If you haven’t watched The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, it is an absolute treasure trove of 1950s fashion. (How I wish I could casually say, “Oh, grab the Dior” and have someone come back with a dress from the H line…) And Jacques Fath is actually one of the designers named in the show. However, I’ve now heard three different podcasts refer to him as “Jacques FASS”, leading me to ask: does anyone know who Jacques Fath is anymore? One of the major designers of the 20th century, and people who appear to be fairly knowledgeable in the subject area have no idea. Today I’m going to look at the Style History of Jacques Fath and why you should know who he is!
Early History of Jacques Fath
Like many of the dominant designers of the mid-twentieth century, Fath was born to a creative family. Born in September of 1912 in Maisons-Laffitte, his paternal great-grandfather was playwright and illustrator Georges Fath, his paternal great-grandmother Caroline was a fashion illustrator, and his paternal grandfather was Rene-Maurice Fath, a landscape painter. (There were rumours that Caroline had worked for the Empress Eugenie.) His family had actually pushed for him to enter the business world, but after two years as a stockbroker and a year of mandated military training, Fath knew that he needed a more creative career.
Fath’s Flourishing Creativity
Fath first went to drama school; although it didn’t pan out, he did make lasting connections for later in life. He took basic classes in pattern making and sketching, but his design skills were largely self-taught. Fath learned much of what he knew about fashion from visiting museum exhibitions and reading books on fashion. (Maybe there is hope for all of us!)
He was largely inspired by the theatre and the ballet. According to Oriole Cullen (curator behind the Dior: Designer of Dreams exhibition at the V&A),
These influences are apparent in his use of the bustle and corsetry as recurring motifs, and in his playful and undulating lines. He perfected a clean and tailored hourglass shape, enhancing it with plunging necklines, sharp pocket details, or dramatic pleats. Fath experimented with asymmetry, pleating, and volume, designing huge voluminous skirts for both day and evening attire. These skirts cascaded from beneath his signature constricted waistline, or appeared as explosions of fabric under large enveloping coats and jackets.
The House of Fath
Earlier than the other two major Post-War couturiers (Dior and Balmain), Fath opened his eponymous design house prior to the Second World War. He opened his atelier in 1937 with a small studio on Rue de la Boetie. He then moved to another location, on Rue Francois Premier in 1940 and then to a final third location at 39 Avenue Pierre-ler-de-Serbie in 1944. Because Fath was self-taught, he saw no issue with bringing on other young designers. Several designers got their start with Fath, including Hubert de Givenchy and Guy Laroche.
Fath did serve in the French military during the Second World War (like many other designers) and was actually taken prisoner, but once France fell to Germany in 1940, he was demobilised. While some designers did close their businesses entirely, Fath did not, but continued to run the house on a much smaller scale during the war.
Fath in the Post-War Period
The fashion industry flourished in Post-War Paris, and Fath was no exception. He made significant moves in 1945- he had created four designs for a traveling exhibition of fashion dolls, the Théâtre de la Mode, that allowed designers to more widely showcase their work. He also released his first perfume, Chasuble, and in the following year released a second, Iris Gris.
In 1948, he signed a contract for the US to provide two collections of 15-20 designs a year, only further expanding his business. Fath had become an internationally recognisable brand.
Dressing the Rich and Famous
Fath was lucky to have several high profile clients and contracts. In 1948, he designed ballerina Moira Shearer’s costumes for the film, Red Shoes. (One of the best ballet films to be made- if you haven’t already watched it, you must!) 1949 was no slouch for him, either- actress Rita Hayworth selected Fath to make her wedding dress (and trousseau) when she married Prince Ali Khan. Eva Perón, First Lady of Argentina, favoured Fath, as well as other French designers. One of the only surviving portraits of Perón shows her in a Fath gown (which survives). Actresses Greta Garbo and Ava Gardner were also fans of him, as well.
Relationship and Death
While Fath was in drama school, he met model/mannequin Geneviève Boucher de la Bruyère. In 1939, he married her, and she would go on to be one of the house’s preferred models. There is a question of whether or not they were actually in a relationship- there were rumours that she was a lesbian- but they had a son, Philip, and remained married until his death.
At the young age of 42, Fath died in 1954 of leukemia. Knowing that he was ill, he designed several seasons worth of collections, and Geneviève ran the house (at the time quite large with 600 employees) as best she could. Unfortunately, the fashion house closed in 1957, though, and Fath was largely forgotten compared to his contemporaries. The perfume side of Fath did survive until the 1990s, but as aside from a brief fashion revival in the early 2000s, Fath lies dormant.
Further Readings on Jacques Fath
Cullen, Oriole. “Jacques Fath”.
Guillaume, Valerie. Jacques Fath. Paris-Musees, 1993.
Savignon, Jeromine. Jacques Fath. Assouline Publishing, 2009.
Jacques Fath items in the V&A Collections
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If you are interested in reading some of my other Style History profiles, you can find them below:
What surprised you about the history of Jacques Fath?
Cheers,
The Historian
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