Guy Laroche

Guy Laroche (1921-1989) was one of the great classic Parisian fashion designers of the 20th century. The boy from La Rochelle learned the fashion trade in Paris and after World War II worked for a few years on "Fashion Avenue", 7th Avenue in New York. In 1949 he returned to Paris and became assistant to the famous fashion designer Jean Dessès, who designed particularly classically inspired, draped chiffon gowns for the European high and international moneyed aristocracy, which in recent years have once again caused a furor on the red carpet as vintage dresses. Guy Laroche familiarized himself with the latest manufacturing techniques and materials in the USA and opened his own fashion house in central Paris in 1957. Even the first collection of 60 models is a smash hit, and the young designer becomes famous overnight. His trademark is a "typically French" narrow and harmonious silhouette, bright colors such as orange, pink, coral, turquoise and topaz, interestingly combined materials and clear but unusual shapes, such as deep back cutouts. His young customers love his prêt-à-porter creations because they are excellently cut and finished so that, for all their haute couture pretensions, they are comfortable to wear and even practical. Designers such as Valentino, Azzedine Alaia and Issey Miyake worked for him for a time before becoming famous themselves. In 1966 Guy Laroche launched his first perfume in collaboration with L'Oréal, the successful women's fragrance "Fidji", still a perfume classic today, which with its relaxed exoticism and modern freshness fits well with Guy Laroche's colorful and lively fashion. In 1972, he complemented his men's fashion line with the fragrance "Drakkar," which was followed ten years later by the internationally very successful "Drakkar Noir," which was expanded into an entire cosmetics line. After Guy Laroche's death in 1989 at the age of 67, the fashion house continued moderately successfully under rapidly changing directors and chief designers and was sold to the Chinese textile company YGM Trading Ltd. in 2007.