Madeleine Vionnet: France's Fashion Soap Opera

Madeleine Vionnet was one of the most sucessful couteriors to come out of France in the twentieth century.  Her designs were modern, yet simple.  She is credited with creating the bias cut dress and was the first person to use draping in womenswear.  With the beginning of the second World War the House of Vionnet closed, and unlike her contemporary Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel the House has remained closed...until now.

The Early Years

     Madeleine Vionnet was born on June 22, 1876 in a working-class suburb of Paris.  Her parents divorced when she was young and Madeleine lived with her grandmother for a year and a half before moving in with her father.  Madeleine was a smart girl, beginning school at six, a year earlier than most students in France.  Madeleine did well in school (particularly in math) and during her youth dreamt of becoming a teacher.  That was one dream she did not accomplish, but throughout her career Madeleine Vionnet was known as an intelligent woman and a mentor for young designers throughout France.  Madeleine's childhood was cut short, at the age of 11 she was sent to Aubervillier to train as an apprecentice seamstress.  Madeleine's transition to Aubervillier was not a smooth one, she cried often and held a grudge against her father who had sent her there.  Eventually when she realized the skill she possessed Madeleine's frustrations turned to passion and she continued her training without complaint.^[1] 

     Madeleine left her apprenticeship at seventeen and took a position as a seamstress at the House of Vincent.  She married and quickly divorced, fleeing France (and her ex-husband) and becoming the head of an atelier in London.  In London, Madeleine worked for Kate Reilly, a womensdressmaker.  Kate Reilly would purchase dresses from the couture houses in Paris, Madeleine's job was to copy patterns from these garments and supervise the copying of the French dresses and styles for individual British clients.^[2]  Later Madeleine would be a leader in trying to prevent design piracy, but early in her career she was one of those whom she would later fight against.

     Madeleine returned home to Paris at the turn of the century, working for a year as a salesperson at Bechoff-David.  Bechoff-David (est 1901-1929) was a well-respected French design house, and one of France's leading furriers.  In 1901 Madeleine left Bechoff-David and began to work for Callot Soeurs, a House designed by four sisters who were taught how to sew by their lacemaker mother.  Callot Souers was known for its equisite detailing and the House catered to some of the most influential American and European women.^[3]  It was during her time at Callot Souers where Madeleine Vionnet is said to have perfected the couture techniques for which she is famous.  She spent five years working for the Callot sisters, before moving to the House of Doucet.^[4]  Madeleine's time at the House of Doucet was short and not entirely happy.  Madeleine's innovative designs were often ridiculed and she was told that if she was going to design that way she should do it in her own design house not at the House of Doucet.  Two years after beginning at Doucet she took their advice and opened her our house.^[5]

The House of Vionnet

     Vionnet's first few years were by no means successful.  Financial hardship was ever-present and in 1914 the first World War caused Vionnet to close her beloved House.  During the war, Vionnet retreated to Rome, but when the war ended, Madeleine returned to Paris and in 1919 reopened her store in its same location, 222 Rue de Rivoli.  

     The first world war changed women, they began to work and participate in sports and activities outside the home.  As a result their dress and fashion sense changed as well.^[6]  All of these events created a booming business for Madeleine Vionnet and her once-struggling fashion house.  Vionnet's clothing was modern and considered an interpretation of the art deco styles Madeleine herself enjoyed.  During her twenty-year reign, Vionnet influenced women's fashion in ways that are still being reinterpreted today.  She is single-handedly credited with creating the bias cut (in which the fabric was cut diagonally across the grain to make a springy type of drape) dress, the cowl neck, halter top, and handkerchief dress.^[7]  

     In 1923, four years after the reopening of her House, Vionnet moved to Avenue Montaigne and created her label "Vionnet et Cie".  Her House was located on premises which included the main salon, a fur salon, a lingerie salon, and two boutiques.  A workroom for the seamstresses was located behind the main building, updated with first-rate LG windows to give the seamstresses proper light.^[8] 

     Vionnet's successes were not solely in Europe; she was a sensation in America as well.  She formed Madeleine Vionnet, Inc., to sell one-size-fits-all dresses. The venture was initially successful, but she ended it in six months.  As a follow-up she created a line of ready-to-wear dresses available in nine colors and three sizes.  The dresses were sold at John Wanamaker’s for $150 (9% of the average household income in the United States at the time)^[9].  Vionnet is credited as being the first designer to translate couture looks to ready-to-wear for the US market.^[10]  Her foray into mainstream American fashion increased her profile, but it also increased copying of both her designs, draping techniques, and cuts.  

     A decade of success was stalled with the on-set of the depression.  The Great Depression hurt Vionnet's business both in the United States and Europe, sales had decreased 50% from just a decade before.^[11]  Vionnet had faith that her client's, especially the Americans, would come back to her for their clothing.  She felt that Americans couldn't survive without French culture, and her clothing was an integral part of French culture.  Vionnet worked for the next decade; focusing on simple designs (her preference all along!) and surviving throughout the 1930's.  When the economy rebounded World War II was beginning.  Unlike Coco Chanel who famously resided in the Ritz hotel in Paris (and infamously carried on an affair with a Nazi officer) during the war, Vionnet chose the more prudent course: closing her shop and fleeing the country.  When the war ended Vionnet was 70 years old.  Labor reforms made it too costly to produce her dresses, so she quietly retired.  Madeleine Vionnet died on March 5, 1975 at the age of 99. 

