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I'm absolutely thrilled to present this exceptional fashion drawings / illustrations created in the 1920s for the house of Jeanne Paquin, haute Couture, Paris. Exceptionally rare and wonderful.

This is the work of one designer employed by the most famous houses of high fashion of the 20's in Paris (CHANEL, PATOU, LANVIN, LELONG, DOUCET, VIONNET, MOLYNEUX, CHERUIT, PAQUIN, PREMET, JENNY, PIGUET, WORTH, ROLANDE, MILLER, DRECOLL, BOULANGER, RENEE, MADELEINE & MADELEINE, etc.). The "G" penciled in the upper right corner of the drawings corresponds to the attributed artist . As usual at the time, the model's silhouette is mimeographed, but the clothing is drawn with ink and then finely rendered with gouache and watercolor. These sketches were then used to guide craftsmen in the workshop constructing the garment. In the lower left corner or at the back of the drawings is also included the "coded" name of the house to which they are intended. "Pq" for Paquin

This type of mock-up is the work of designer-creators whose talents were employed by most high fashion houses of the Roaring Twenties. These companies needed the help of artists either because, like Chanel, they did not draw themselves or because the scale of the biannual collections at the time (between 300 and 400 models twice a year!) required the their help. As per custom, the artists' identities remained in the shadows. You will see notations meant as instructions for the workshop such as fabric type, cut, and texture.

These rare and wonderful finds were purchased in France and heavily researched with great help and thanks to Laurent Cotta, an Art and fashion historian. Laurent Cotta has been Director of the Contemporary Creation Department at the Palais Galliera for 12 years. With his great help we unraveled the mystery of the coding system of each of these rare documents.

This sketch has been executed on paper and I've backed them in black construction paper to help the illustration stand out. They are not in any way adhered to the black paper, just wanted them to stand out in the photographs more clearly. They are each housed in a plastic envelope to protect the illustration.
Ideal for any museum, private collector or ideal too for reproduction. I'm afraid due to the nature of these designs being highly sought after for reproduction, I'm not able to take returns on this purchase. ( please see my reviews to buy in confidence)

For more information, please see below condition ~

Measurements : This illustration measures approximately 10.5 inches by 5.25 inches

Condition: These illustrations are in wonderful condition . Some have some marks, foxing and perhaps some small tears on a few. Please use the zoom feature to view the exact condition closely. Please ask any questions before purchase as I'm happy to supply any further information.

Jeanne Paquin was born Jeanne Marie Charlotte Beckers in 1869, to a physician father. She was one of five children. When she was a young teenager, she trained at a dressmaker on Boulevard Haussman, where she quickly rose through the ranks to become in charge of the atelier. Even early on, she displayed an eye for fashion, being a talented dressmaker, as well as having good management skills. In 1891, she married Isidore Rene Jacob, who owned a couture house called Paquin Lalanne et cie – originally a menswear shop.

Entrepreneurial Profile:

Jeanne’s entrepreneurial skillset would be revealed when she started to work with her husband on the now renamed couture house Paquin. While Isidore was in charge of business operations, and Jeanne focused on designing and creating clothes, she had a vision for the business too. Shortly after becoming part of the business, together with her husband, they opened their first boutique under the name Paquin, rebranded and renamed, next to the already famed House of Worth, on Rue de la Paix. Jeanne focused on pastel colors initially, and eventually introduced black as a color in her haute couture collections. This was unusual for the time because black was only worn during mourning. Just like Worth, and other fashion entrepreneurs of that age, she also knew the importance of using celebrities in order to gain publicity and grow the popularity of her business. She was the first couturier to send models dressed in her apparel to public events such as operas and horse races for publicity. She also collaborated with illustrators and architects, as well as working with the theatre, at a time when other fashion entrepreneurs did not yet do so. She had an entrepreneurial instinct, and the New York Times described her in 1913 as “the most commercial artist alive.” Jeanne also was revolutionary in the way she internationalized her business. Paris was indeed a cosmopolitan city, but she recognized the importance of expanding and growing her business abroad. She opened boutiques in London (which employed the young Madeline Vionnet at one point), New York, Buenos Aires, and Madrid.

The House of Paquin on Rue de la Paix in Paris
The House Paquin on Rue de la Paix, Paris. Photo source: Agence Rol.




Key Success Factors:

Jeanne Paquin was known for her modern and innovative style. Alongside Charles Worth, she is considered to be one of the pioneers of the modern fashion business. She was a visionary in the way she conducted and ran her business. On one occasion, she took her clothes on an exhibition tour around the world, charging money for visitors to just view them. She collaborated with and was a member of the couture institutions in Paris and recognized the importance of fashion media, securing exclusive deals to provide leading fashion magazines with her illustrations.