Friday Fashion History 101

It is  Friday! So here is our  little fashion history lesson.  If we want to be lovers of all things fashion we need to know where it started...

"Pierre Balmain was born in Saint Jean de Maurienne, France in 1914.  He is considered one of the greatest tailors of the century.  He studied at the school of Architecture before taking a position as a sketch artist with the fashion house of Robert Piguet in 1934.  Balmain worked at the House of Molyneux as an assistant designer from 1934 through 1938, and as a designer with Lucien Lelong in Paris in 1939 and also from 1941 through 1945.  

At Lucien Lelong’s fashion house he acquired an English taste for a very sophisticated simplicity.  Working at Maison Lelong he became in contact with the powerful society elite which were Molyneux’s clientele, like the Duchess of Kent, the most important client of the Maison.  During this time he worked alongside designer, Christian Dior.

In October 12, 1945, Balmain founded Maison Balmain as a couture house, with a lucrative sideline of fragrances."

I love his 1950s Spring Collection.  Many of his blouses show voluminous sleeves.

Imagies courtesy of google, designerindex.com

With Love From the East Coast,
XO