Robert Piguet
From The Fashion Dictionary
Robert Piguet was acknowledged by the press as "the most Parisian of fashion designers", and while he studied to be a financier, Piguet was about to become one of the most legendary people in Haute Couture.
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Robert Piguet's Early Life
Robert Piguet was born in Yverdon, Switzerland in 1901. Although his family was opposed, Piguet left Switzerland for Paris, France in 1918 at the tender age of 17. There, he trained as a banker, where he eventually switched to his true love of fashion and studied under Redfern. He later found employment with Paul Poiret, his lifelong friend, and one of the most acknowledged Haute Couture fashion designers in the world. [1]
Piguet's First Fashion House
In 1933, after having worked in two of the most prestigious fashion houses in the world, Robert Piguet opened his own house in Rue de Cirque. From there on, Piguet became noted for his use of elegance and flamboyant colors. His morning and afternoon dresses also became a famous staple as well as his thin grey flannel suits.
By 1938, Piguet became the talk of the town. All of the elite Paris fashion connoisseurs wanted a piece of Piguet's creations. His new salon at the Rond Point des Champs Elysee was to become a high traffic destination for fashion royalty. It was in this fashion house that Piguet's legacy took shape. It has been said that it was here that Robert Piguet made two ever-lasting contributions to fashion.
The first was the fact that he employed some of the most talented haute-couturiers in the country. Their passion, creativity, and talent all helped contribute to what is known today as Haute Couture. Pierre Balmain, Marc Bohan and Hubert de Givenchy all trained at the hands of this master as did Christian Dior who said “Robert Piguet taught me the virtues of simplicity through which true elegance must come.”
Another designed to benefit from the three month internship at the House of Piguet was James Galanos, one of only four American designers to be considered Haute Couture.
Piguet Expands
Piguet expanded his brand by coming out with his own perfumes. Piguet's perfumes - Bandit, Fracas, and Baghari “have a particular feel, very characteristic of his trademarks: strict adherence to good taste, true luxury, a horror of the commonplace and an innate sense of seduction”. Piguet's perfumes exuded classic beauty and timeless fragrance - something we rarely find these days. [2]
The Death of a Master
Piguet closed his fashion house in 1951, and, sadly, passed away in 1953. To this day, designers all over the world incorporate Piguet's love of elegance into their designs, and women still cherish his beloved perfumes.