Lanvin is a French multi-national high-end fashion brand established in 1889 by Jeanne Lanvin. Since its founding, this French fashion house has been a symbol of opulent Parisian style, offering everything from haute couture gowns to perfume and jewelry. It is the third-oldest fashion house in France still in business. This article explores the history that surrounds this Parisian fashion house.
Lanvin History
L’Oréal purchased the house in 1996 after the Orcofi Group bought it in 1990. A Taiwanese media mogul named Shaw-Lan Wang re-privated Lanvin in 2001. The same year, Alber Elbaz was replaced by Bouchra Jarrar as Creative Director for Women’s Collection on March 14, 2016. In a press release dated July 6, 2017, Bouchra announced his departure. After Olivier Lapidus stepped down on March 22, 2018, no one was to take over as creative director. Lucas Ossendrijver has been in charge of the men’s collections since 2005. Since 2019, Bruno Sialelli has been in charge of the men’s and women’s collections as creative director. Learn more about Lanvin fashion house history in this section.
Founded in 1889
The house of Lanvin was founded in 1889 inside the confines of a modest hat business located in the very center of Paris. When Jeanne Lanvin launched her first hat business in 1889, she had just turned 22 years old and had just completed her apprenticeship. The shop was on the upper level of a store located at 16 Rue Boissy d’Anglas. Her talent was astounding, even at the tender age she was.
Inspiration from Lanvin’s Daughter
After another four years, Jeanne Lanvin reached the pinnacle of her career. She founded her fashion brand after securing a commercial lease on the illustrious Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré. Her success was almost immediate, and customers in Paris flocked to her shop, which was known as “Lanvin (Mademoiselle Jeanne) Modes.” Jeanne Lanvin’s life was completely flipped upside down in 1897 when the birth of her daughter Marguerite occurred. Jeanne and her daughter developed a close and intimate relationship throughout their time together. Jeanne’s inspiration came from Marguerite, who used opulent materials to design the kind of wardrobe every young girl fantasizes about having. The sophisticated Marguerite was rapidly observed by her friends’ moms, who then turned around and became consumers of the Lanvin fashion house. As a result of this newfound commercial success and the fact that Jeanne Lanvin was now an experienced businesswoman, she decided to build a children’s clothes department in her shop in 1908 and devote an entire section of her establishment to this newly thriving industry.
Increased Orders for Children’s Apparel
In 1909, requests for children’s apparel began to outnumber requests for caps for the first time. Jeanne Lanvin decided that it was time for her fashion house to enter a new era that year, and she did it by opening a department that catered to young ladies and women. Mothers and daughters Fashion Council. This marked the official beginning of her career in the fashion industry. Jeanne Lanvin was a mother and a successful businesswoman, but she preferred a private life. She would visit the store together to select their dresses from the Lanvin collection. The full range of Lanvin’s creations, from day clothes to evening gowns, coats, and lingerie, won the hearts of the people of Paris. Jeanne Lanvin, ambitious and motivated, transitioned from milliner to designer in the same year by joining the Chambre Syndicale de la Couture, also known as the Parisian e kept her distance from social gatherings, making her stand out among the fashion industry’s most exclusive group in Paris.
Dressing the Socially Prominent
In 1909, requests for children’s apparel began to outnumber requests for caps for the first time. Jeanne Lanvin decided that it was time for her fashion house to enter a new era that year, and she did it by opening a department that catered to young ladies and women. Mothers and daughters would visit the store together to select their dresses from the Lanvin collection. The full range of Lanvin’s creations, from day clothes to evening gowns, coats, and lingerie, won the hearts of the people of Paris. Jeanne Lanvin, ambitious and motivated, transitioned from milliner to designer in the same year by joining the Chambre Syndicale de la Couture, also known as the Parisian Fashion Council. This marked the official beginning of her career in the fashion industry. Jeanne Lanvin was a mother and a successful businesswoman, but she preferred a private life. She kept her distance from social gatherings, making her stand out among the fashion industry’s most exclusive group in Paris.
1920: The Lanvin Way of Life
While Jeanne Lanvin was naturally talented in business, she was also a creative thinker. She rapidly learned that a fashion house’s success was not just dependent on the quality of its designs. In 1920, at a Paul Poiret-hosted party, Jeanne Lanvin met Armand-Albert Rateau, a young architect-decorator fresh out of the famed École Boulle. In collaboration, they chose 15 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré as the site for a pavilion devoted to the art of living. It was an Art Deco mecca, selling everything from furniture to rugs to drapes to stained glass to wallpaper.
