Artwork

Tailleur turquoise

Tailleur turquoise, by Marie-Louise Carven, 1957
Tailleur turquoise, by Marie-Louise Carven, 1957

Tailleur turquoise is a drawing by Marie-Louise Carven. It dates from 1957 and is held in the collection of the Palais Galliera - Musée de la Mode de la Ville de Paris.

About this work

Overview

Tailleur turquoise is a fashion design sketch created by Marie-Louise Carven around 1957. The piece depicts a woman in a fitted turquoise dress and matching jacket, characterized by a simple yet elegant design.

Subject & Meaning

The subject of Tailleur turquoise is a woman dressed in a coordinating turquoise suit, embodying Carven's design philosophy of combining elegance with practicality, particularly suited for petite figures.

Technique & Style

The sketch features bold lines, flat colors, and a loose, rapid drawing style. Annotations 'Retour Toile' and 'd’épaissir' suggest the designer's working notes, possibly regarding fabric and thickness.

History & Provenance

Created in the late 1950s by Marie-Louise Carven, founder of the House of Carven (1945), this work reflects her pioneering contributions to Paris's early prêt-à-porter market and her preference for lightweight fabrics.

Context

Tailleur turquoise sits within the broader context of 1950s French fashion, highlighting Carven's approach to designing for petite women and her influence on accessible, high-quality ready-to-wear clothing.

Legacy

As part of Carven's oeuvre, Tailleur turquoise contributes to the legacy of a designer who successfully balanced haute couture aesthetics with the practical demands of prêt-à-porter, leaving a mark on the evolution of French fashion.

Artist & collection

Portrait of Marie-Louise Carven

Artist

Marie-Louise Carven

Marie-Louise Carven (31 August 1909 – 8 June 2015), born Carmen de Tommaso, was a French fashion designer who founded the house of Carven in 1945.