The ingenious, amazing man Paul Poiret rightfully earned the title of emperor of Parisian fashion. By his not very modest admission (which is forgivably great talents) he "dressed the era", the most beautiful and noble women of those times. Among his clients are the entire European, including the Russian aristocracy, as well as creative personalities. And his contemporaries were Coco Chanel, Jacques Doucet, Charles Worth, N.P. Lamanova, etc.
Paul Poiret, biography: the early years
The future great couturier was born in Paris in the family of a textile merchant. It's hard to say what his childhood was like, because there are no reliable data. In his biographical book, P. Poiret pays more attention to dresses, sketches and hats, which already at that time occupied his mind and imagination. From a young age, he cut and sewed independently for his sisters. Even then, the boy’s talent made its way out and demanded recognition.
Paul Poiret grew up with three sisters, and one (Nicole Gruult) subsequently was engaged in the creation of dresses and even had her own Fashion House in Paris. The second also gained fame, though already an outstanding hatter. Despite the obvious passion for his son in fashion and everything connected with it, his father did not want to take it seriously, so he insisted that the boy unlearn at school. After her graduation, he hired him as a messenger with the famous master in the manufacture of umbrellas. But soon Paul Poiret (photo see below) left the workshop. Taking pieces of silk fabric, he began to sew his first outfits for a doll that was once donated to sisters.
The beginning of the creative path
The future great master began his career with the work of the famous French fashion designer, collector and philanthropist Jacques Doucet, then there was the atelier of Charles Worth, where he was mainly engaged in the design and sewing of outerwear (mantles, wraps). And already in 1903, Paul Poiret founded his own Fashion House. The success was truly lightning fast and overwhelming, primarily due to the already acquired connections and popularity among noble clients, the aristocracy.
He actively promoted a return to the fashion of ancient times and introduced dresses in the form of tunics and peplos, and also offered Parisians a new, as they would say, trend - kimono.
Family life
Paul Poiret is a fashion designer with an emotional character, a bright and enthusiastic nature. Without muse, he simply could not exist. She was Denise Boulet, whom he married in 1909. According to the master himself, it was she who embodied all the ideals. A charming woman from the province surprised the townspeople, and her beauty revealed in bright, unique and sophisticated outfits created especially for her. Each of their appearances turned into an event, a sensation. The couple discussed the press and society. Of course, there was a desire in their life to shock the public, sometimes reaching the point of scandal. It was during this time period that Paul Poiret (dresses, see photo) gains the glory of the most eminent couturier of the world, he is compared with an artist, creator, and new items flow, as if from a cornucopia.
The couple became famous as organizers of the most grandiose costumed evenings, which were held annually. Each holiday had its own theme, but the evening “1002nd Night”, held in 1911, was especially famous.
Unfortunately, not all beautiful stories have a corresponding continuation and completion. The couple divorced in 1928, when Poiret's financial well-being declined. What lies the true reason for the separation after so many years, no one can say. However, in a newspaper interview, Denise accused him of cruelty, and Poiret, in turn, called her behavior offensive.
Ethnic motives in creativity.
In 1910, after visiting the ballet "Scheherazade" in Paris, Paul Poiret was so impressed that he could not pass by the charm and mystery of the East. For the first time, models with ethnic motifs appeared in his collections, and a year later he even organized a costumed theme party, “One Thousand and Second Night”. The couturier himself appeared in the image of an influential padishah. After such a grandiose event, oriental motifs in clothing for a long time took possession of secular lionesses. Harem pants and a skirt, turban, turbans - all this has turned from exotic into an outfit for an evening out.
Russian style in couturier works
For the first time, Poiret encountered Russian talents when he attended a ballet that was applauded throughout Europe. Attracted by originality and color, he decided to go on a tour of Eastern Europe, including Moscow and St. Petersburg. The famous couturier was delighted with the Russian folk costume (lush sundresses, kitshek, kosovorotok, kokoshnikov, shawls and shawls). He even brought some clothes with him to the fashion capital. Juicy, picturesque flowers and ornament - all this Paul Poiret (dresses are shown in the photo) used to create the world's first collection of clothes with Russian motifs. It was called Kazan.
Armenian from Paul Poiret
In its original version, this element of a traditional Russian costume refers to a peasant caftan with straight sleeves and a back, not cut in the waist line. Armenian Paul Poiret is a stylized costume, first made for Denise’s wife. For him, dark luxurious fabric was used, emphasizing the originality and flavor of the Russian style.
Immortal couturier creation
The wardrobe of a modern woman is simply inconceivable without an elegant and sexy pencil skirt. Meanwhile, the history of its creation is rooted in the early twentieth century. It was then that a prototype was created - the "lame skirt" year. Paul Poiret called it that in connection with the fact that the narrow hem made it difficult to move, and women were forced to mince, moving in small steps. The lame skirt formed the basis not only of the pencil silhouette, but also of the year, the famous and popular mermaid silhouette for evening and wedding dresses.
Books by P. Poiret
Contrary to fate and difficult life circumstances, in the 1930s, the couturier published three of his books: Fashion and Finance, Dressing the Epoch and Come Back! All of them, in fact, are memoirs. Colossal works, which are a pleasure to read, a whole series of famous names, outstanding events against the backdrop of the dramatic history of the twentieth century .. Paul Poiret was an outstanding and versatile person, he was invited as a lecturer to the Sorbonne, and theaters sometimes gave orders for the creation of stage costumes.
Oblivion of the great fashion designer
Since the 20s of the last century, capricious fashion trends began to undergo changes, and global political upheavals and the war affected this. Everything is natural in history, and some names are replaced by others. So it happened with Paul Poiret. Especially often among its competitors is mentioned the no less great Coco Chanel. The designer simply could not adapt to the rapidly changing world, as a result of which he was ousted from the fashion Olympus. After 1925, he was on the verge of poverty and was forced to sell his workshop, a collection of paintings and other objects of art. He died in complete oblivion and poverty in 1944. And only after a decade and a half, the audience again remembered this name - Paul Poiret. Sketches and surviving pieces of designer clothing were exhibited by his ex-wife. Time has made another round, and, after a terrible war, people wanted that forgotten, bright, unbridled beauty.
In 2005, more than six hundred different wardrobe items were sold from the personal collection of Poiret's wife and children. Some of the lots were accompanied by photographs from the personal family archive. Miraculously preserved things (not always in good condition) went to the famous world fashion museums.
Paul Poiret is the king of twentieth-century fashion , who gave women freedom in a direct and figurative sense. He made a revolution in ladies' wardrobe, the first to offer to abandon corsets, long braids, and try on pants. The bright star of the talented master, unfortunately, did not shine for long, but his name is forever inscribed in history.