Back Into The Light

You might not have heard of her but Madeleine Vionnet, a fashionista of the 1930’s and 40’s, made her impression on fashion just like any other designer. It’s only now that Madam Vionnet is finally getting her first exhibition at the Musee des Arts Decoratifs.

Known as a legend and one of the first innovative designers of her time, she is the one accredited for using blas cut and draping to free women from the constraints of the corset.

Today, her designs have inspired those as influential as Cristobal Balenciaga, Azzedine Alaia, and others. Her style comes from ancient Greek antiquity and included the “peplos”- the rectangular sheet draped around the body, knotted at the shoulder, and gathered in at the waist.

Her designs derived from shapes, including the circle, square, and

rectangle. Each one simple and conveying a noble expression. Vionnet never practiced with

sketches but kept close records of each of her creations, today kept in archive albums and will be included in the exhibit, along with some of the life size dolls that she practiced on.

The once working seamstress opened her own house in 1922 and soon enough created her own signature, including the halter neck. Her favorite working material, crepe and tulle, in all textures allowing her to work its fluidity.

The exhibition will run till until next January, including during all major dates in Paris’ fashion calendar- for premieum exposure of course. Creations not seen in several decades will finally be coming back into the light and allowing Made Vionnet’s designs to shine again.