Vionnet is an haute couture label founded by the French
couturier
''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 ...
Madeleine Vionnet
Madeleine Vionnet (; June 22, 1876, Loiret, France – March 2, 1975) was a French fashion designer. Vionnet trained in London before returning to France to establish her first fashion house in Paris in 1912. Although it was forced to close in 1 ...
. Established in 1912, the house of Vionnet closed doors in 1939. Vionnet was relaunched by Guy and Arnaud de Lummen in the mid-1990s with perfumes and accessories, and then in 2006 with ready-to-wear collections. Since 2012, Vionnet belongs to the Kazakh businesswoman
Goga Ashkenazi.
The Madeleine Vionnet Years
From 1912 to 1914
The House of Vionnet opened in 1912 at 222,
Rue de Rivoli
Rue de Rivoli (; English: "Rivoli Street") is a street in central Paris, France. It is a commercial street whose shops include leading fashionable brands. It bears the name of Napoleon's early victory against the Austrian army, at the Battle of Ri ...
. Madeleine Vionnet provided one-third of the financing while the remaining investment was supplied by one of her clients, Germaine Lilas, Henri's Lillas' daughter, the owner of the Parisian department store
Bazar de l'Hôtel de Ville
The Bazar de l'Hôtel de Ville or Le BHV Marais is a department store on rue de Rivoli in the 4th arrondissement of Paris, facing the Hôtel de Ville. It is part of the Groupe Galeries Lafayette and served by the Metro station '' Hôtel de Vil ...
(BHV). In 1914, when World War I started, Madeleine Vionnet closed the house and set off to visit
Rome
, established_title = Founded
, established_date = 753 BC
, founder = King Romulus (legendary)
, image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg
, map_caption ...
.
From 1919 to 1940
In 1919, the house reopened after the war. Mr. Martinez de Hoz, an Argentinian, joined Mr. Lillas as main shareholder of the house. During the same period,
Thayaht
Thayaht was the pseudonym of artist and designer Ernesto Michahelles (1893–1959) best known for his revolutionary design of the TuTa and his involvement with the Italian Futurist movement.
Early life
A mixture of British, German, Swiss and A ...
, a futurist artist, created Vionnet's logo and started designing textiles, clothing and jewelry for the house.
In 1922, Théophile Bader, owner of the
Galeries Lafayette
The Galeries Lafayette () is an upmarket French department store chain, the biggest in Europe. Its flagship store is on Boulevard Haussmann in the 9th arrondissement of Paris but it now operates in a number of other locations in France and othe ...
, joined current shareholders Mr. de Hoz and Mr. Lillas in a new venture called Vionnet & Cie and became the majority shareholder. Few months later, on April 15, 1923, Vionnet's new premises opened at 50,
Avenue Montaigne
Avenue Montaigne () is a street in the 8th arrondissement of Paris, France.
Origin of the name
Avenue Montaigne was originally called the Allée des Veuves (widows' alley) because women in mourning gathered there, but the street has changed muc ...
. The so-called "Temple of Fashion", a collaboration of architect Ferdinand Chanut, decorator George de Feure and crystal sculptor
René Lalique
René Jules Lalique (6 April 1860 – 1 May 1945) was a French jeweller, medallist, and glass designer known for his creations of glass art, perfume bottles, vases, jewellery, chandeliers, clocks, and automobile hood ornaments.
Life
Lalique's ...
, incorporated a spectacular Salon de Présentation and two boutiques: a fur salon and a lingerie salon. 1923 was a very active year for the house: Vionnet co-founded the first anticopyist Association (L'Association pour la Défense des Arts Plastiques et Appliqués), hosted in the House's premises and directed Vionnet & Cie's managing director; Vionnet introduced fingerprinted labels to authenticate models (each garment produced in Vionnet studios bears a label featuring Vionnet's original signing and an imprint of Vionnet's right thumb); Vionnet & Cie entered into a distribution arrangement with Charles and Ray Gutman, who own Charles & Ray Ladies' Tailors and Importers in New York City. In November, the first collection of Vionnet clothing shown at Charles and Ray was an enormous success.
In 1924, architect and designer Boris Lacroix was appointed art director of the House. From 1924 to 1937, he designed furniture, logos, printed textiles, handbags, accessories and took part in the planning of Vionnet's perfumes.
