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Paul Poiret (1879-1944) a French couturier who liberated women by putting them into pants and freed them from corsets. He is also attributed with encouraging the adoption of the bra.
In 1908 he made straight sheath dresses. These came about through draping. He introduced lampshade tunics and turbans with beaded embellishments and designed the hobble skirt. Poiret enjoyed producing exotic designs in bright colors.
"His clients included Sarah Bernhardt, Nancy Cunard, Isadora Duncan, Colette and Helena Rubinstein. Man Ray photographed Peggy Guggenheim in a Poiret gown and turban. Edward Steichen's first fashion photographs were taken of models in Poiret's atelier." NYTimes, May 11, 2007.
Peggy Guggenheim
Poiret loved to disregard social convention and created a line of perfume as designers do today. Not only can we consider him the "King of Fashion" but maybe the father of modern fashion design?
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