     In 1987 the now-defunct fashion house Vionnet was acquired by the De Lummen family.  It sat virtually untouched, the father, a textile engineer had proper reverence for the brand, and for two decades pondered how to reintroduce the House that brought him the clothing he had admired deceades before.  Limited high-end fragrances and accessories were created; but the Vionnet name was off the fashion radar.  In 2005, his son Arnaud De Lummen took the reigns of Vionnet as CEO.  Business savvy, familial connections, and the Vionnet reputation allowed the label to get an exclusive distribution agreement at Barneys, a chain of luxury department stores. 

     In 2007, Vionnet's first ready-to-wear collection was launched.  Sophia Kokosalaki was tapped as the head designer, and according to Style.com the collection sold out in three weeks.^[12]  The relationship did not last, Kokosalaki was offered her own label and disagreement arose as to the amount of time Kokosalaki would devote to Vionnet.  She left the label within the year, and was promptly replaced by Marc Audibet, who spent nine years heading the ready-to-wear collection at Prada.  Marc Audibet was not a success at Vionnet; used to working in the lush surroundings of Prada, Audibet could not adjust to a start-up fashion company; even one with a rich and colorful history.  His collections were lauded in the press ("intellectually and technically brilliant" said Imran Amed) but he believed De Lummen did not have the resources to properly re-launch Vionnet.^[13]   

     On February 24, 2009 Mateo Marzotti, formerly the Chairman of Valentino, purchased Vionnet from Arnaud De Lummen.  The deal is new, but 'sources' have indicated that Giovanni Castiglioni, Marni CEO (and husband of Marni designer Consuela Castiglioni) is involved from both an operational standpoint and a financial one.  Similar 'sources' indicate that Vionnet will once again try its luck with a designer from Prada.  Assistant to Muiccia Prada, Rodolfo Paglialunga has been tapped for the slot of head designer.^[14]  

     Only the future will tell the success of this once-household name.    

Legal Quandaries

     Madeleine Vionnet was not simply a dressmaker.  She served an influential role in the development of France's intellectual property and labor laws.  In the early twentieth-centry, almost 50% of working French women were employed in the fashion industry.  Madeleine Vionnet's revolutionary labor practices served to protect these women who were historically ignored and underpaid.  She gave her workers paid holidays and maternity leave, an on-site day-care, dining hall, resident doctor and dentist resided in the factory.  Perhaps Vionnet rembered her apprenticeship in Aubervillier many years before; or perhaps she was just a progressive woman ahead of her time. 

Intellectual Property: 

     As the Vionnet grew, women could not get enough of the beautifully draped and well-cut simple dresses.  Other designers, eager for a piece of her success began to copy her designs.  Unlike the typical a-line skirt or a basic t-shirt, the draping and cutting of Vionnet's garments were hard to match.  Many tried; but few understood fabric and cut like Madeleine herself.  Copies of her designs were lauded as "Vionnet type" "Vionnet cut" "Vionnet inspired" or "made in the manner of Vionnet".^[15] 

      In America, Vionnet had no claim against designers using either her name or copying her dresses.  A right-of-publicity did not exist in the United States until 1953.^[16]  The United States has never given copyright or any intellectual property protection to fashion designs.  Some believe this may change with the passing of the Design Piracy Prohibition Act, but as now, design copying is not actionable int he United States.  

     France, however, took a different perspective regarding design piracy.  In 1930 Suzanna Laneil, a copyist, was caught with 48 Chanel and Vionnet knock-offs.  Vionnet sued Laneil and the result was a landmark case in France.  The Court found that the design originals by Vionnet were "real works of art" and that they were "entitled to the same protection accorded authors and copyright holders."^[17]  Fashion design protection was created!  Today that protection has been written into the statute and ratified by European treaties on copyright law.

     Vionnet's began as a style pirate; but she ended her career as a ardent supporter of intellectual property protection for designers.   

Licensing Agreements

     Restarting once-famous design houses is more-often tried than is successful.  Balenciaga is an example of how good, good can be when the right designer is matched with the right House.  But examples like Halston and Rochas are more common: interesting histories, talented designers, but commercial failures.  Vionnet hopes to fall in with the former, as opposed to the latter.  Designers such as Halston, Pierre Cardin, and many others licensed themselves within an inch of their brand, and many believe that is why their high-end ready-to-wear collections did not succeed. 

     Vionnet was dormant for many years; the brand's image was never sullied.  Fashion insiders don't look with disdain on Vionnet like they may with Pierre Cardin, they instead look to it with hope.  Approval from fashion's elite will not be enough, however, it is an up-hill battle starting any company, but a luxury good's company in the worst economic downtown since the Depression, which was a cause of the decline of Madeleine Vionnet's House, is even more difficult.  Vionnet's designs must be approachable, wearable, and commercially successful for this brand to prosper. 

Author's Note: The Correct spelling of Vionnet's first name should be "Madeleine" not "Madeline" as is in the title of the Wiki page.  Wikipedia would not allow me to edit the title page after it's creation.