PLEATS PLEASE: A selection of designs from the personal archive of Madame Grès will go under the hammer in Paris on Thursday.
The bulk of the pieces, dating from the ’30s to the ’80s, were acquired as a single lot by Philippe and Emmanuelle Harros, the husband-and-wife duo behind vintage specialist Quidam de Revel. French auction house Cornette de Saint Cyr is putting up for sale some 120 items, which include outfits owned by an unnamed French actress, to coincide with Paris Couture Week.
They include several examples of Alix Grès’ signature Grecian-style pleated jersey dresses, but also minimal designs such as a striking black cape from around 1970, and an apron-style coral evening dress from the ‘60s. Some of the looks were exhibited as part of “Madame Grès, Couture at Work,” a retrospective devoted to the mythic French couture label at the Musée Bourdelle in Paris in 2011.
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“There are truly beautiful pieces that are representative of her work. It’s a very nice collection. It’s timeless,” said her granddaughter, Anne Graire, who was raised by Grès until the age of 13.
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Known as a designer’s designer, Grès enjoyed her heyday in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s. But she also saw a comeback in the 1970s, with Yves Saint Laurent and Issey Miyake among advocates of her work. Marlene Dietrich, the Duchess of Windsor, Grace Kelly and Paloma Picasso were among the label’s fans.
Graire said the designer worked relentlessly well into her old age. “She was always surrounded by fabrics or lots of books,” she recalled. “She was very busy, even though she was a grandmother. In fact, she was as busy as if she had been a woman of 30 or 40. She was always dedicated to her work.”
Grès pursued her ideal of the seamless garment with economy of line and volume, experimenting with constructions. The designer was also a great colorist, using a broad palette of hues, from sand to sun yellow, bluebell, raspberry and coral.
“Nothing was superfluous. She didn’t like things that were heavy and cluttered, and that’s probably one of the reasons why the designs have stood the test of time,” said Graire.
“Sometimes, the dresses appear very simple, but are actually very complex. You wonder which way to put the fabric and which side they will fasten. There is often a little mystery when putting the dress on the mannequin, because she designed them and she’s no longer there to explain exactly how to put the dress on,” she continued. “It’s part of the charm of the garment, because it falls in a very particular way.”
Grès, who was born Germaine Krebs, released a couple of scents, was a skilled tailor and dabbled in ready-to-wear. Yet her focus remained riveted on one thing: couture dresses, which she continued to design into her 80s. She is remembered as a fiercely private, strong-willed workaholic who preferred to let her creations do the talking.
“For me, she remains current because people are still interested in her personality and her work. It has passed through the generations,” Graire said.
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