In the mid-1920s, the house was extremely active in the USA. In 1924, Vionnet & Cie signed an exclusive production and distribution agreement with Fifth Avenue retail store Hickson Inc. In February 1924, the Vionnet New York Salon opened at Hickson and an exclusive collection of gowns was presented. In 1925, Vionnet & Cie was the first French couture house to open a subsidiary in New York: Madeleine Vionnet Inc., located at 661
Fifth Avenue
Fifth Avenue is a major and prominent thoroughfare in the borough of Manhattan in New York City. It stretches north from Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village to West 143rd Street in Harlem. It is one of the most expensive shopping stre ...
. The salon sold 'one-size-fits-all' designs with unfinished hems, to be adjusted to fit individual clients. Vionnet also produced ready-to-wear designs for US wholesale. Arguably the first prêt-à-porter ever made from Paris haute couture, the garments bore a label signed by Madeleine Vionnet along with "Repeated Original" as a trademark name.
During this time, in France, Vionnet opened a salon in the Grand Casino at
Biarritz
Biarritz ( , , , ; Basque also ; oc, Biàrritz ) is a city on the Bay of Biscay, on the Atlantic coast in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the French Basque Country in southwestern France. It is located from the border with Spain. ...
. in 1925, the house launched its first limited edition perfume comprising four fragrances named alphabetically: 'A', 'B', 'C' and 'D'. The geometrical bottle was designed by Boris Lacroix while the scent was made in collaboration with the House of
Coty.
In 1927, Vionnet opened a school within her couture house to teach apprentices how to create clothing on the bias cut. In 1929, Vionnet led the establishment of a new anticopyist association, the P.A.I.S., directed by Armand Trouyet, managing director of Vionnet & Cie.
In 1932, the House acquired a new five-storey building at 50,
Avenue Montaigne
Avenue Montaigne () is a street in the 8th arrondissement of Paris, France.
Origin of the name
Avenue Montaigne was originally called the Allée des Veuves (widows' alley) because women in mourning gathered there, but the street has changed muc ...
housing 21 workshops along with a clinic (equipped with both doctors and dentists) and a gymnasium. At this time, the house employed 1,200 seamstresses. Vionnet was one of the most important Parisian fashion houses of the 1930s. When
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
approached, a reorganization of the House was contemplated. Eventually, Vionnet decided to close her House. On August 2, 1939, Madeleine Vionnet showed her farewell collection.
The Sleeping Years
In 1952, years after the closing of her house, Madeleine Vionnet donated most of her designs to the archives of the UFAC (today part of the
Musée de la Mode et du Textile
The Musée de la mode et du textile (Museum of Fashion and Textiles) was a museum located in the Louvre at, 107, rue de Rivoli, in the 1st arrondissement of Paris, France. It is now a department of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris. Works fr ...
in Paris) including 120 dresses from 1921 to 1939.
In 1988, the Vionnet label was acquired by the Lummen family. The family kept a low profile approach, avoiding new fashion collections and focusing on accessories and new perfumes (launch of "Madeleine Vionnet" in 1996 and "MV" in 1998).
The Revival Years
2006-2008 - The Lummen Era
In July 2006, following years of speculations, Arnaud de Lummen, CEO of the house, announced a return on the fashion scene. He promised ''"a unique and genuine approach to bring forward the Vionnet vision"'' and not a simple revival.
Sophia Kokosalaki
Sophia Kokosalaki ( el, Σοφία Κοκοσαλάκη; 3 November 1972 – 13 October 2019) was a Greek fashion designer based in London.Tamsin Blanchard, 'Sophia Kokosalaki hooks up with Asos', ''The Daily Telegraph'', January 21, 201/ref> ...
, then at the peak of her fame, was appointed Creative Director of the house. A debut clothing collection was launched for Spring/Summer 2007 - the first Vionnet clothing collection in 67 years.
The first new collection was unveiled to the public in December 2006 within the US edition of ''
Vogue
Vogue may refer to:
Business
* ''Vogue'' (magazine), a US fashion magazine
** British ''Vogue'', a British fashion magazine
** ''Vogue Arabia'', an Arab fashion magazine
** ''Vogue Australia'', an Australian fashion magazine
** ''Vogue China'', ...
''. From early 2007, this first new Vionnet collection became exclusively available in the house atelier in Paris and within
Barneys New York
Barneys New York Inc. is an American luxury brand founded in New York City in 1923. It has introduced major designers including Armani, Azzedine Alaïa, Comme des Garçons, Christian Louboutin, and Ermenegildo Zegna to the US market.
Barneys N ...
flagship stores in the USA.
