Marie-Jacques Renée "Jacotte" Perrier (22 November 1924 - 29 November 2012) was a French singer, fashion journalist, voice actress, socialite, author and art collector. She was best known for her musical collaborations with the

Quintette du Hot Club de France The Quintette du Hot Club de France ("The Quintet of the Hot Club of France"), often abbreviated "QdHCdF" or "QHCF", was a jazz group founded in France in 1934 by guitarist Django Reinhardt and violinist Stéphane Grappelli and active in one form ...

and her fashion reporting for Fairchild Publications. She was the daughter of musical composer and haute couture textile supplier

Robert Perrier Robert Charles Perrier (July 1, 1898 to April 19, 1987) was a French haute couture textile supplier, songwriter, socialite and art collector. His vintage silks rank among the world’s most coveted luxury fabrics, including exclusivities created f ...

, from whom she inherited direction of the R-26 artistic

salon Salon may refer to: Common meanings * Beauty salon, a venue for cosmetic treatments * French term for a drawing room, an architectural space in a home * Salon (gathering), a meeting for learning or enjoyment Arts and entertainment * Salon (P ...

Early life and singing career

Born in the

Montmartre Montmartre ( , ) is a large hill in Paris's northern 18th arrondissement. It is high and gives its name to the surrounding district, part of the Right Bank. The historic district established by the City of Paris in 1995 is bordered by Rue Ca ...

district of Paris in 1924, Marie-Jacques Perrier was raised among the regulars of her parents’ R-26, the informal artistic salon based in the family's apartment and frequented by artists such as

Josephine Baker Josephine Baker (born Freda Josephine McDonald; naturalised French Joséphine Baker; 3 June 1906 – 12 April 1975) was an American-born French dancer, singer and actress. Her career was centered primarily in Europe, mostly in her adopted Fran ...

, Stéphane Grappelli, Django Reinhardt, Henri Salvador,

Jean Tranchant Jean may refer to: People * Jean (female given name) * Jean (male given name) * Jean (surname) Fictional characters * Jean Grey, a Marvel Comics character * Jean Valjean, fictional character in novel ''Les Misérables'' and its adaptations * Je ...

and Mary Lou Williams. Perrier began her acting career at the age of ten using the stage name Jacotte Perrier, performing in variety theaters and on French radio. Her voice soon became synonymous with the role of Mitou in the popular radio comedy '' Serpentin, Mitou et Toti'', under the direction of

Alain Saint-Ogan Alain Saint-Ogan (; August 7, 1895 – June 22, 1974) was a French comics author and artist. Biography In 1925, he created the well-known comic strip ''Zig et Puce'' (''Zig and Flea''), which initially appeared in the ''Dimanche Illustré'' ...

. As a singer, she began her recording career with Pathé Records in 1937, producing singles with Reinhardt and his

including the series ''Chansons de Jacotte'', written by Jean Tranchant, and ''‘Ric et Pussy’'', written by Perrier's parents. Perrier was equally introduced into the milieu of her father's haute couture business, affording her a visit in 1944 with the then-destitute and moribund

Paul Poiret Paul Poiret (20 April 1879 – 30 April 1944, Paris, France) was a French fashion designer, a master couturier during the first two decades of the 20th century. He was the founder of his namesake haute couture house. Early life and care ...

. After graduating from the École du Louvre in 1944, Perrier was variously employed by couturière Marie-Louise Bruyère, film producer

Fred Orain Fred may refer to: People * Fred (name), including a list of people and characters with the name Mononym * Fred (cartoonist) (1931–2013), pen name of Fred Othon Aristidès, French * Fred (footballer, born 1949) (1949–2022), Frederico Rodr ...

, the Embassy of Pakistan in France and

Panair do Brasil Panair do Brasil was an airline of Brazil. Between 1945 and 1965 it was considered to be the largest carrier not only in Brazil but in all of Latin America. It ceased operations in 1965. History NYRBA do Brasil (1929–1930) ''Panair do Bras ...

( Pan American Airways). Perrier's musical collaborations with Stéphane Grappelli continued until 1950, recording music written by Perrier's parents such as the single ''‘La pluie sur le toit’''.

Fashion journalism career

Leveraging her father's contacts within the fashion industry, Marie-Jacques Perrier became employed in 1955 as an English-language journalist for the Paris office of Fairchild Publications, partnering her with the budding illustrator

Kenneth Paul Block Kenneth Paul Block (July 26, 1924 – April 23, 2009) was an American fashion illustrator. For nearly forty years, he was an in-house artist for Fairchild Publications, owner of ''Women's Wear Daily'', the garment industry trade paper, and its ...

