Paris based Alix Grès was known for her drapery.
You can see how her sculpting background came in handy. The gowns were engineered to fit the body. Apparently she worked in the round. Tucking the first bit of fabric into the model’s left bra strap then moving anticlockwise around the body.
| Madame Alix Grès, Evening Gown in Blue Silk Jersey, 1937 |
Business was always a struggle for Alix. She tried to move into the machine made market. To get into the 70s swing. She then limped into the 80s and died penniless in the 90s. A sad business story. But what a legacy.
The house of Madame Grès was bought by a Japanese fashion distributor in 1987 and became very popular in Japan. Koji Tatsuno was the creative director from 2002 to 2005.
Thinking about Alix Grès and her sculpting background reminded me of Martin Grant who studied sculpture at the Victorian College of the Arts. Martin worked for Koji Tatsuno before he started his own atelier in Paris. Love this scarf dress.
| Martin Grant, Scarf Dress, 2011 |
Julia Ritson
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