Paris
France
Address
73 Rue Du Faubourg Saint Honore
Paris, 75008
France
FMD-ID
BR59
Phone
+33 01 42 68 79 00 Fax +33 01 42 68 79 39

About

founded by

Christian Lacroix

belongs to

Falic Group

about

In 1987 Lacroix left Patou, and started his own salon in 1988. He presented his first collection, sponsored by the Agache Co . Ltd. This was the first new Haute Couture Salon to be opened in Paris in two decades.

1989 he launched his first Pre-a-Porter collection. In 1990 Christian Lacroix launched his perfume "C'est La Vie" at a gala launching party. 1989-1990 Lacroix introduced his "Luxe" line. From 1990 onwards Lacroix introduced a complete range of accessories, including footwear, eyewear, hats, handbags, jewellery, scarves, and belts.

In 1995 Lacroix opened his new BAZAR line of youthful, funky casual wear. This was a great success. In the same year, he introduced his home furnishings and household articles line.

Lacroix has a great many other products, which he offers along with his haute couture designs. These include hats, eyewear, scarves, belts, footwear, embroidered legwear, handbags, jewellery, and many others.

The Lacroix Lingerie line is soon to appear for Spring/Summer 2004. In April 2003, he signed a 5 year agreement with Societe Internationale de Lingerie.

In January 2005, LVMH sold the house of Lacroix to an Miami-based American company composed of 3 Falic Brothers Leon, Jerome and Simon. Christian Lacroix is reported to have retained his creative control.

The Look

Christian Lacroix is one of the most influential and colourful couturiers in the world, who is known as the "man with the magic paintbrush" because of his ability to mix astounding colours together. He likes to use very bright colour combinations. His palette includes such colours as Magenta, Bright Pinks, Orange, Yellow, Reds, Blues and Greens, all sometimes in one outfit. His designs are easily recognizable because of their colourful nature. In this he was influenced by the sun of his native Province.
His silhouette is mainly used by trapezium and pyramid shapes, and thus the ultimate garment turns out to be long, loose and breezy. The look is predominately layered. He uses a lot of flowers to accentuate necklines, or hats, he uses ruffles, frills, and laces. He feels that embroidery is an integral part of couture, and he uses it lavishly. His embroidered patterns often imitate historic Spanish costume. He often incorporates gems into his embroideries, which are mostly made by renowned embroiderer francois Lesage.
Furthermore he likes to use wool, mohair knit, leather, tweed, cottons, velvets, tartans, tapestry, crepe, satins, lame and printed fabrics.
He accompanies his designs, with such accessories as chunky jewellery, felt and leopard skin hats, patchwork capes, hoods, embroidered berets, fringed or striped scarves, studded or fringed belts, embroidered gloves, long necklaces, orange or gold boots, bejewelled crosses either hanging or incorporated into the embroidery design.
His bright palette and extravagant use of colour and fabric, have changed the otherwise rather darker, duller fashion trends of the time. He provided a cheery alternative to the sedate somber elegant creations of other couturiers.
Christian Lacroix showed that he too can be high-tech, getting his inspiration from computer-generated geometrics for prints in the Spring 2001 collection. He even created the client look list pixel by pixel, literally, using a computer.

Who Wears It

Uma Thurman, Gwyneth Paltrow

Perfumes

1990 C�est La Vie
1999 Christian Lacroix (W)
2001 Eau Floral (W)
2002 Bazar (W)
2002 Bazar (M)
2002 Bazar pour Femme Summer Fragrance (W)
2003 Bazar Summer Fragrance (W)
2004 Bazar Summer Fragrance New (W)
2005 Tumulte (W)
2005 Tumulte pour Homme (M)
2006 Eau Florale Bleue (W)
2007 C'est La F�te (W)
2007 Noir (M)
2007 Rouge (W)

Official Social Media

Christian Lacroix Fashion Shows

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