Monica D. Murgia

Where art, creativity, and fashion meet

July 18th, 2012

Jean Dessès American Collection for I.M. Bagedonow

Hearing from someone that reads my blog is always exciting. This particular post is about a Jean Dessès suit, owned by my reader Jeanette. The suit originally belonged to a woman that worked for Kodak, and traveled the world for work. It still has the original hangtags from Sibley, Lindsay & Curr Co.

Jean Dessès Exclusive American Collection for I.M. Bagedonow. Image courtesy of Jeanette Stevens Commanda.

Sible, Lindsay & Curr Co., established in 1868, was a department store located in Rochester, NY. During the 1950s, Sibley’s expanded and opened branch locations through America. This Postwar expansion included major American cities like Henrietta, Webster, Newark, Irondequoit, Syracuse, Victor, and Fayetteville. The store was acquired by the Associated Dry Goods Corporation in 1957, and then by May Department Stores in 1986.

Sibley, Lindsay & Curr Co. building on Main Street, built 1905. Image courtesy of http://departmentstoremuseum.blogspot.com

Jean Dessès Exclusive American Collection for I.M. Bagedonow. Image courtesy of Jeanette Stevens Commanda.

Jeanette was interested in learning more about Jean Dessès, and an approximate date that the suit was made. At first look, I dated the suit to the 1950s, because the shoulders are not exaggerated, and the length of the skirt is long. (Silhouettes from the 1940s tend to have heavy shoulder pads and shorter skirts, due to the rationing of textiles during the war.)

Aside from the silhouette, the suit would have been produced after World War II. Many Parisian designers licensed designs to American manufacturers after the war. This helped many designers revive their couture houses, which had suffered greatly during the German occupation. Licensing deals also helped couturiers avoid their styles being pirated. American manufacturers would have purchased a license to create a design, and then produced the garments in the country. This practice helped to keep jobs in America. Special labels, like the ones below, indicate that the garments were produced in America.

Jean Dessès Exclusive American Collection for I.M. Bagedonow. Image courtesy of Jeanette Stevens Commanda.

Jean Dessès (1904-1970) studied law before turning to fashion design in the 1930s. In 1937, he founded his own salon on avenue George V in Paris. Dessès created gowns for European royalty and wealthy clients. He was fascinated with draping, and often made gowns that referenced classical Greek sculptures. He also favored an architectural silhouette for his garments.

In 1948, Dessès created the American Collection, which was sold in the US directly through wholesalers. (Source) (I.M. Bagedonow was the manufacturer, although I was unable to find much information about the company.)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art also has a suit from Dessès American Collection. This suit is gray wool, and dated to 1953. The image below gives you an idea of what Jeanette’s suit would look like on a form. The Met also gives a great description of the design:

This suit from 1953 is unique, most notably in the construction of the skirt. The draping of the front panel is consistent with the designer’s technique and is typical of the period. While the suit is well-tailored to the silhouette, the draping at the front panel adds emphasis to the waist.

Jean Dessès Exclusive American Collection for I.M. Bagedonow. Image courtesy of http://www.metmuseum.org

Thank you for sharing your beautiful find, Jeanette. And thank you for reading!

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Tags: 1950s fashions, fashion, fashion licensing, I.M. Bagedonow, jean desses, Jean Desses American Collection, made in america, vintage
Posted in Designers I love, fashion history, Great Museums, Style Icon, Vintage | 14 Comments »

April 25th, 2011

How to Speak Fashion: Part I

Looking through fashion periodicals and books is exhilarating. Finding that perfect accessory or dress is a magic moment. You see it, you read the text. You have to have it. Now, you are on a mission to make it yours. After a little internet research, you make a phone call. Maybe you call a friend to tell them about your newly coveted item. Perhaps you are researching something for a major presentation. Or you could just be calling Neiman Marcus to place an order. But the inevitable moment happens. Your elation turns to panic. How do you pronounce the designer???? Fumbling, your confidence goes down.

