Boué Soeurs was a French
fashion house
Fashion design is the art of applying design, aesthetics, clothing construction, and natural beauty to clothing and its accessories. It is influenced by diverse cultures and different trends and has varied over time and place. "A fashion design ...
active from 1899 to 1957. It was founded by sisters Madame Sylvie Montegut and Baronne Jeanne d'Etreillis under their maiden name, Boué.
History
Sylvie and Jeanne Boué took an interest in design at a very early age. In a 1922 article in ''Arts & Decoration'' magazine, Jeanne wrote:
In 1899 they opened their first shop on the
Rue de la Paix
The Rue de la Paix (English: Peace Street; ) is a fashionable shopping street in the centre of Paris. Located in the 2nd arrondissement, running north from the Place Vendôme and ending at the Opéra Garnier, it is best known for its jewellers ...
in
Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
where they sold women's apparel such as
evening dresses,
gown
A gown, from the Latin word, ''gunna'', is a usually loose outer garment from knee-to-full-length worn by people of both sexes in Europe from the Early Middle Ages to the 17th century, and continuing today in certain professions; later, the t ...
s,
wedding dress
A wedding dress or bridal gown is the dress worn by the bride during a wedding ceremony. The color, style and ceremonial importance of the gown can depend on the religion and culture of the wedding participants. Wedding dresses hold a significan ...
es,
frock
Frock has been used since Middle English as the name for an article of clothing, typically coat (clothing), coat-like, for men and women.
Terminology
In British English and in Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth countries the word may be us ...
s,
lingerie
Lingerie (, , ) is a category of primarily women's clothing including undergarments (mainly brassieres), sleepwear, and lightweight robes. The choice of the word is often motivated by an intention to imply that the garments are alluring, fashio ...
, and
camisole
A camisole is a sleeveless undershirt typically worn by women, extending to the waist. The camisole is usually made of satin, nylon, silk, or cotton.
Historical definition
Historically, ''camisole'' referred to jackets of various kinds, incl ...
s. Baronne d'Etreillis opened a second shop in
New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
in 1915.
Style
Boué Soeurs was known for creating elaborate ensembles with very feminine designs. Signature elements included fine Alençon
Alençon (, , ; ) is a commune in Normandy, France, and the capital of the Orne department. It is situated between Paris and Rennes (about west of Paris) and a little over north of Le Mans. Alençon belongs to the intercommunality of Alen� ...
and Duchesse lace, embroidery, ribbon work, and gold and silver textiles. While some of their evening dresses retailed for $145–150 in the 1920s, designs with more exotic materials could cost as much as $2,000.[ Among the house's more elegant offerings was the '']robe de style
The ''robe de style'' describes a style of dress popular in the 1920s
File:1920s decade montage.png, From left, clockwise: Third Tipperary Brigade Flying Column No. 2 under Seán Hogan during the Irish War of Independence; Prohibition agents d ...
'', a design popularized by Jeanne Lanvin
Jeanne-Marie Lanvin (; 1 January 1867 – 6 July 1946) was a French haute couture fashion designer. She founded the Lanvin fashion house and the beauty and perfume company Lanvin Parfums.
Early life
Jeanne Lanvin was born in Paris on 1 Janu ...
, which they continued to produce into the 1940s.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Boue Soeurs
1899 establishments in France
1957 disestablishments in France
Clothing brands of France
High fashion brands