mainbocher
mainbocher' s last paris collections created a storm of controversy. just as later
mainbocher ,
special monograph issue of harper' s bazaar, july 1967 .
the career of mainbocher discussed ,
in the times, 14 january 1977 .
mainbocher, spring 1958 collection: wool suit with a halter top of lace over shantung .
mainbocher was not much concerned with the ephemeral nature of fashion but with its enduring qualities .
mainbocher also created one of the first strapless ball gowns in the 1930’s. later in the 1950’s, strapless gowns became a common fixture in women’s fashion making mainbocher almost two decades ahead of his time. so yes, we have mainbocher to thank for a lot of trends .
mainbocher: great gentleman of fashion ,
in harper' s bazaar, june 1971 .
mainbocher died in 1976 at age 85. his association with chicago never faded, slinkard said .
and established
mainbocher inc .
as a french - american designer of international reputation, mainbocher returned to new york with wide publicity, the first american celebrity in the french fashion world .
mainbocher is really in advance of us all, because he does it in america .
french businessman arnaud de lummen recently purchased the mainbocher trademark, previously never licensed by main bocher .
replica of mainbocher' s new york city fashion hall of fame plaque. photo: deluxe redux
main rousseau bocher in chicago, illinois, 24 october 1890; adopted name mainbocher, circa 1929 .
mainbocher ,
[ obituary ], in the times (london), 5 january 1977 .
mainbocher, fashion designer for notables since the 1930' s, is dead in munich at 85 .
in 1961, mainbocher business moved to the k. l. m. building on fifth avenue and continued until 1971 when mainbocher, at the age of 81, closed the doors of his house .
by the way, it’s important to note that mainbocher’s corset premiered 8 - years before dior’s “new look”. if you love dior’s “new look” which i’m sure you do, then you can thank mainbocher for that .
mainbocher put chicago on the fashion map. most of us just didn' t know it until now .
jacobs, laura (october 2001), the mark of mainbocher, vanity fair, pp. 87 - 90
mainbocher is really in advance of us all, because he does it in america .
- christian dior
mainbocher .
the columbia encyclopedia, 6th ed... retrieved july 09, 2018 from urltoken urltoken
mainbocher frequently used red for ballgowns. this 1947 dress is fabricated in velvet and trimmed with beads and sequins .
and established his own fashion house, incorporated as
mainbocher couture ,
at 12 avenue george v in paris .
mainbocher. photographer unknown, 1939; the metropolitan museum of art, new york, irene lewisohn costume reference library .
with the headline: mainbocher, fashion designer for notables since the 1930' s, is dead in munich at 85 .
mainbocher (left) shares his sketchbook with staff at the metropolitan museum of art, 1971. photo: chicago history museum
as a baritone opera singer, mainbocher lost his voice on the night of his big debut which subsequently ended his career .
s, worn with coordinating bare - armed blouses. a mainbocher standby was the little black
nothing
sheath dress .
27. - 30. navy uniforms waves uniform, united states naval reserve, 1942. josephine ogden forrestal, wife of the navy undersecretary asked mainbocher to design the navy uniforms. mainbocher designed the uniforms for $ 1. ​ photo: deluxe redux
mainbocher, fashion designer for notables since the 1930' s, is dead in munich at 85. - the new york times
in 1947, eight of the new york dress institute' s ten best - dressed women in the world were mainbocher clients .
there were other american couturiers working at the same time as mainbocher, mainly charles james and valentina. but mainbocher was the first american to achieve success as a couturier working in paris in the 1930s. and yes, he was born and raised in chicago .
mainbocher is known for having a deep understanding of his clients which is why his couture creations were highly sought after. to keep up the exclusive nature, prospective buyers made appointments and paid a very high admissions fee. essentially, the mainbocher woman never had to worry about someone having her same dress. mainbocher was certainly not for the masses so even the most expensive department store just wouldn’t do .
mainbocher .
the columbia encyclopedia, 6th ed... encyclopedia. com. (july 9, 2018). urltoken
mainbocher’s career as a couturier began in paris. he learned about what constitutes “good fashion” from his years working as a fashion artist for
2. chicago history museum, (2016). making mainbocher: the first american couturier [ press release ]. retrieved from urltoken
“ making mainbocher: the first american couturier ” is on view at the chicago history museum from october 22 to august 20, 2017 .