Sophia Kokosalaki
Sophia Kokosalaki ( el, Σοφία Κοκοσαλάκη; 3 November 1972 – 13 October 2019) was a Greek fashion designer based in London.Tamsin Blanchard, 'Sophia Kokosalaki hooks up with Asos', ''The Daily Telegraph'', January 21, 201/ref> ...
designed one more collection for the label before to be replaced in May 2007 by Marc Audibet, in an unexpected move from the house.
Marc Audibet, appointed as artistic advisor, presented its sole and unique collection for the house in October 2007. In her review of the collection,
Suzy Menkes
Suzy Peta Menkes (born 24 December 1943) is a British journalist and fashion critic. Formerly the fashion editor for the International Herald Tribune, Menkes also served as editor, Vogue International, for 25 international editions of ''Vogue'' ...
, fashion editor of the ''
International Herald Tribune
The ''International Herald Tribune'' (''IHT'') was a daily English-language newspaper published in Paris, France for international English-speaking readers. It had the aim of becoming "the world's first global newspaper" and could fairly be said ...
'', stated: ''"Audibet has deeply understood the essence of Madeleine Vionnet."''
From 2008, Vionnet collabored with a pool of designers, without revealing their identities. Arnaud de Lummen told ''
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 ...
'' that he wanted the focus to be on the label's expansion and not on the fame of its designers: ''"Vionnet doesn't need to be associated with a designer's name, it's an institution."'' To support such expansion, de Lummen approached several investors and one of them,
Matteo Marzotto, eventually became a buyer. After initiating Vionnet's revival and heading the relaunch house, Arnaud de Lummen became an expert in reviving long dormant brands. Through
Luvanis Luvanis S.A. is a private investment company headquartered in Luxembourg and specialized in the incubation and revival of long-dormant luxury brands, also coined as “sleeping beauties”.
History
Luvanis was founded in 2009 by Guy de Lummen ...
, he initiated
Moynat
Moynat is one of the oldest Parisian trunkmakers. Their first studio was opened in Paris in 1849 founded by Octavie and François Coulembier. They joined forces with a specialist in travel goods named Pauline Moynat, to open the first store of a ...
's revival and acquired rights in sleeping beauty fashion brands such like
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 ...
and
Mainbocher
Mainbocher is a fashion label founded by the American couturier Main Rousseau Bocher (October 24, 1890 – December 27, 1976), also known as Mainbocher (pronounced "Maine-Bow-Shay"). Established in 1929, the house of Mainbocher successfully ope ...
.
From 2006 to 2008, Vionnet was established at 21,
Place Vendôme
The Place Vendôme (), earlier known as Place Louis-le-Grand, and also as Place Internationale, is a square in the 1st arrondissement of Paris, France, located to the north of the Tuileries Gardens and east of the Église de la Madeleine. It is ...
in the former premises of
Louise Chéruit
Madame Louise Chéruit (1866-1955), born Louise Lemaire, often erroneously called Mme Madeleine Chéruit, was among the foremost couturiers of her generation, and one of the first women to control a major French fashion house. Her salon operated ...
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. ...
. Vionnet produced made-in-France "demi-couture" collections closed to haute-couture in the prices featured and the techniques and textiles used. Vionnet involved historical partners of the house, such as the couture embroiderer
Maison Lesage
Maison (French for "house") may refer to:
People
* Edna Maison (1892–1946), American silent-film actress
* Jérémy Maison (born 1993), French cyclist
* Leonard Maison, New York state senator 1834–1837
* Nicolas Joseph Maison (1771–1840) ...
.
2009-2011 - The Marzotto Era
On February 24, 2009, Matteo Marzotto announced the acquisition of the label and the creation of a new and independent structure in
Milan
Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city h ...
where Vionnet is now operated. Matteo Marzotto, former General Manager and President of
Valentino SpA
Valentino S.p.A. is an Italian luxury fashion house founded in 1960 by Valentino Garavani and part of Valentino Fashion Group. Since October 2008, the creative director is Pierpaolo Piccioli, jointly with Maria Grazia Chiuri from 2008 to 20 ...
, is one of the heirs of the
Marzotto
The Marzotto Group is an Italian textile manufacturer, based in Valdagno.
Created in 1836 as the ''Lanificio Luigi Marzotto & Figli''. In 2005 Marzotto Group's textile business separated from Valentino Fashion Group.
The Group manufactures wool ...
Group, a powerful textile group established in Italy since 1836. Matteo Marzotto also announced that some additional strategic development is to be provided by Gianni Castiglioni, CEO of the fashion brand
Marni
The name Marni originates from several languages, including Hebrew, meaning "rejoice", and Latin as a variant of " Marina", meaning "of the sea". It also has derivations from Gaelic and Swahili. "Marni" and "Marnie" are the two most common spell ...
