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Lucien Lelong €7,495
Perfect for a dramatic entrance down an imposing
staircase, like the one in the smoking room on board
the liner "Normandie", this dress by Lucien Lelong
inspired a bid far higher than its high estimate of
€1,800 on 6 February at Drouot (Coutau-Bégarie
auction house). Its slender silhouette is typical of the
French couturier, now somewhat forgotten as one of
the top names between the wars. A society figure who
married Nathalie Paley, the daughter of Grand Duke
Paul of Russia, he rubbed shoulders with the entire
artistic set of Paris, and had his salons designed in
1935 by Jean-Michel Frank. A genuine captain of
industry, the vision he had of his profession was
shaped by creative, commercial and industrial
considerations. In 1925 he dreamed up the supple,
modern and dynamic "kinetic" silhouette, launched
highly successful fragrances, tried out new textiles
like Rosalba and Phosphora crepe, together with
viscose, and in 1934 – too early in the day – created
ready-to-wear clothing in response to the economic
crisis… Christian Dior, Pierre Balmain and Hubert de
Givenchy spent time in his workshops. Lucien
Lelong was President of the Chambre Syndicale de
Haute Couture Parisienne from 1937 to 1947, and
worked hard during the war to safeguard this
typically French branch of industry. Sylvain Alliod
N° 23 I GAZETTE DROUOT INTERNATIONAL
Lucien Lelong
(1889-1958),
evening dress in
silk crepe.
71