“by examining the steps taken by mainbocher to achieve great success as a couturier, this exhibition introduces visitors to the extraordinary career of mainbocher and invites them to get to know him as an arbiter of early - to mid - twentieth - century style. ” said petra slinkard, curator of costume. “this exhibition is the first of its kind, dedicated to the study and presentation of the work of mainbocher. ”
f you think you know everything about fashion, you are probably asking yourself why have i never heard of mainbocher? well for one, mainbocher cannot be found in stores. good luck finding it in neiman marcus or bergdorf goodman. fashion houses like chanel and dior remain household names because the collections continued even after the designer’s deaths. mainbocher also never licensed his name since his clothes were exclusively made to order .
in 2002, mainbocher was honored with a bronze plaque on new york city' s fashion walk of fame in the legendary garment district .
the exhibition covers his childhood in chicago, follows mainbocher' s fashion career in paris and new york and discusses his major fashion contributions .
mainbocher was never formally trained in fashion design, nor did he have an apprenticeship with a designer. he was completely self - taught .
in 1934 mainbocher introduced the boned strapless bodice, and before the war forced him to leave paris, a waist cincher, forming tiny waisted, pleated and skirted dresses that presaged dior' s postwar new look. mainbocher' s arrival in new york coincided perfectly with the city
the duchess of windsor' s wedding gown was blue in color. mainbocher called the color
wallis blue
which matched the color of her eyes. although mainbocher destroyed the dress design almost immediately, the dress went on to become the most copied dress of the 20th century .
mainbocher was assigned to the intelligence corps and much of his work involved trailing members of a drug ring that was supplying narcotics to american fliers .
' s loosely cut, boxy jackets and skirts. the corset that shaped mainbocher' s last parisian collection was immortalized in 1939 by one of
main rousseau bocher (october 24, 1890 - december 27, 1976), also known as mainbocher. established in 1929, the house of mainbocher successfully operated in paris (1929 - 1939) and then in new york (1940 - 1971). although often pronounced
man - bo -
mainbocher, it' s glamour, but with a sense of everyday glamour... it' s so pure, so new .
mainbocher' s story is not only fascinating, but also inspiring. he carved his path to fashion greatness and in many ways did it first .
christian dior spoke for other fashion geniuses when he said: “mainbocher is really in advance of us all, because he does it in america. ”
learn more about mainbocher below in a chicago history museum video and in a q & a with the museum' s costume curator, petra slinkard .
an astute businessman, mainbocher had learned the value a full two - page magazine spread when he was a fashion editor and always insisted on it .
mainbocher demanded his designs were shown on double - page spreads so that one could not compare his fashion to another designer within a magazine' s editorial .
the gallery’s interactive experiences invite visitors to step into a designer role: create a mainbocher - inspired moniker; flip through sketchbooks featuring fashion illustrations of garments on view; and use mainbocher’s preferred colors, fabrics, and motifs to design a garment that is projected on a 3 - d dress form in the gallery .
gloria vanderbilt, who recently went into her own dress manufacturing business, credited mainbocher, who used to make her clothes, with influencing her fashion thinking profoundly .
mainbocher' s corseted waist, defined bosom, and back draping was an abrupt shift in sihouette and introduced the victorian motifs that were to pervade the forties .
mary martin. (“i’m a mainbocher makeover, ” the actress said. “but, ” qualifies a fashion insider, “she was only chic onstage. ” )
​mainbocher produced some of the most expensive clothes in the world—more costly than christian dior. in the 1950' s, while dior dresses cost $ 500 - $ 600, mainbocher' s dresses were priced between $ 1, 200 to $ 1, 300. some designs were almost as expensive than a rolls royce in 1955 .
american fashion: the life and lines of adrian, mainbocher, mccardell, norell, and trigère / edited by sarah tomerlin lee for the fashion institute of technology .
i think some of mainbocher’s influences are so far - reaching we forget from where they came. for example the beaded cardigan and strapless gown have become fashion staples .
