For fashion historians and fans alike it is always a joy to discover that, right when you thought you had studied or researched a certain period and seen in archives and exhibitions all the rarest garments and accessories illustrating it, an unexpected collection pops up somewhere. This is more or less what happened with a unique group of designs belonging to Alice Alleaume, saleswoman from 1912 to 1923 at French fashion house Chéruit.
The collection, covering roughly 100 years from the 1830s to the 1930s, entered the Palais Galliera, the City of Paris Fashion Museum, between 2008 and 2010 by donation, and can currently be admired in an off-site exhibition at the Musée Carnavalet.
Co-curated by Sophie Grossiord, chief curator at Palais Galliera, and Charlotte Lacour-Veyranne, assistant curator at Musée Carnavalet, the event takes the visitors on a journey offering them a new point of view on the world of luxury, revealing the history of a forgotten fashion house through the personal story of a family and a Parisian woman.
Born in 1881, Alice lived in a family immersed in fashion: her mother Adèle Dumas was a seamstress, while sister Hortense worked as first vendor at Worth, where she also met Paul Poiret. Alice spent some time in London, before moving back to Paris and starting to work at Morin-Blossier, Laferrière, Doucet, Diemert, Favre and Chéruit where she became a skilled saleswoman.
The exhibition opens with an informative section featuring manuscripts, documents, sales records and lists of clients, and also explores the Parisian fashion scene and Alice's time at Chéruit through the fashion house collections, and her personal wardrobe.
While the focus remains on the pieces that belonged to Alice, there is an interesting architectural and urban exploration in the exhibition section that looks at Place Vendôme and Rue de la Paix, areas where many fashion houses were located, as shown also in Jean Beraud's painting Workers Leaving the House of Paquin (1902).
There are actually quite a few paintings and illustrations (by cartoonist Sem and from the Gazette du Bon Ton among the others) that help contextualising the historical period and that introduce to the heart of the exhibition, the story of the Chéruit house.
Founded in 1898 by Madeleine Chéruit with Marie Huet, the maison, located at 21 Place Vendôme, opened a fur department in 1907, followed by a department for children and young girls, underwear and wedding dresses. Chéruit produced two collections a year, some of them employing unusual materials including leather, straw, metal ythreads and feathers.
Together with Paquin, Poiret, Worth and Callot Soeurs, Chéruit was among the French Haute Couture houses that took part in the Paris Festival in New York in 1915, an event that advertised French fashion.
Chéruit closed in 1933, and, two years later, Elsa Schiaparelli moved in the spaces the maison had occupied in Place Vendôme.
Alice was a talented salesperson with wealthy customers including also prominent members of the European aristocracy and quite a few queens.
Books and registers in which she noted observations about orders and clients are particularly important for historians who may want to know more about her job, while selected pieces from her wardrobe are the key to understand Alice's style.
Gold lame outfits, embroidered silk evening dresses, jersey suits, shoes by Hellstern, hats by Alphonsine, Marcelle Demay and Madeleine Panizon, evening headbands by Rose Descat and Art Deco jewellery, prove that Alice was a woman with a distinctive sense of style.
Alice's wardrobe also boasts pieces by Worth and iconic designs by Lanvin such as the "Vestal" (1932), the "Idol" (also known as "Waves", 1935), the "Sevres" (1934-35) and the "Valkyrie" (or "Brunhilde") with its trademark obi belt.
The exhibition closes with a final space displaying artificial flowers, decorations for the headdresses donned by unmarried girls on St Catherine's feast, celebrated on 25th November.
This collection arrived at the Paris Galliera Fashion Museum between 2008 and 2010, so relatively recently. What does this donation add to the Museum collection?
Sophie Grossiord: This is a very diverse wardrobe that spans several decades of the 20th century and belonged to an elegant Parisian woman, the first vendor at Chéruit. It is particular relevant because it includes original pieces from the Chéruit house, as well as designs from the Worth and Jeanne Lanvin maisons.
Which documents prove Alice was an independent woman?