. Her contributions from Paris, London and New York City to the company's

Women's Wear Daily ''Women's Wear Daily'' (also known as ''WWD'') is a fashion-industry trade journal often referred to as the "Bible of fashion".Horyn, Cathy"Breaking Fashion News With a Provocative Edge" ''The New York Times''. (August 20, 1999). It provides infor ...

and the

Daily News Record ''Daily News Record'' (or ''DNR'') was an American fashion trade journal published by Fairchild Publications, Inc. ''DNR'' started in 1890 when Edmund Fairchild used the wealth he had accumulated selling soap to purchase the '' Chicago Herald G ...

soon became extremely popular, earning Perrier's reputation as one of Fairchild's most distinguished journalists of haute couture. Perrier earned wide acclaim for her interviews with many of the decade's most fashionable women, including

Jacqueline Kennedy Jacqueline Lee Kennedy Onassis ( ; July 28, 1929 – May 19, 1994) was an American socialite, writer, photographer, and book editor who served as first lady of the United States from 1961 to 1963, as the wife of President John F. Kennedy. A po ...

, Estée Lauder,

Princess Margaret Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon, (Margaret Rose; 21 August 1930 – 9 February 2002) was the younger daughter of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, and the younger sister and only sibling of Queen Elizabeth ...

and Farah Diba Pahlavi. An interview with

Maria Callas Maria Callas . (born Sophie Cecilia Kalos; December 2, 1923 – September 16, 1977) was an American-born Greek soprano who was one of the most renowned and influential opera singers of the 20th century. Many critics praised her ''bel cant ...

first quoted the singer's famous assertion, ''"Paris dicte la mode au monde entier"'' (''"Paris dictates fashion to the whole world"''). Through the course of her seven years with Fairchild Publications, Perrier interviewed most of the major Paris-based fashion designers, including Pierre Balmain, Hubert de Givenchy, Nina Ricci and

Elsa Schiaparelli Elsa Schiaparelli ( , also , ; 10 September 1890 – 13 November 1973) was a fashion designer from an Italian aristocratic background. She created the house of Schiaparelli in Paris in 1927, which she managed from the 1930s to the 1950s. ...

. She was also one of the first to feature interviews with many future luminaries, among them

James Galanos James Galanos (September 20, 1924 – October 30, 2016) was an American fashion designer and couturier. Galanos is known for designing clothing for America's social elite, including Nancy Reagan, Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, and others. Ea ...

Karl Lagerfeld Karl Otto Lagerfeld (; 10 September 1933 – 19 February 2019) was a German fashion designer, creative director, artist and photographer. He was known as the creative director of the French fashion house Chanel, a position held from 1983 ...

, Yves Saint Laurent and

Emanuel Ungaro Emanuel Ungaro (13 February 1933 – 21 December 2019) was a French fashion designer who founded the eponymous fashion house in 1965. Early life Ungaro's Italian father fled to France from Francavilla Fontana of Brindisi province because of th ...

. Perrier was a member of the Fashion Group Paris alongside colleagues Eugenia Sheppard and Diana Vreeland. Throughout Perrier's career, she maintained a close professional relationship with designers such as

Pierre Cardin Pierre Cardin (, , ), born Pietro Costante Cardino (2 July 1922 – 29 December 2020), was an Italian-born naturalised-French fashion designer. He is known for what were his avant-garde style and Space Age designs. He preferred geometric shap ...

André Courrèges André Courrèges (; 9 March 1923 – 7 January 2016) was a French fashion designer. He was particularly known for his streamlined 1960s designs influenced by modernism and futurism, exploiting modern technology and new fabrics. Courrèges d ...

and Givenchy, contacts that were much in demand by Perrier's publishers. In 1962, Fairchild Publications underwent a major restructuring resulting in the departure of most of the Paris office's journalists, Perrier included. Perrier then moved to Los Angeles to work as a foreign correspondent and freelance for ''

The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...

'', though the birth of her daughter encouraged Perrier to return to Europe. Later writing for a variety of publications in Paris, London, Milan, Sydney and Buenos Aires, she continued to report on haute couture shows, interviewing a new generation of then up-and-coming designers including

Calvin Klein Calvin Richard Klein (born November 19, 1942) is an American fashion designer who launched the company that would later become Calvin Klein Inc., in 1968. In addition to clothing, he also has given his name to a range of perfumes, watches, and ...

Thierry Mugler Manfred Thierry Mugler (; 21 December 1948 – 23 January 2022) was a French fashion designer, creative director and creative adviser of Mugler. In the 1970s, Mugler launched his eponymous fashion house; and quickly rose to prominence in the fo ...

