A minaudière is a women's

fashion accessory In fashion, an accessory is an item used to contribute, in a secondary manner, to an individual's outfit. Accessories are often chosen to complete an outfit and complement the wearer's look. They have the capacity to further express an individual ...

, generally considered a

jewellery Jewellery ( UK) or jewelry (U.S.) consists of decorative items worn for personal adornment, such as brooches, rings, necklaces, earrings, pendants, bracelets, and cufflinks. Jewellery may be attached to the body or the clothes. From a wester ...

piece, intended to substitute for an

evening bag A handbag, commonly known as a purse or pocketbook in North American English, is a handled medium-to-large bag used to carry personal items. Purse, handbag or pouch The term "purse" originally referred to a small bag for holding coins. In man ...

. A case with compartments, it allows storage for several items in a small space, such as a makeup compact, lipstick, watch, reading glasses, or keys. The minaudière appeared during the 1930s. Its invention is attributed to Charles Arpels, of

Van Cleef & Arpels Van Cleef & Arpels is a French high-end luxury jewelry company. It was founded in 1896 by the Dutch diamond-cutter Alfred Van Cleef and his father-in-law Salomon Arpels in Paris. Their pieces often feature flowers, animals, and fairies, and hav ...

, but many jewellers and

haute couture ''Haute couture'' (; ; French for 'high sewing', 'high dressmaking') is the creation of exclusive custom-fitted high-end fashion design that is constructed by hand from start-to-finish. Beginning in the mid-nineteenth century, Paris became th ...

designers have created their own models.

Description

Generally metal plated and oblong, sized small enough to be held within the hand, a minaudière is a dainty accessory. The materials used to make it are most frequently rigid, with a metallic finish such as gold or silver. The exterior may be detailed with precious or semi-precious stones, or decorated with lacquer or mother of pearl. However, textile designs also exist, with cloth overlaying a frame or flexible and supple, using velour, silk or brocade fabric, embroidered or not. Some minaudières include a

lanyard A lanyard is a cord, length of webbing, or strap that may serve any of various functions, which include a means of attachment, restraint, retrieval, and activation and deactivation. A lanyard is also a piece of rigging used to secure or lower ...

or chain to place over the wrist. Other designs have a satin or velour pouch to hold the minaudière.Catherine Cariou, « La Minaudière de Van Cleef & Arpels », ''Paris Joaillerie'', 5 mars 2007
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(page consultée le 16 juin 2011) The interior can reveal the ingenuity of the designer. A minaudière may contain several small compartments, carefully designed to organize the owner's personal items for maximum utility. According to fashion journalist Lloyd Boston, a minaudière constitutes an "essential" part of an evening wardrobe, a small object with no limit to its usefulness, and a "fabulous character".

Invention

According to press articles of the time the minaudière was invented by

in 1934. Charles Arpels was inspired by watching Florence Gould, third wife of philanthropist

Frank Jay Gould Frank Jay Gould (December 4, 1877 – April 1, 1956) was a philanthropist and the son of financier Jay Gould. He was the owner of French Riviera casinos and hotels. Biography He was born on December 4, 1877, in Manhattan, New York City to ...

, toss several small, loose makeup items into a tin box. The word "minaudière" was a French term for a coquettish woman, from the word "minauder" (to flirt or simper).

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Minaudiere Bags Fashion accessories Jewellery

Description

Invention

See also

References