionnet
Sex: Female
D.O.B.: 22 June 1876
D.O.D.: 1969
Place of Birth:France, Chilleurs-aux-Bois, Loiret
Place of Death: France
Nationality: French

Profile

Madeleine came from a poor family and started her apprenticeship when she was 11 as a seamstress in the Ban Lieu of Paris. Shehad got married later at the age of 18. Madeleine had started woking at a refined boutique in Rue de la Paix which sold underwear, she was 21 at the time, it was there she had been given a more elevated apprenticeship. Unfortunately her marriage had ended in a divorce after the tragic death of her daughter. It was a little while after she decided to move to London to start working for the dress maker Kate Reilly.

Work life and History

1901:

Madeleine returns to France in 1901 and is immediately given the position of Premier by the fashion designer to the Callot sisters Madame Gerber.

1907:

She joins Doucet and spends 5years with him, and during that period they were both creating what had been known as outfits that were moving against the grain, in contrast with the styles of the art Nouveau Movement. During that time she was also creating shoes. Madeleine’s outfits were known as light and airy, she had made them without the corset or bust and that was how they were modelled. Eve lavaliere and Rejane actresses before World War 1 favoured Madeline’s work greatly. Vionnet was known as one of the most innovative designers of her day. Her clothes accentuated the natural female body.

1912:

Madeleine opens her own Fashion House, but two years later was unfortunate to have to close it down due to the outbreak of World War1.

1920:

End of the war, Madeleine introduced the Bias cut which was a technique to cut the cloth diagonal to the grain of the fabric, which enabled the piece of fabric to cling to the body whilst the person wearing was capable of moving freely. Her garments were almost always in crepe, crepe de chine, satin and gabardine, that were cut in one piece, without the armholes and draped, sometimes her clients would need to be taught how to wear them and would require lessons to be shown how, these materials were unusual to women’s fashion in the 1920’s and 30’s.  The way Vionnet had created such a look with the cuts and draping it revolutionised women’s clothing which meant that it took her to the top of the fashion world and ensured her a space in the spotlight. She would order two yards of wider fabric to accommodate the draping.

1922:

The Maison took offices at 50 Avenue Montaigne.

1932:

Madeline’s success was documented by the 20 Ateliers on a five story building, she had over 1,000 employees that included premiers, directors, sellers, tailors, seamstresses, administrative clerks, shop clerks and delivery boys. She was a trend setter and was widely imitated.

1935:

She moved onto Romanticism with the Taffeta ribbons. She got rid of corsets and used diagonal seaming to achieve the simple fluid shapes. Looking at Vionnet’s clothes you would think that they were shapeless and limp until you had tried it on.

Late 1920’s and Early 1930’s Madeleine Vionnet had reached the height of her fame.

She had been given credit for popularizing the following:

·         The Cowl and Halter neck

·         Suits that had gored or bias cut skirts

·         Wrap around coats

·         Handkerchief dress

1939:

Madeline retired during this year and also closed her business down in the same year due to the outbreak of World War 2.

1969:

Madeleine died this year months before turning One Hundred years old.

Madeleine was known as the ‘Queen of the Bias cut’

With the famous bias cut Madeleine created some amazing gowns worn by stars such as Katherine Hepburn, Marlene Dietrich and Greta Garbo.

Madeleine Vionnet wasn’t concerned about being designer of the moment she was down to earth and preferred to remain true to her own seeing of female beauty.

Today she is known as the influential designer of the 20^th century and has many admirers. Designers that were influenced by her work and famous cuts carry that look till this day in their collections such as Issey Miyake, John Galliano, Halston, Ossie Clark and many more.

Madeleine believed that when a women smile, her dress should smile too.