1889-1958
Lucien Lelong was born in Paris, France in 1889. His father had founded a textile house in 1886.
Lelong trained for a business career at the Hautes Etudes des Commerciales, Paris from 1911 to 1913. He was always interested in the garment design part of the textile trade and decided to open his own salon. This was however, delayed due to the start of World War I in 1914.
In 1918 after the war ended, Lelong set up his salon. Noted more for the skill and workmanship of beautiful fabrics, rather than for innovative design, he was one of the earliest designers to diversify into lingerie and stockings. He introduced a line of ready-to-wear in 1934 which he labeled "editions".
Just before the outbreak of World War II, in 1939, Lelong shoed a collection of tightly waisted, full skirted dresses which were almost exactly the same as Dior brought out in 1947 as his "New Look" but Lelong's innovation was not remembered.
He served as President of the Chambre Syndicale de la Couture, Haute Couture's governing body, from 1937 to 1947.
Lucien Lelong was instrumental in persuading the Germans occupying Paris, to permit French couture houses to remain open in Paris rather than moving to Berlin, as the Germans wished. It was largely due to his efforts that 92 houses stayed open during the war. He reopened his own house in 1941.
In 1945, when the war ended, everyone in Paris wanted to revive haute couture as well as raise money for war relief. Lucien Lelong, as President of the Chambre, arranged an exhibition in the Louvre, Paris, of 172 dolls made by 40 Paris couturiers, all dressed in the latest creations. It was called "Theatre de la Mode" and was a great success, subsequently touring Europe and the USA.
In 1947 Lelong showed pencil-slim dresses, pleated, tiered, harem hemlines and suits with wasp waists, cutaway fronts and square shoulders. All these were introduced by other designers in later years.
Lelong married twice. His second wife was Princess Natalie Paley, daughter of the Grand Duke Paul of Russia. She was a noted beauty who wore her husband's gowns to great occasions.
Pierre Balmain worked at Lelong's salon from 1939 to 1941 and Dior also worked with him during the war years. These two great designers as well as Hubert de Givenchy, considered Lelong as their mentor.
In the 30's Lelong brought out his classic perfume Indiscret which is still as popular today as it was then.
Lucien Lelong died in 1958.
click below:
Memories : The Perfumes of Lucien Lelong by Randy Monsen
A/W 2002
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