1904-1970

Desses was born Jean Dimitre Verginie, in 1904, in Alexandria, Egypt, of Greek parents. In 1925, he abandoned his legal studies and began working for Maison Jane, a Parisian couture house.

In 1937, he opened his own couture salon in Paris. After World War II, he traveled extensively in Egypt and Greece, and his designs in the 40's and 50's reflected the influences of his travels. He specialized in creating draped evening gowns in chiffon and mousseline, based on early Greek and Egyptian robes. He made embroidered dresses and sheath dresses with tight jackets and flowing skirts. He was a very popular designer with European royalty and movie stars. Among his clientele were the royal family ladies of Greece, the Duchess of Windsor and society hostess Elsa Maxwell.

His collections were hailed by the press as being very original. Time and again the showstoppers were his intricate flowing chiffon evening dresses. For these he used ombre fabrics, a favourite effect. His fur coats were shaded light to dark. He tried to dethrone the colour black, by use of soft hazy colours in dresses that involved much plaiting and twisting, as one or more fabrics were joined with ribbons or bands of mink. Often scarves trailed from neck to floor, and rippled, like his uneven hems.

In 1945, Desses participated in the fashion doll exhibition held in Paris called "Theatre de la Mode" held by the Chambre of Couture in the Louvre Museum. Approximately 172 dolls dressed by 40 couturiers were shown. This exhibition subsequently went on tour all over Europe and the USA.

On the left is one of Desses dolls. It is a dress and jacket ensemble in houndstooth twill with side front buttoning.

This dress on the right, with the asymetrical neckline, is from 1946.

In 1949 Desses began producing ready-to-wear lines for the US market.

Valentino worked with Desses for several years in the 1950's and gained much hands-on experience.

In 1958, Desses move to 12 Rond Point des Champs Elysees in Paris. In 1963, when he reached 60 years of age, he was in poor health so he closed his business and retired to Greece, where he ran a boutique which he had opened there earlier, in 1955.

He died in 1970 at the age of 66.

In the 90's, with the surge of interest in vintage dresses, the gowns of Desses have been in great demand. Naomi Campbell wore a vintage Jean Desses couture gown to a party at Christies in May 1999. It's boned bodice and ruched silk made her look magnificent.


2002