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Fashion Plate

early 1901 (published)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This is one of a group of 53 coloured lithographs published in Paris in about 1900 showing the latest Paris fashions. The series shows ladies's dresses designed by six leading Parisian couturiers of the time - Jeanne Paquin, Ernest Raudnitz, Madeleine Laferrière, Gustav Beer, Jacques Doucet and the House of Rouff. Each lithograph is printed with its designer's facsimile signature.

This design is for a day dress designed by Jeanne Paquin (1869-1936). Founded in January 1891 by Isidore Rene Jacob dit Paquin (d.1911) as a wedding present for his fiancée Jeanne Beckers, the House of Paquin officially opened in February 1891 following their marriage. With Jeanne as the head designer, and Isidore handling the business, Paquin became one of the most successful couture establishments of the turn of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, patronised by a wide-ranging clientele including European royalty, wealthy Americans, actresses and singers, and even courtesans such as the notorious La Belle Otero. Paquin carried on after Jeanne's retirement in 1920, eventually closing in 1956. Due to her success, Jeanne Paquin is sometimes credited as the first internationally famous female couturier, although Madeleine Laferrière, whose house opened in 1869, is also a strong contender for this title.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
colour lithograph
Brief description
Unknown after Jeanne Paquin. Design for a day dress. Colour lithograph with facsimile autograph of the designer. One of a set of 53 showing Paris fashions for Spring 1901.
Physical description
One of 53 colour lithographs of women's gowns from early 1901. Bound in volume.
Credit line
Given by the House of Worth
Object history
This print is part of a very large collection of reference material including fashion plates, engravings, original drawings and illustrations that were collected by the fashion design house of Paquin at the turn of the 19th/20th centuries. Many bear the stamp of Paquin's archivist at the time. They were acquired by the V&A in 1957 when, following the closure of the combined houses of Paquin and Worth, the Worth/Paquin archives and design books were donated to the Museum.
Summary
This is one of a group of 53 coloured lithographs published in Paris in about 1900 showing the latest Paris fashions. The series shows ladies's dresses designed by six leading Parisian couturiers of the time - Jeanne Paquin, Ernest Raudnitz, Madeleine Laferrière, Gustav Beer, Jacques Doucet and the House of Rouff. Each lithograph is printed with its designer's facsimile signature.

This design is for a day dress designed by Jeanne Paquin (1869-1936). Founded in January 1891 by Isidore Rene Jacob dit Paquin (d.1911) as a wedding present for his fiancée Jeanne Beckers, the House of Paquin officially opened in February 1891 following their marriage. With Jeanne as the head designer, and Isidore handling the business, Paquin became one of the most successful couture establishments of the turn of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, patronised by a wide-ranging clientele including European royalty, wealthy Americans, actresses and singers, and even courtesans such as the notorious La Belle Otero. Paquin carried on after Jeanne's retirement in 1920, eventually closing in 1956. Due to her success, Jeanne Paquin is sometimes credited as the first internationally famous female couturier, although Madeleine Laferrière, whose house opened in 1869, is also a strong contender for this title.
Bibliographic reference
Victoria and Albert Museum Department of Prints and Drawings and Department of Paintings Accessions 1957-1958 London: HMSO, 1964
Collection
Accession number
E.22316-1957

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Record createdJune 30, 2009
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