“Do I sound like a complete idiot???”; you think to yourself.

Guess what! You are not alone. I came across a book that had a pronunciation guide and wondered:

“WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALL MY LIFE??? YOU COULD HAVE SAVED ME FROM A MILLION EMBARRASSING MOMENTS!!!!“

The next few posts will be dedicated on how to pronounce those beautiful, and tricky, French designer names. Also included are brief snippets about the designers/design houses to help you feel polished and confident when talking about your latest fashion obsession.

Albouy (al-boo-EE):

Gerard Albouy (1912 1985) often known by the name Ouy, was a French milliner . Between 1938 and 1964 he operated a Parisian hat shop called Albouy that was known for its decorative baroque-style hats.

: Albouy design by Pierre Simon, 1945

: Albouy sketch by Pierre Simon, 1945

Albouy, 1949.

Balenciaga (bal-len-see-AH-ga):

Fashion house, established by Cristobal Balenciaga (1895-1972). Balenciaga was Spanish, and opened up several ateliers in Madrid, San Sebastian, and the Basque region (c.1919) before moving on to Paris in 1937. The move was prompted by the Spanish Civil War. Balenciaga created immaculately constructed clothing that was as feminine as it was avant-guard.

: Cristobal Balenciaga

Balenciaga, 1941.

Balenciaga. Illustration by Guy Demachy, 1948.

: Balenciaga flamenco inspired evening dress, 1951.

Currently, there is a Balenciaga retrospective at the de Young Museum in San Francisco. A must see! Click here for details: Balenciaga and Spain

Nicolas Ghesquière (guess-key-AIR) is the current designer for Balenciaga. He has been the lead designer since 1997. Ghesquière enjoys referencing the legacy of the house by visiting the archives frequently.

: Nicholas Ghesquiere

: Original 1967 Balenciaga Design (left) and Ghesquiere’s Contemporary Rendition (right)

Balmain (bahl-MAN):

Fashion house created by Pierre Balmain (1914-1982). Balmain trained with couturiers (coo-tour-e-yay) Molyneux and Lelong before going solo in 1945. During WWII, Balmain was noted for his long, bell-shaped skirts. He continued to make elegant evening clothes.

: Balmain at WorkEvening Dress, detail, by Pierre Balmain. 1946.

: Evening Dress by Pierre Balmain. 1957

: Dress Detail, 1957

Christophe Decarnin (1964) was the chief designer for Balmain until this this month. Decarnin announced his departure from Balmain on April 6, 2011. Stay tuned to hear who is next . . .

Christophe Decarnin

: Balmain illustration by Rene Gruau, 1946.

Bruyere (bru-YEHR):

Established by Marie-Louise Bruyere in 1928. Bruyere worked at Callot Soeurs (Kah-low SOOR) and Lanvin (Lawn- VAN) before opening her own salon on the Place Vendome (plas van-DOM).

Bruyere created haute couture (oat koo-toor) collections until the 1950s, after which the label switched to ready-to-wear.

Bruyere, 1939.

Bruyere, 1945.

Bruyere. Illustration by Rene Gruau, 1945.

Bruyere. Illustration by André Delfau, 1947.

Callot Soeurs (Kah-low SOOR)

Couture house from 1895-1937, launched by 4 sisters. Hallmarks of garments produced by Callot Soeurs are lace, embroideries, and delicate handwork. The sisters were Japanese enthusiasts, and often incorporated oriental motifs and themes into their collections.

Callot Soeurs. Wedding Dress, 1916.

Comtess de Zogheb in Callot Soeurs, 1923.

Callot Soeurs, 1938.

Jean Desses (zhawn dess-SEZ)

Jean Desses (1906-1970) was Greek (real name was Jean Dimitre Verginie). He studied law before turning to fashion design in the 1930s. In 1936, he founded his own salon. Desses created gowns for European royalty and wealthy clients. He was fascinated with draping, and often made gowns that referenced classical Greek sculptures. He also favored an architectural silhouette for his garments.