, the
mainbocher corset ,
a nipped - in waist, radically altered the undefined silhouette of the thirties. this change, linked with the fame of his
during the second world war, mainbocher lent his designs to the american navy for the creation of the uniforms for the women only division of the navy, called waves .
first time on public display, 100 - year - old original oil on canvas painting of hawaiian waltz dancers thomas rector and hazel allen by mainbocher. photo: deluxe redux
american fashion: the life and lines of adrian, mainbocher, mccardell, norell, and trigère / ​ edited by sarah tomerlin lee for the fashion institute of technology .
lee, sarah tomerlin, editor, american fashion: the life and lines of adrian, mainbocher, mccardell, norell, and trigére, new york, 1975, 1987 .
from the “wallis blue” wedding dress of the duchess of windsor to the crisp nurses uniforms done as a favor to a chicago socialite, mainbocher commanded fashion headlines throughout his six - decade career. the chicago history museum opens its stunning exhibition “making mainbocher: the first american couturier” on october 22 featuring thirty pieces donated by some of chicago’s most fashionable women .
“making mainbocher: the first american couturier” opens at the chicago history museum on october 22. read more about the exhibit and the additional talks and programs for veterans at urltoken .
a rotund, cherubic man with a thatch of white hair, who almost always wore a v‐neck cashmere sweater under his suit jacket, mainbocher was unpretentious in his speech and attitudes .
he resigned in june 1929 to establish his own couture house with a group of wealthy investors. he took on the name mainbocher, a combination of his first and last names .
an arbiter of fashion, mainbocher created the most luxurious and most expensive garments. frequently inspired by fabrics, he designed with men’s suitings and cotton ginghams as imaginatively as with silks and satins. unlike christian dior, who created a new silhouette each year, mainbocher’s designs fused high fashion with function; the designs were timeless and easy to wear for many years .
mainbocher also created uniforms for the united states naval reserve waves in navy, white, and seersucker; the girl scouts; and nursing students at chicago' s passavant memorial hospital .
in a retrospective exhibition of fashions in paris last summer, several mainbocher dresses were included in a show called “a century of fashion. ” it was a rare honor for an american .
mainbocher was known for the understated elegance of his couture clothing. among his innovations were short evening dresses, jeweled sweaters, and a revival of the corset that anticipated dior’s new look .
making mainbocher: the first american couturier is at the chicago history museum, 1601 n. clark street, chicago, until august 20, 2017. dedicated to the life and legacy of mainbocher, this exhibition is sponsored by the costume council of the chicago history museum and curated by petra slinkard. it features 30 garments, numerous photographs, illustrations, and oral histories .
american couturier, editor, and artist main rousseau bocher left a legacy in the world of international haute couture fusing his first and last name, he and his couture house were known as mainbocher. three generations of new york and european socialites were mainbocher clients. from 1922 - 1971, he i nnovated women’s fashion, the couture world, and fashion publications. mainbocher is best remembered for designing wallis simpson ’s wedding dress for her controversial marriage to edward, duke of windsor in 1936. powder blue, named wallis blue by mainbocher, floor length, with long sleeves and draping in the front, buttons lined the torso below the bustline. it was an international sensation. the dress is known as the most reproduced couture dress in fashion history .
by the 1950s and 1960s, old guard mainbocher customers enjoyed wearing impeccably made classic coats and suits of wool, often fur - lined, in the midst of nouveau - riche ostentation. the typical ladylike daytime mainbocher look was accessorized by a plain velvet bow in the hair instead of a hat, a choker of several strands of real pearls, white gloves, and plain pumps with matching handbag. the integrity of luxurious fabrics, intricate cut, quality workmanship and materials, elegance and classicism, were cherished and worn for years by mainbocher' s upper crust customers .
american fashion: the life and lines of adrian, mainbocher, mccardell, norell, and trigère / edited by sarah tomerlin lee for the fashion institute of technology. - version details - trove
the chicago history museum’s latest exhibit “making mainbocher: the first american couturier” explores the life and legacy of the west garfield park native in great depth and detail. while his name is not as famous as coco chanel or christian dior, this doesn’t mean his contributions aren’t noteworthy. whether it’s the corset or the strapless gown, you can definitely see a bit of mainbocher in your favorite garments .
as a fellow chicagoan, i was excited and proud that the chicago history museum was able to tell mainbocher' s story for the first time. what a significant contribution to the fashion industry !
