Born 1869 in Saint-Denis, French fashion designer Jeanne Paquin trained as a dressmaker at Rouff and later opened her own fashion house in 1891, the first woman to ever do so. The Maison Paquin quickly became known for its Eighteenth century-inspired pastel evening dresses and tailored day dresses, as well as for its numerous publicity stunts, including organizing fashion parades to promote her new models and sending her models to operas and races in order to show off her designs.
Fashion designs by Jeanne Paquin in the 1950s
Paquin also frequently collaborated with the illustrators and architects Leon Bakst, George Barbier, Robert Mallet-Stevens, and Louis Süe for the creation of stage costumes, the publication of dress albums and the decoration of her private residences, reinforcing her reputation as a thoroughly modern designer.
Paquin withdrew from the House in 1920, leaving the administration with Henri Joire, and the artistic direction to Madeleine Wallis. The direction of the House later returned to Colette Massignac who was able to adapt the style of the collections to the popular “New Look” of the 1950s. In 1953, the Maison Paquin purchased the French branch of the House of Worth, but financial difficulties forced the House to close down in 1956.
Known for her resolutely modern and innovative designs, in her time, Paquin had a prestige equal to that of Charles Frederick Worth and Jacques Doucet but is nowadays largely forgotten. These vintage photos captured portraits of classic beauties wearing fashion designs by Jeanne Paquin in the 1950s.
Jackie Stoloff in black silk crêpe dress printed with large blue butterflies, by Jeanne Paquin, photo by Georges Saad, 1950
Maxime de la Falaise in a dress she designed for Jeanne Paquin’s boutique and accessorized in her own inimitable style, photo by Horst P. Horst, 1950
Maxime De La Falaise wearing fish-tailed striped gown by Jeanne Paquin, photo by Cecil Beaton, Vogue, January 1950
Model in beautifully executed coat of black organza falling from a rounded yoke in alternating bands of sheer organza by Jeanne Paquin, photo by Philippe Pottier, 1950
Model in black wool coat with astrakhan collar and long scarf by Paquin, photo by Philippe Pottier, 1950
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