Recueil de 160 dessins (croquis de modèles) pour la collection printemps/été 1961.

Carven’s drawings use clean, unadorned lines to convey form and function. Each figure is drawn in profile or three-quarter view, with a secondary back view included for construction clarity. The style avoids decorative flourishes, prioritizing legibility. Handwritten annotations, such as 'Marinia 65,' likely reference fabric codes or pattern numbers, indicating a systematic approach to design documentation common in ateliers of the period.

Marie-Louise Carven founded her fashion house in 1945 and was among the first Parisian designers to develop a ready-to-wear line, broadening access to her designs. This 1961 sketchbook was produced during a period of transition in fashion, as haute couture began to accommodate mass production. The volume entered the Museum of Ethnography’s collection as part of its documentation of 20th-century material culture, preserving the process behind commercial fashion.

In the early 1960s, Parisian fashion was responding to shifting social norms and economic realities. Women sought clothing that was both stylish and practical for increasingly active lifestyles. Carven’s focus on petite proportions and lightweight fabrics like gingham and lace aligned with this demand. Her sketches reflect a broader industry move toward standardized patterns and accessible design, bridging couture and ready-to-wear.

The sketchbook stands as a record of Carven’s influence on postwar womenswear, particularly in democratizing tailored silhouettes for smaller frames. Its preservation in an ethnographic museum underscores its value as a cultural artifact, not merely a design tool. The clarity and restraint of these drawings continue to inform studies of how fashion was conceptualized and communicated before digital tools became standard.