Iconic 1920’s Fashion Designers

The twentieth started with a buzz of activities. The First World War ended ushering the roaring twenties. The year 1920 was a witness tremendous change, women gained the right to vote; clubs opened-up, jazz music was played, Hollywood and Vogue gained prominence and the need for liberalization took root. Fashion too liberalized; the flappers came into picture and fashion entered the modern era. This modernization of fashion was the working the few iconic fashion designers of the 20s. Here are the people who created fashion in the 1920s.

Coco Chanel

“Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street; fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.”- Coco Chanel

Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel, popularly known as Coco Chanel was born in 1883. Chanel liberated women form the restrictions of the corsets and popularized a more masculine look. Borrowing the details from menswear Channel created two or three piece suits. She made the suits elegant with matching blouses, stylishly lined jackets and pleated skirts. Channel pioneered the iconic ‘little black dress’ something that is still found in women’s wardrobes. Cardigan jacket was another one of Chanel’s signature creations. Chanel introduced a perfume, Chanel No. 5 which is still popular. Coco Chanel had a classic and powerful style with a lasting legacy that has influenced decades of fashion.

Jean Patou

“Certain dressmakers desire to pass for an artist. I have one ambition: that is to have good taste.”- Jean Patou

Jean Patou, a lesser known brand today than Chanel, but in the 1920s they both ruled. He is credited with creating the ‘designer tie’ for men and pioneered the boyish gaeconne look for women. He was praised for his ultramodern and sporty style. When Suzanne Lenglen, the French tennis star wore Patou’s long white sleeveless cardigan and a fly-away white pleated skirt for her game it became sensational news. He left his mark when he created the most expensive fragrance ‘Joy’ that is still loved by people. He also created the first suntan lotion. Jean Patou had an extravagant way of living yet his designs were simple, youthfully classic and most importantly wearable.

Elsa Schiaparelli

“In difficult times fashion is always outrageous.”- Elsa Schiaparelli

In the 1920s Italian-born Elsa Schiaparelli was considered Chanel’s biggest rival. She is remembered for her coveted black knit sweaters with a white bow tie design. She was strongly inspired by Surrealist like Salvador Dali. She was wild and whimsical, something that is clearly visible in her creations. She created prints that were wild, unique outfits and distinctive hats one of which is her lamb chop topper that was shaped like a large shoe. Unfortunately, she could not adapt to the changing fashion of the post world war ll and her business ceased in 1954.     

Madeleine Vionnet

“When a woman smiles the dress must smile with her.”Madeleine Vionnet

The Queen of the bias cut and the Architect among dressmakers are the few names Madeleine Vionnet achieved in her lifetime. Influenced by the architecture, geometry and dance of that time Vionnet innovated, the bias-cut gowns that were sleek, form-fitting and fluid in their making. She is best known for her elegant Grecian style dresses.

Jeanne Lanvin

“A design inevitably reflects the artistic motifs stored in one’s memory, drawing on those which are the most alive, new and fertile all at the same time”- Jeanne Lancvin

Lanvin had blurred the lines between children’s and women’s wear and by the 1920s had come-up with a more youthful and sporty look. She made simple styles into elaborated fashion by using decorations and embroideries, a 1920 character. She made luxe fabric and pleated skirts famous among royalty and Hollywood.  

Oldest Fashion House

The elegantly polished streets of Paris are a residence to the best fashion houses in the world. In fact, this fashion hub is birth to most of these “haute” houses. The oldest and perhaps the first fashion house is Lanvin. The venerable house of Lanvin was found in 1889 by Jeanne Lanvin.

Jeanne Lanvin

Jeanne Lanvin, the central character of this house of fashion story, was born in Paris in 1867 and was the eldest amongst eleven siblings. Coming from a modest family, Jeanne started at the age of sixteen by becoming an apprentice milliner (a person who makes or sells women’s hats) at Madame Félix in Paris, later gaining training at dressmaker Talbot. 

Jeanne Lanvin's Office

By 1890 she established her own milliner shop at 22, Rue du Faubourg, Saint- Honoré in Paris.  Five years later she married Count Emilio di Pietro and two years later they had a daughter named Marguerite di Pietro.

Marguerite di Pietro

Jeanne doted her daughter, Marguerite became her muse and it was said that Jeanne would use rare fabrics and furs, ‘drawing from the treasure of her studios’ for her daughter’s clothing. This attracted attention from a number of wealthy mothers who asked the same to be made for their children leading to an addition of children section to Lanvin. Soon the mothers wanted the designs for themselves too, and a year later a girl’s and ladies’ department was added.

           

After that there was no stopping Lanvin. From 1923 the empire included a dye factory, shops devoted to home décor and menswear, furs and lingerie were added. 

 home décor

Yet the biggest breakthrough was Lanvin Parfums. 

Lanvin Parfums

Jeanne became the most influential designer of the 1920’s and 1930’s. She had a flair for working with expensive fabrics and her creations could be easily identified. She was famous for her skillful use of embellishment, the delicate trimmings and embroideries along with fine beadwork. 

Free-flowing ribbons, ruffles, flowers, lace or mirrors were some of her favorites. Her choice of ornamentation were appliqué, couching, quilting, parallel stitching embroidery and subtle use of sequins. 

After the death of Jeanne her daughter took over and after the 1990’s the house has exchanged many hands but the idea has remained the same, where the logo says it all.

Lanvin's Logo

 A logo of a mother and child, holding hands highlights the point poetically. Lanvin has always been a family affair and the current creative head Albert Elbaz also believes that the nature of fashion is family.

Albert Elbaz