Oscar de la Renta Óscar Arístides Renta Fiallo (22 July 1932 – 20 October 2014), known professionally as Oscar de la Renta, was a Dominican fashion designer. Born in Santo Domingo, he was trained by Cristóbal Balenciaga and Antonio del Castillo. De la Renta ...

and Kenzo Takada. Perrier's career as a fashion journalist was remarkable in that it spanned essentially three distinct eras of haute couture, from that of Schiaparelli to Saint Laurent to Mugler. She contributed reporting to a total of eighty-seven publications worldwide, in addition to co-authoring numerous books on the subject of fashion.

Later life

Well into her eighties, Marie-Jacques Perrier continued work as a reporter while managing the archives of both her parents’ music and her father's Société de Textiles Robert Perrier. Perrier was the inheritor of her father's art collection, including numerous paintings by

Sonia Delaunay Sonia Delaunay (13 November 1885 – 5 December 1979) was a French artist, who spent most of her working life in Paris. She was born in Odessa (then part of Russian Empire), and formally trained in Russian Empire and Germany before moving to Fr ...

. To this she added works of abstractionism,

surrealism Surrealism is a cultural movement that developed in Europe in the aftermath of World War I in which artists depicted unnerving, illogical scenes and developed techniques to allow the unconscious mind to express itself. Its aim was, according to l ...

and

minimalism In visual arts, music and other media, minimalism is an art movement that began in post–World War II in Western art, most strongly with American visual arts in the 1960s and early 1970s. Prominent artists associated with minimalism include Don ...

, such as some by

Yves Klein Yves Klein (; 28 April 1928 – 6 June 1962) was a French artist and an important figure in post-war European art. He was a leading member of the French artistic movement of Nouveau réalisme founded in 1960 by art critic Pierre Restany. Klein w ...

. The collection was eventually dispersed by auction and donation. Perrier was the subject of several television documentaries for

History History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the History of writing#Inventions of writing, invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbr ...

and

ITV ITV or iTV may refer to: ITV *Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of: ** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...

. She was regularly a guest of honor at retrospectives and festivals celebrating Django Reinhardt, as she was one of the guitarist's longest living collaborators. In 2004, Perrier renewed her singing career to record an anthology of her parents’ music, ''Echos du R. 26''. Following her father's death, Perrier decided to modernize the R-26 artistic salon by offering long-term residence at her family's apartment to foreign students studying in Paris. Over the next twenty-five years, Perrier shared her home with over a hundred young artists and freethinkers of diverse nationalities. She also organized student dialogues with members of the French leadership, among them former

Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...

Alain Juppé Alain Marie Juppé (; born 15 August 1945) is a French politician. A member of The Republicans, he was Prime Minister of France from 1995 to 1997 under President Jacques Chirac, during which period he faced major strikes that paralysed the coun ...

. On 29 November 2012, in Paris's

18th arrondissement The 18th arrondissement of Paris (''XVIIIe arrondissement'') is one of the 20 Arrondissements of Paris, arrondissements of Paris, the capital city of France. In spoken French, this arrondissement is referred to as ''dix-huitième''. The arrondis ...

, Marie-Jacques Perrier died suddenly at the age of eighty-eight of a pulmonary embolism. A commemorative mass was held in her honor several weeks later at the church of

Saint-Pierre de Montmartre Saint-Pierre de Montmartre () is one of the oldest surviving churches in Paris, second to the Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Pres, but the lesser known of the two main churches in Montmartre, the other being the more famous 19th-century Sacré-Cœur ...

."Nécrologie: Marie-Jacques Perrier." Le Figaro. Paris. 11 December 2012.

Partial discography

* ''Chansons de Jacotte'' - 1935 * ''La Ferme enchantée'' - 1937 * ''Gros émoi parmi les souris'' - 1937 * ''Close to You'' - 1938 * ''Noël des Enfants qui n'ont plus de maison'' - 1938 * ''Par un fil'' - 1938 * ''Vingt Ans'' - 1938 * ''Ric et Pussy'' - 1938 * ''Les salades de l'oncle François'' - 1938 * ''La pluie sur le toit'' - 1950 * ''Tu m’as dit'' – 1983 * ''Les cinglés du Music Hall'' – 1995 * ''Intégrale Django Reinhardt'' - 1999 * ''Echos du R. 26'' - 2004 * ''Chansons d’enfance'' - 2007 * ''Soirées à Montmartre'' – 2007 * ''Django et la chanson'' - 2008

References

External links