the brand has not yet been resurrected, but it is a great question, as the owner of the mainbocher brand [ paris - based entrepreneur arnaud de lummen of luvanis ] will be at the museum on saturday, october 22, to discuss the pros and cons of resurrecting “sleeping beauty” brands such as mainbocher. the talk begins at 10: 30 am and is free with museum admission .
as the years progressed, mainbocher continued to design exclusively on a made - to - order basis, refusing to license his name. la galerie, a department in his salon, did produce clothes in standard sizes, a compromise for busy women without time for lengthy fittings. the reverse snobbery of the humble pastel gingham or cotton piqué used for fancy dresses appealed to mainbocher' s clientéle, as did refined tweed suits with subtle dressmaker touches such as curved bands or fabric appliqués, worn with coordinating bare - armed blouses. a mainbocher standby was the little black
nothing
sheath dress .
too avant - garde. instead, he admired vionnet and borrowed her bias - cut technique for his own simple slip evening dresses in the 1930s. twenty years later, a very similar slip design was employed by mainbocher, produced in a signature elegant silk velvet fabric. from augustabernard, another 1920s french dress designer, mainbocher was inspired not only to form his name, but to use godets in skirts, and shoulder bows to catch the folds of draped bodices. frequent mainbocher suit treatments in the 1930s included short capelet effects or dropped shoulders widening into full sleeves. the designer knew his client
while there is so much to learn about the first american couturier, i’ve compiled a handy - dandy list of five 5 fast facts you should know about couture and mainbocher before you visit the exhibit .
ou can learn more about the fascinating and wonderful mainbocher at the chicago history museum. you’ll learn all kinds of interesting facts during your visit that will give you a newfound appreciation for a chicago icon .
mrs. ronald balcom (millicent rogers, the standard oil heiress, with a penchant for indian jewelry, folkloric clothing, and historical costumes, combined with mainbocher, schiaparelli, and charles james) .
a mover and shaker in the fashion world, mainbocher coined the now commonly - used term off - white during his years as editor at french vogue, and created french vogue’s opening editorial eye view, which ran in print 50 years after he left the publication. as a couturier in the 1930s, mainbocher was first to impose a guarantee of purchase for clients who came to view his collection in the showroom. other couturiers followed. mainbocher moved from chicago to new york city, in 1909, to study art. but his love of opera pushed him on to europe. during the early 1900s, the difficulties of world war i forced him back and forth between the u. s. and europe. he studied art and made connections in munich, paris, london, and new york. mainbocher began designing clothing for his female friends in the u. s. inspired by his success, he showed some designs to captain molyneux, a british courtier, in paris, 1917. molyneux and he could not settle on a price, but on his way out of the showroom an assistant suggested that mainbocher apply for the fashion illustrator job at the paris outpost of harper’s bazaar. from there, mainbocher’s fashion career skyrocketed .
making mainbocher: the first american couturier
10 / 22 - 8 / 2017, chicago history museum, 1601 n. clark, 312 - 642 - 4600, chicagohistory. org, $ 16 .
tens of thousands of school - aged children visit the museum' s costume exhibit to learn history through fashion. perhaps mainbocher will ignite a dream in one of these young chicagoans ,
added smith .
wearing mainbocher, i think you felt — perfect ,
vanderbilt says in the recording .
you felt like sylph. there was nothing silly about it. there was no fringe. they were all smooth, you know, unctuous fabrics. they were just so elegantly, beautifully made, probably severely elegant. i felt that if you walked into a room wearing a mainbocher, you were a vision .
lite trade in 1940 new york. no less appealing was the fact that mainbocher had designed the duchess of windsor' s trousseau upon her marriage in 1937. in 1930, after several years as editor of french
in addition to uniforms for the girl scouts and the passavant hospital nurses, mainbocher was asked to outfit the waves (the women’s branch of the united states naval reserve) during world war ii. with this in mind, the history museum has scheduled two upcoming events honoring mainbocher’s own war service and the uniforms he designed: a uso dance october 24 and a veteran’s day presentation november 11, free to veterans and their families .