.
Rodolfo Paglialunga, formerly from Prada, became the new creative director of the house, introducing his first new collection in October 2009. In September, 2011, Vionnet announced that twin sisters Barbara and Lucia Croce as creative directors, replacing Rodolfo Paglialunga.
In December 2011, Vionnet unveiled its first directly owned stored in Milan.
Under the leadership of Marzotto, the list of celebrities dressed by Vionnet included
Zoe Saldana
Zoe (also ZOE, Zoë, Zoé, etc.) can refer to:
*ζωή (''zōḗ''), the Ancient Greek word for "life"
People
* Zoe (name), including list of persons and fictional characters with the name
Film and television
* ''Zoe'' (film)
* ZOE Broadcast ...
Diane Kruger
Diane Kruger ( Heidkrüger; ; born 15 July 1976) is a German and American actress. Early in her career, Kruger gained worldwide recognition and received the Trophée Chopard from the Cannes Film Festival.
Kruger became known for her roles in f ...
,
Madonna
Madonna Louise Ciccone (; ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Widely dubbed the " Queen of Pop", Madonna has been noted for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, a ...
,
Natalie Portman
Natalie Portman (born Natalie Hershlag, he, נטע-לי הרשלג, ) is an Israeli-born American actress. She has had a prolific film career since her teenage years and has starred in various blockbusters and independent films, receiving mu ...
,
Carey Mulligan
Carey Hannah Mulligan (born 28 May 1985) is an English actress. She has received List of awards and nominations received by Carey Mulligan, various accolades, including a British Academy Film Award, in addition to nominations for two Academy A ...
,
Emma Watson
Emma Charlotte Duerre Watson (born 15 April 1990) is an English actress and activist. Known for her roles in both blockbusters and independent films, as well as for her women's rights work, she has received a selection of accolades, includi ...
,
Hilary Swank
Hilary Ann Swank (born July 30, 1974) is an American actress and film producer. She first became known in 1992 for her role on the television series '' Camp Wilder'' and made her film debut with a minor role in ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' (1992 ...
,
Marion Cotillard
Marion Cotillard (; born 30 September 1975) is a French actress, film producer, singer, and environmentalist who is widely known for her roles in independent films and blockbusters in both European and Hollywood productions.
She has received ...
,
Catherine Zeta-Jones
Catherine Zeta-Jones (; born 25 September 1969) is a Welsh actress. Known for her versatility, she is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, and a Tony Award. In 2010, she was appointed C ...
,
Carey Mulligan
Carey Hannah Mulligan (born 28 May 1985) is an English actress. She has received List of awards and nominations received by Carey Mulligan, various accolades, including a British Academy Film Award, in addition to nominations for two Academy A ...
, and
Cameron Diaz
Cameron Michelle Diaz (born August 30, 1972) is an American actress. With a variety of works in film, she is widely recognised for her work in romantic comedies and animation. Diaz has received various accolades, including nominations for ...
.
Since 2012 - The Ashkenazi Era
In May 2012, Kazakh-Russian businesswoman
Goga Ashkenazi purchased a majority stake in the business before to take full control of the label in November of the same year.
From August 2012, Ashkenazi replaced the Croce sisters and assumed the creative direction of the label. In October 2012, she celebrated the 100 Years of the brand with a demi-couture collection paying homage to the house's signature design.
In early January 2014, Vionnet announced to have tapped
Hussein Chalayan
Hussein Chalayan, (; tr, Hüseyin Çağlayan ; born 12 August 1970) is a British-Cypriot fashion designer. He has won the British Designer of the Year twice (in 1999 and 2000) and was awarded the MBE in 2006.
Chalayan is currently teaching a ...
to design the brand's demi-couture line. A first show took place on January 21, 2014. At the same time, Vionnet launched an advertising campaign shot by
Jean-Paul Goude
Jean-Paul Goude (born 8 December 1938 in Montreuil (France)) is a French graphic designer, illustrator, photographer, advertising film director and event designer. He worked as art director at ''Esquire'' magazine in New York City during the 1 ...
.
The company announced in October 2018 a voluntary liquidation.. The purpose of that brave decision was to focus on restructuring the brand in order to fully commit to the cause of sustainability
.
References
External links
VIONNET.comCompany web site
*{{fashionlabel, id=vionnet
Clothing companies of France
Clothing companies of Italy
Italian brands