Lucien Lelong
Encyclopedia
Lucien Lelong was a French couturier
who was prominent from the 1920s to the 1940s.
Lelong did not actually create the garments that bore his label. "He did not design himself, but worked through his designers," wrote Christian Dior
, who was a member of the Lelong team from 1941 until 1946, during which time he created the collections in collaboration with Pierre Balmain
. "Nevertheless," Dior continued, "in the course of his career as couturier his collections retained a style which was really his own and greatly resembled him." Other designers who worked for Lelong included Nadine Robinson and Hubert de Givenchy
.
Among Lelong's clients were Marie Duhamel, Jeanne Ternisien (wife of the banker Georges Nelze), the Duchess de la Rochefoucauld, Greta Garbo
, Gloria Swanson
, Colette
, and Rose Kennedy.
His first wife, whom he divorced on 16 July 1927, was Anne-Marie Audoy.
He married on 10 August 1927, as his second wife, Princess Natalie Paley
(1905–1981), who had worked as a saleswoman in the Lelong perfume department. She was a daughter of Grand Duke Paul Alexandrovich of Russia
and his morganatic wife, Olga Karnovich
. They divorced in 1937.
Lelong's third wife, who outlived him, went on to marry the French journalist Maurice Goudeket, the widower of Colette
.http://www.nytimes.com/books/99/10/17/specials/colette-delights.html
Couturier
A couturier is an establishment or person involved in the clothing fashion industry who makes original garments to order for private clients. A couturier may make what is known as haute couture. Such a person usually hires patternmakers and machinists for garment production, and is either employed...
who was prominent from the 1920s to the 1940s.
Career
Born in Paris as the son of Arthur Lelong, the owner of a textile shop, he trained at the Hautes Etudes de Commerciales in Paris and opened his fashion house in the late 1910s. Poor health caused the end of his career; Lelong retired in 1952.Lelong did not actually create the garments that bore his label. "He did not design himself, but worked through his designers," wrote Christian Dior
Christian Dior
Christian Dior , was a French fashion designer, best known as the founder of one of the world's top fashion houses, also called Christian Dior.-Life:...
, who was a member of the Lelong team from 1941 until 1946, during which time he created the collections in collaboration with Pierre Balmain
Pierre Balmain
Pierre Alexandre Claudius Balmain was a French fashion designer. Known for sophistication and elegance, he once said that "dressmaking is the architecture of movement."...
. "Nevertheless," Dior continued, "in the course of his career as couturier his collections retained a style which was really his own and greatly resembled him." Other designers who worked for Lelong included Nadine Robinson and Hubert de Givenchy
Hubert de Givenchy
Count Hubert James Marcel Taffin de Givenchy is a French aristocrat and fashion designer who founded The House of Givenchy in 1952. He is famous for having designed much of the personal and professional wardrobe of Audrey Hepburn, as well as clothing for clients such as Jacqueline Kennedy...
.
Among Lelong's clients were Marie Duhamel, Jeanne Ternisien (wife of the banker Georges Nelze), the Duchess de la Rochefoucauld, Greta Garbo
Greta Garbo
Greta Garbo , born Greta Lovisa Gustafsson, was a Swedish film actress. Garbo was an international star and icon during Hollywood's silent and classic periods. Many of Garbo's films were sensational hits, and all but three were profitable...
, Gloria Swanson
Gloria Swanson
Gloria Swanson was an American actress, singer and producer. She was one of the most prominent stars during the silent film era as both an actress and a fashion icon, especially under the direction of Cecil B. DeMille, made dozens of silents and was nominated for the first Academy Award in the...
, Colette
Colette
Colette was the surname of the French novelist and performer Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette . She is best known for her novel Gigi, upon which Lerner and Loewe based the stage and film musical comedies of the same title.-Early life and marriage:Colette was born to retired military officer Jules-Joseph...
, and Rose Kennedy.
Marriages
Lelong was married three times.His first wife, whom he divorced on 16 July 1927, was Anne-Marie Audoy.
He married on 10 August 1927, as his second wife, Princess Natalie Paley
Natalia Pavlovna Paley
Princess Natalia Pavlovna Paley was a member of the Romanov family. A daughter of Grand Duke Paul Alexandrovich of Russia, she was a first cousin of the last Russian emperor, Nicholas II. After the Russian revolution she emigrated first to France and later to the United States...
(1905–1981), who had worked as a saleswoman in the Lelong perfume department. She was a daughter of Grand Duke Paul Alexandrovich of Russia
Grand Duke Paul Alexandrovich of Russia
Grand Duke Paul Alexandrovich of Russia was the eighth child of Tsar Alexander II of Russia by his first wife Empress Maria Alexandrovna. His birth was commemorated by the naming of the city of Pavlodar in Kazakhstan...
and his morganatic wife, Olga Karnovich
Olga Valerianovna Paley
Princess Olga Valerianovna Paley , was the second wife of Grand Duke Paul Alexandrovich of Russia. -Early life and first marriage:...
. They divorced in 1937.
Lelong's third wife, who outlived him, went on to marry the French journalist Maurice Goudeket, the widower of Colette
Colette
Colette was the surname of the French novelist and performer Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette . She is best known for her novel Gigi, upon which Lerner and Loewe based the stage and film musical comedies of the same title.-Early life and marriage:Colette was born to retired military officer Jules-Joseph...
.http://www.nytimes.com/books/99/10/17/specials/colette-delights.html