in the course of his 41 - year career in design, mainbocher would be credited with inventing or popularizing the short (er) evening dress (1931), the strapless dress (1934), a cinched - waist silhouette that predated the new look (1939), the evening cardigan (1941), and the sheath (1946). these were worn by clients including diana vreeland, guest, babe paley, and wallis simpson, who donned a custom mainbocher when she married her prince. he was also admired by christian dior and isabella blow, but not by charles james. “mainbocher, ” james railed against his rival in the new york times, “represents a rich, artificial, and purse - proud exclusivity. ” (ironically, businessman arnaud de lummen is said to have bought the rights to both the mainbocher and charles james brands. )
the chicago history museum explores the life and legacy of an enterprising chicagoan who rose to the heights of the fashion world in its newest costume exhibition, making mainbocher: the first american couturier opening saturday, october 22 .
known for his elegant, understated designs, mainbocher also created uniforms for the united states naval reserve women accepted for volunteer emergency service (waves); the girl scouts; and nursing students at chicago’s passavant memorial hospital .
mainbocher, mrs. loyal davis, mrs. leon mandel (wearing a uniform by the designer), mrs. james ward thorne, and mrs. alden b. swift. courtesy of the northwestern memorial hospital archives .
the exhibition is sponsored by the costume council of the chicago history museum with lead corporate sponsor luvanis. for more on making mainbocher and the chicago history museum’s programs and exhibitions, visit urltoken or call 312 - 642 - 4600 .
main rousseau bocher, the fashion designer from chicago who, under the name of mainbocher, was a dominant figure in the paris couture in the 1930' s, died in munich monday night. he was 85 years old .
you don' t have to be a chicagoan or even a fashionista, for that matter, to be interested in how main rousseau bocher morphed into mainbocher. success, especially when it seems so improbable, is always alluring .
mainbocher suddenly decided to channel his artistic sensibilities into the establishment of a couture salon in paris. editorial experience enabled him to sense what would become fashionable and to package himself as an exclusive designer to the wealthy and the titled .
mainbocher was, undoubtedly, a snob, but one who inspired loyalty and devotion among his well - heeled clients. these women found pleasure, utility, comfort, and even value in clothes that were costly, built to last, and trend - free. as vogue put it: “mainbocher sees fashion as simple, easy, unpretentious. it has a low voice. fits in. does not sniff at last season. yet it is completely contemporary. ”
during the early 1920s he worked at the american edition of harper’s bazaar in paris before moving to french vogue as the paris fashion editor, eventually becoming editor - in - chief of french vogue in 1927. the year 1929 marked his entrance into the world as a couturier. he left french vogue to start his own couture house. his clothing was based on his personal theory of simplicity - luxuriously draped fabrics and eveningwear cut on the bias. his final collection saw the return of the corset and nipped waist, causing controversy. critics of mainbocher said he lacked creativity. but what mainbocher lacked in ornate or over - embellished design, he made up for in his way of working. in an unusual style, he first chose the fabric, twisting and draping it before having it sketched by a friend, then finally actualized. the mainbocher customer was the epitome of high society. his most famous clients included gloria vanderbilt cooper, daisy fellowes, princess maria christina de bourbon, cz guest and barbara paley. the women who wore mainbocher were very loyal, often wearing it exclusively. despite all this, mainbocher came to an end in 1971, when he retired .
mainbocher considered his contemporary chanel too plebeian, and schiaparelli too avant - garde. instead, he admired vionnet and borrowed her bias - cut technique for his own simple slip evening dresses in the 1930s. twenty years later, a very similar slip design was employed by mainbocher, produced in a signature elegant silk velvet fabric. from augustabernard, another 1920s french dress designer, mainbocher was inspired not only to form his name, but to use godets in skirts, and shoulder bows to catch the folds of draped bodices. frequent mainbocher suit treatments in the 1930s included short capelet effects or dropped shoulders widening into full sleeves. the designer knew his clientéle personally and designed for the lives they led, specializing in evening clothes. for resort wear he ventured into a mix - and - match ensemble consisting of matching top, skirt, bathing suit, and hat. slim, demure black wool dresses for daytime would sport white chiffon interest at the throat .
designer: mainbocher (american, 1890–1976) date: 1937 culture: french medium: silk, leather, straw, coq feathers credit line: gift of the duchess of windsor, 1950 accession number: c. i. 50. 110a–j
if you want even more action, you can become a designer for a day at the make your own couture gown station. trust me, you’ll have so much fun exploring the fabrics and patterns of mainbocher by creating your own gown .