Lanvin ladies have a long history of loyalty to the house, even after they’ve married, had children, and died. With its inclusion in every collection, the robe de style‘s youthful form became synonymous with Lanvin. It looked great on everyone, regardless of age or body type, for any event. Fashions from the eighteenth century inspired the robe de style, which had a two-dimensional appearance due to the employment of panniers, or basket-like structures, on the hips. It was a popular alternative to the thin, cylindrical silhouettes popularized by other couturiers during the 1920s.
Lavin Fragrance
4 Rond-Point des Champs-Elysées was the location of the first Lanvin Perfumes store in 1924. After all, it was evident that perfume was a must-have item on a woman’s vanity. In the beginning, it was an American scent. After launching My Sin in the United States in 1925, Maria Zède’s perfume became an instant hit. Later, in 1927, France’s most famous fragrance, Arpège, came into being. A perfume produced by the renowned perfumer André Fraysse was the gift Jeanne Lanvin had in mind for her daughter Marguerite’s 30th birthday when she had become the Countess Marie-Blanche de Polignac. “It’s like an arpeggio,” said Marie-Blanche upon first whiffing this concoction of Bulgarian rose and Grasse jasmine with honeysuckle and lily of the valley notes. As a result, Arpège became the pinnacle of Jeanne’s devotion to her daughter. L’eau de Lanvin, the first-ever “Eau mixte” for men and women, was introduced by Jeanne Lanvin in 1933, keeping her pioneering attitude.
1926: The Lanvin Man
Jeanne Lanvin had a keen eye for everything. In 1926, she was the first designer in Paris to start a line of made-to-measure clothes for men. “Lanvin Tailor-Shirtmaker” moved into 15 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré. This was the only location in Paris selling collections for men and women. Jeanne Lanvin enlisted the help of three of France’s most renowned tailors to make day clothes, pajamas, suits, ties, and sportswear for her male customers. Her nephew, Maurice Lanvin, was in charge of the department.
“Madame” Passes Away—Life After Lanvin
At 79, Jeanne Lanvin died quietly on July 6, 1946. Jeanne—the milliner, the designer, the decorator, the perfume producer, “Madame,” as her staff referred to her—left behind an empire. Jeanne Lavin’s daughter, Marie-Blanche, took over as chairperson and CEO of Lanvin after her mother’s death in 1946. Until her death in 1958, she remained at the forefront of the company. A succession of designers succeeded Marie-Blanche in maintaining the brand’s knowledge, mindset, and excellence. The haute-couture collection, for example, was designed in 1950 by Antonio Canovas del Castillo.
Lanvin Suits Up Arsenal
Lanvin struck a deal with Arsenal in 2013 and became the football club’s official tailor, dressing Arsene Wenger and first-team players. Each squad member would wear Lanvin Homme on all home matches in the English Premier League and UEFA Champions League. “Lanvin, which opened in 1889 — just three years after Arsenal’s first game — has a remarkable history and proud heritage,” according to Arsenal’s sales director Vinai Venkatesham. The partnership ended in 2015.
Lanvin House Today
Outside of France, Lanvin has a well-known reputation. Fashion and accessories by this French company can be found on every continent. The network of subsidiaries in Asia—Japan, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Shanghai, the United States in New York, and Europe—carries this reputation. The opening of new stores abroad drives the company’s international expansion, and its two flagships in New York and Beijing represent its global growth strategy. There are 28 standalone shops and 25 franchises in addition to the 730 worldwide points of sale of Lanvin. Lanvin’s e-commerce site is currently focused on the European and American markets. Lanvin has become a global brand thanks to the efforts of nearly 430 people worldwide who are dedicated to sharing their culture and expertise.
How Can You Describe Lanvin the Founder?
Jeanne Lanvin, a gifted designer, created a distinct look, an entire world of refinement and elegance. Since she had such a passion for the arts, she surrounded herself with up-and-coming talent in various fields, creating a lasting cultural legacy. First and foremost, Lanvin was an artist. But she was also successful in the financial world. Her aesthetic sensibility served as a compass, while her strong work ethic and fair business sense lent her support. She was both a creative force and a driving force in the industry as a whole, rather than limiting her efforts to the Lanvin brand alone. She was a successful entrepreneur, a loving wife, and a doting mother, making her a fantastic example for other women because she “had it all.” Although she was a single parent, she managed to keep her business thriving while guiding her daughter to a life of remarkable achievement.
Final Thoughts
The history and longevity of this couture firm can be ascribed to the unrelenting force and resolve of a woman who was motivated by the unquenchable need to create, succeed, and excel within her chosen sector among many worthy, primarily male, peers. Lanvin’s contributions to the fashion world were youth, beauty, and feminity; modernity tempered with romance; brilliant hues in feminine forms that blurred the barriers between age groups. The robe de style was a dress intended to be worn by anybody and everyone.