Sophie Grossiord: The documents of Alice Dumas-Baudron dating from the time of her two visits to London in 1902 and 1906, that somehow hint at her future career as main saleswoman. The knowledge of the English language she acquired in London served her well when she moved back to Paris and went to work at Chéruit.
Why was the Doeuillet Chéruit fashion house unfairly forgotten?
Sophie Grossiord: The Chéruit maison fell into oblivion after its closure in December 1933. The archives of the house were presumably dispersed after it closed down.
Does the exhibition shed new light on this maison?
Sophie Grossiord: The exhibition rediscovers the production of the Chéruit house and the creations produced by its embroidery workshop, pieces that were totally unknown before this event. The exceptional collection of samples in the Archives of Paris showcases the workshop's expertise and know-how.
There is a strong link with art in this exhibition since you illustrate the history of the fashion house and of the period of time being explored also through paintings from the Carnavalet Museum: which paintings provide the visitors with in-depth information about the fashion scene of the time?
Sophie Grossiord: Jean Béraud, La Sortie des ouvrières de la maison Paquin, rue de la Paix (Workers Leaving the House of Paquin), from 1902, and Henri Gervex, Le Cercle de l’île de Puteaux (The Ile de Puteaux Circle) from 1907, both from the Musée Carnavalet collection.
Which is the most extraordinary piece from Alice's wardrobe in terms of construction? And in terms of embellishments/embroideries?
Sophie Grossiord: Several pieces of Alice's wardrobe are very original and extremely modern, including an amazing blouse in brown muslin imitating synthetic cow fur, from around 1925, and a black quilted satin dress from the '30s. For its embroidered motifs I would suggest a lamé evening dress decorated with a Japanese motif, from around 1928.
Which pieces from her wardrobe emphasise Alice's passion for freedom?
Sophie Grossiord: In the '20s Alice Alleaume favoured comfortable sweaters or knit cardigans adopted by all fashionable women. These pieces allowed great freedom of movement. In summer she opted instead for V-shaped cut jersey swimsuits that allowed to get a tan.
In the '20s collections were subject to regular deposits to the Labour Court of the Seine to be protected against copy. Does this mean that fashion designs were copyrighted in the past?
Sophie Grossiord: Design protection has been a constant concern of Haute Couture from the early 20th century. The exhibition catalogue published by Paris Musées, features an interesting essay about this point by Jean-Charles Virmaux.
Novel of a Wardrobe - Parisian Chic from the Belle Epoque to the 1930s, is at the Musée Carnavalet - Histoire de Paris, 29 rue de Sévigné - 75003 Paris, France, until 16th March 2014.
Image credits for this post
1. Anonymous
Femme à l’écharpe
1900
© Musée Carnavalet / Roger-Viollet
2. H. Bocklage, Alice Alleaume, around 1912.
Photo H. Bocklage © Gérard Leyris.
3. Lamé dress by Chéruit, 1921-1922.
© Stéphane Piera/Galliera
4. Jeanne Lanvin, «Walkyrie» or «Brunehilde» dress, 1935.
© Patrimoine Lanvin
Photo © Stéphane Piera/Galliera/Roger-Viollet
5. Silver and blue lamé dress 1920-1925.
© Stéphane Piera/Galliera/Roger-Viollet
6. Brown muslin blouse imitating synthetic cow fur, around 1925.
© Stéphane Piera/Galliera/Roger-Viollet
7. Illustration from «Sèvres», 1934-1935.
© Patrimoine Lanvin
8. G. Agié, Maison Chéruit, 1910.
Photograph from Les Créateurs de mode (édition du Figaro, Paris).
© Édition du Figaro
Photo © G. Agié/© Gérard Leyris
9. G. Agié, The models, 1910.
Photograph from Les Créateurs de mode (édition du Figaro, Paris).
© Édition du Figaro
Photo © G. Agié/© Gérard Leyris
10. Jean Béraud, La sortie des ouvrières de la maison Paquin, rue de la Paix, vers 1902.
© Musée Carnavalet/Roger-Viollet
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