“the workshops of mainbocher, famous paris couturier, where you see seamstresses at work preparing the trousseau of the american beauty who will wed the duke of windsor at monts on june 3. ” bettmann / bettmann nast collection / getty images .
to get a sense of the mainbocher mystique, just listen to jean harvey vanderbilt, who was married to gloria' s cousin, alfred gwynne vanderbilt, as she shares with exhibit visitors taped memories of visiting the designer' s manhattan atelier .
i have always loved the classic, clean lines of norman norell and halston, more recently tom ford for gucci, and designers who shake things up a bit like mugler, gaultier, and moschino. i have always known and admired mainbocher .
mcconathy, dale (1975), american fashion - the life and lines of adrian, mainbocher, mccardell, norell and trigère, the fashion institute of technology, quadrangle, pp. 115 - 200, isbn 0 - 8129 - 0524 - 5
mainbocher designed for the most exclusive clientele including diana vreeland, actress claudette colbert, decorator elsie de wolfe, american uber - socialite babe paley, watson armour iii' s first wife, jean schweppe, gloria vanderbilt, and the duchess of windsor .
pe dress itself, was widely copied. the simple, conservative elegance of mainbocher' s style, feminine but not fussy, perfectly suited the slim, severe good looks of the duchess and wealthy women like her. additionally, she was honoring a fellow american .
although he left chicago at 19, he returned frequently for business and lectured at the fashion group in the 1940s. mainbocher returned to his alma mater, john marshall high school, frequently to talk with students and tried always to fit in a lyric opera performance .
at 81, mainbocher closed his new york fashion house in 1971 and died five years later. the fashion world lost its first french - american designer of international fame and the waves, nurses, and girl scouts lost a friend who cared deeply about their work .
you may have better luck finding mainbocher at auctions, but even still his pieces are incredibly rare. however, if you do manage to get your hands on one of his couture creations expect it to go anywhere from $ 1, 000 – $ 2, 000 .
designer: mainbocher (american, 1890–1976) date: ca. 1938 culture: french medium: silk credit line: gift of mrs. harrison williams, lady mendl, and mrs. ector munn, 1946 accession number: c. i. 46. 4. 1
in 1939, world war ii had forced the couturier to move his showroom stateside, and though he vowed to return to paris, he never did. the fact that only about 22% of mainbocher’s customers were american, combined with the new favor of ready - to - wear over couture drastically reduced his sales. but mainbocher left a lasting impression on the fashion world. as an artist, editor and couturier, his critical eye and passion aided his success in all three categories. mainbocher did things his own way, and wasn’t afraid of what his peers or anyone else thought. on designing clothing, he said: «i don’t believe that dressmaking is an art but i do think that dresses are an important part of the art of living, just as important as food, surroundings, work and play» .
accedance to wartime economies resulted in mainbocher' s short evening dresses, and versatile cashmere sweaters—beaded, lined in silk, and closed by jeweled buttons—designed to keep women warm in their bare evening gowns. another practical wartime innovation, the
glamor belt ,
an apron - like, sequined or bead - encrusted accessory, could be added to embellish any plain costume. practically gratis, mainbocher designed uniforms for the u. s. women' s marine corps, the waves (navy), the american red cross, and the girl scouts .
i am absolutely crazy about mainbocher’s clothes. i think they are so subtle, the detailing is so extraordinary, and they are so unbelievably evocative of such a particular time and place and milieu and lifestyle, of absolute subtle luxury. you can really see why a client like
mainbocher’s rise was meteoric; by 1932 vogue was writing that the designer was “a new star in the firmament of the paris couture. ” from the start, mainbocher was clear about who he wanted to dress and how he wanted his work to be presented. he demanded, and got, double - page spreads. his approach, he would tell vogue, was to make clothes that were “a friend to woman—the kind of friend you can see again and again and not get sick of. ” they were, he said, “intensely wearable, but have great gaiety and mystery, too. ” though unafraid of prints or color, it was his elevation of the humble in the form of decorative cardigans for evening and his concealment of luxury à la fur - lined coats that made signature statements. mainbocher wasn’t a minimalist, at least not in the sense that the word is used today, though he can be placed on a continuum that includes designers such as norman norell, halston, and perhaps bottega veneta’s tomas maier. “severely elegant” is the phrase client jean harvey vanderbilt used to describe mainbocher’s spare, sharply edited designs .
