Chloé founded 1952 by Gaby Aghion, an Egyptian-born Parisienne
Rejecting the stiff formality of the 50’s fashion, she created soft, body conscious clothes from fine fabrics and called them “luxury prêt-à-porter”. unique for their time, they were beautifully made clothes available off the rack.
In 1956, gaby aghion and her business partner, jacques lenoir, debuted the first collection over breakfast at café de flore, which, as the city’s infamous meeting ground for existentialists and artists, was one of their own favorite haunts.
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“chloé” – a name they chose for its warm, feminine appeal – was perfectly in synch with the new mood of paris : youthful and modern in design, and slightly audacious in spirit.
Left: 1972 Chloé sprigged crêpe-de-Chine shirt & skirt,pink straw petal-brimmed hat, and shiny high red leather shoes. Right: Mary Quant black Crimplene suit, puff-sleeved jacket buttoned to wait in red, with whirling skirt.
1974 Chloé loose shirt with Peter Pan collar and wide cuffs and long, flaring skirt.
in the 60’s, chloé hothoused a group of youthful left bank designers who later defined the paris ready-to-wear movement, “le style”.
in 1966, karl lagerfeld became the house’s head designer, and under his direction chloe became one of the most iconic fashion brands of the 1970’s. jackie kennedy and brigitte bardot, maria callas and grace kelly all came to chloe’s boutique in the 7eme in search of luxurious daywear. with its romantic, gauzy blouses and long skirts, chloé defined the look of a generation.
in the 80’s, a series of talented designers including martine sitbon kept the collections fresh and ever-changing, whilst reiterating chloé’s quixotic ability to be both cutting-edge and timeless at once.
after the house was bought by the luxury goods conglomerate richemont group in 1985, its notoriety grew around the globe.
in 1997, stella mccartney reinvented chloé once more, with a romantic yet streetwise mix of vintage lingerie, tailoring, and signature low-rider trousers that hit a nerve with young women around the world and propelled the house to a new level of success.
from 2001 to 2005, the creative director, phoebe philo, has continued the chloé legacy of luxurious, audacious prêt-à-porter whilst stamping the house with her own unique signature : sexy daywear, fluid lines, graceful and distinctly modern diaphanous tops.
on october 11, 2006 a new chief designer has been appointed, paulo melim andersson : he becomes part of the chloé design legacy.
today, just like grace kelly and maria callas did before them, young stars like kirsten dunst, natalie portman and lou doillon have fallen in love with the soft elegance of the french house.
more than fifty years after gaby aghion imagined it, chloé’s vision of romantic, ultra feminine fashion lives on.
1966 design by Jeanne Do for Chloé
square pastiche: dress with a short, cutaway top and a skirt falling to the ankles,
decorated with silver squares and pearls
I've always loved that photo of the black sarong dress, it's one of the sexiest things I've ever seen. I never knew it was Lagerfeld for Chloe though.
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All I want to do is fur pants, but I know, like, if I do them I'll get stoned off of Seventh Avenue like some kind of wanton heretic or something. So there won't be any fur pants coming down my runway - Isaaz Mizrahi my blog - random musings of a fashion fiend
(PARIS) The fashion community waited with bated breath this season over what would become of Chloé without Phoebe Philo. Technically, it was Philo’s second season away from the reigns—the designer took last fall off as well, choosing instead to sit front-row—though she had not yet resigned from the company. Enormous changes at the last minute were all in a day’s work for Gaby Aghion, the Egyptian-born Parisian who founded the house of Chloé in 1952. Moments before the first look hit the runway, The Daily caught up with the petite fashion legend, who sold the company in 1985.
How did you come up with the name Chloé?
A friend of mine had that name, and I thought it was pretty. I could not put my name on the label because at that time you couldn’t do that. Mythologically, Chloé was a goddess—a wicked woman. But I’m not wicked; I have been strong.
What’s your most memorable Chloé moment? I don’t have one really. Perhaps only that it was a very important adventure. There was only couture back when we started and we were among the first to create ready to wear, elegant ready to wear. Now everybody wants to be successful. To be a success you must work a lot; people don’t understand that.
What was your take on Phoebe Philo?
I thought Phoebe was very nice. I don’t know why she didn’t stay. I told her to be careful because you don’t make a career in one or two years. I took a lot of years to be Chloé.
Are you happy with how Chloé turned out?
I think [Ralph] Toledano is running the business in a nice way, because for a few years there, it was not so good.
Do you ever think about going back to Chloé?
When I sold Chloé, I sold Chloé. I touch nothing else. The adventure of fashion continues to interest me—but only as a spectator.
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And I am nothing of a builder, but here I dreamt I was an architect
And I built this balustrade to keep you home, to keep you safe from the outside world
US Vogue July 1983 The Contrast: the polished style / the freer spirit
Stylist: Polly Allen Mellen
Hair: John Sahag
Makeup: Tyen of Paris
Photographs: Helmut Newton
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And I am nothing of a builder, but here I dreamt I was an architect
And I built this balustrade to keep you home, to keep you safe from the outside world
Just realized that the last piece in post #3 is the same as the last piece in post #12
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Chloe Simulated Pearl Choker
Karl Lagerfeld and Ugo Correani for Chloe, French, 1979
Of silver plated metal with diagonal rows of simulated pearls, signed: Ugo Correani Per Chloe.
See French Vogue, October 1979, p.14.
doylenewyork
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And I am nothing of a builder, but here I dreamt I was an architect
And I built this balustrade to keep you home, to keep you safe from the outside world
Chloe Simulated Pearl Collar and Cuff
Karl Lagerfeld and Ugo Correani for Chloe, French, 1979
Of silver plated metal with diagonal rows of simulated pearls, the collar, , signed with paper label: Ugo Correani,
the cuff, unsigned.
For collar, see WWD, April 9, 1979 and American Vogue, July 1979, p.110, for cuff, see French Vogue, August 1979, p.59.
doylenewyork
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And I am nothing of a builder, but here I dreamt I was an architect
And I built this balustrade to keep you home, to keep you safe from the outside world
Chloe Guitar Pin and Earclips
Karl Lagerfeld and Ugo Correani for Chloe, French, 1983
Of orange and blue polyester resin, mirror, multicolored rhinestones and fishing line, with silver plated findings, the pin,signed: Ugo Correani/Made in Italy, the earclips, one signed: Ugo Correani/Made in Italy.
See Milbank, The Couture Accessory, p.108.
doylenewyork
__________________
And I am nothing of a builder, but here I dreamt I was an architect
And I built this balustrade to keep you home, to keep you safe from the outside world
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