Founder of the world famous Lanvin Fashion House, Jeanne Lanvin is considered to be the most influential designers of her time. Her work spans almost 2 decades which were filled with the most innovative works that her generation has ever seen. Jeanne Lanvin was born in Paris in January 1, 1967. The eldest in a brood of 11, she worked as an apprentice milliner or hat maker for Madame Felix at the age of 16. After that, she came to work as a dressmaker in Talbot , one of the most famous dressmakers in Paris at that time.
It was not until she 42 years old that she finally got the formal title as a couturier at the Syndicat de la Couture. This was a name given to people who actually designed and made garments to supply to private clients. But her genius in designing was not really recognized in the fashion house itself but instead on the dresses that she made for her daughters. She was a genius in embroidery work and created plenty of such designs on her daughter's dresses. Her work used the eye of many rich people in Paris and in no time, the couturier was making beautiful dresses for mothers and daughter of noble families in the area. She was most well known for creating wonderful mother and daughter attires and for the kind of edginess and modernity that she incorporated on to her designs.
Another creation that brought Jeanne Lanvin a few more times more into the limelight was her "robes de style" creations which were full skirted dresses that highlighted small women's waists. This was considered to be the perfect fusion between feminine poise and sexiness. Jeanne Lanvin was also a genius when she worked with silks and linens on women's evening dresses. Her choice of material was influenced from the Orient and made her to create elegant works of art, different from the usual materials used during the times.
In 1926, Jeanne Lanvin opened her doors to designing men's apparel and she became the first ever couturier to design for whole families. Over the years, her customers included famous celebrities and even queens and princesses from different countries. Her designs were ageless as her mother and daughter designs showed very little or no differences at all. For this couturier, dresses are made to make women look young and feminine which captured the hearts of many fashion lovers. Her wonderful taste and combinations of different materials – from silk, ribbons, ruffles, satins and many others set her work apart form all of the designers of her generation. Jeanne Lanvin died at the age of 79 and the fashion house was taken over by her daughter, Marie Blanche. At present, the house still dresses many of the rich and the famous, including presidential first lady Michelle Obama.
Up until today, the many designs created by Jeanne Lavin still reappear in the catwalk every now and then and many of the top designers today are very inspired by her works. True fashion is ageless and Jeanne Lanvin is one of its best authors.