main rousseau bocher (1890–1976) grew up in a modest home on chicago’s west side. educated at john marshall high school and the lewis institute (a precursor to the illinois institute of technology), mainbocher transformed his interest in the arts into a fashion empire serving royalty, hollywood icons and the social elite. as stated on his plaque on new york’s fashion walk of fame, “mainbocher was known for the understated elegance of his couture clothing. among his innovations were short evening dresses, jeweled sweaters, and a revival of the corset that anticipated dior’s new look. ”
known as the designer of wallis simpson’s dress when she married the duke of windsor in 1937, main rousseau bocher was the first american couturier in paris. his story and work is the subject of the “ making mainbocher: the first american couturier ” exhibition at the chicago history museum .
most famous for designing the wedding dress of the duchess of windsor in 1937, mainbocher balanced his elite brand by creating uniforms for the navy w. a. v. e. s. during world war ii, the girl scouts of america and nursing students at chicago’s passavant memorial hospital .
i believe that it was mainbocher’s upbringing that helped enable him to achieve the level of success he did. not having come from a wealthy family meant he had to work hard for everything he achieved and he needed to be smart and flexible in achieving his goals. becoming a couturier requires a great amount of skill and creative talent. haute couture is a complex system of industry standards and social mores. what is most impressive about mainbocher’s path is that he was an american working in the french system and then went on to adhere to the same process in the united states later .
the snob appeal of patronizing an american couturier with a french sounding name—extremely successful in paris for a decade before his arrival in the united states—appealed to the socially élite trade in 1940 new york. no less appealing was the fact that mainbocher had designed the duchess of windsor' s trousseau upon her marriage in 1937. in 1930, after several years as editor of french vogue, mainbocher suddenly decided to channel his artistic sensibilities into the establishment of a couture salon in paris. editorial experience enabled him to sense what would become fashionable and to package himself as an exclusive designer to the wealthy and the titled .
with each garment in the exhibit, visitors travel through time and get a firsthand look at the couture of the 1930’s through the 60’s. each piece whether it be the gown worn by mrs armour watson iii or the uniforms from the girl scouts of america revealed mainbocher’s astute attention to detail and quality .
designer: mainbocher (american, 1890–1976) date: 1946 culture: american medium: wool credit line: brooklyn museum costume collection at the metropolitan museum of art, gift of the brooklyn museum, 2009; gift of arturo and paul peralta - ramos, 1954 accession number: 2009. 300. 169
his philosophy was rooted in simplicity and sophistication. i think, in many cases, less is more when it comes to mainbocher' s designs,'' she said .
he' s the designer that had great impact, but many people don' t know who he is.''
mainbocher still kept busy even during the war. he designed uniforms for girl scouts, the red cross, and other military services. instead of floor length gowns, his dresses featured shorter hemlines. during this time, shorter evening dresses became the mainstay throughout all designer collections due to the strict fabric regulations .
the chicago history museum’s mission is to share chicago’s stories. mainbocher’s biography had not yet been told through an exhibition and so it seemed like a good fit for us at this time. his story is multifaceted and in my opinion, fascinating. i’m thrilled that we get to share it with them now .
* correction: this post has been amended to correctly reflect the names of mainbocher' s best - known clients as identified by exhibit curator petra slinkard. several of those mentioned used their husband' s names, hence were distinguished simply by the title
mrs. ,
which has now been supplied .
petra slinkard, chicago history museum curator of costumes, said ,
one of the things that most impressed me about mainbocher was that he was always a west sider at heart. this man was a chicago - born designer, artist, editor and patriot. he never distanced himself from our city .
in 1934 mainbocher introduced the boned strapless bodice, and before the war forced him to leave paris, a waist cincher, forming tiny waisted, pleated and skirted dresses that presaged dior' s postwar new look. mainbocher' s arrival in new york coincided perfectly with the city élite' s love for french couture, for though he epitomized it, he satisfied their patriotism because he was actually an american. society matrons such as c. z. guest and the vanderbilts, and stage actresses such as mary martin, avidly patronized this
most expensive custom dressmaker
who made women look and feel exquisitely well - bred .
designer: mainbocher (american, 1890–1976) date: 1950 culture: american medium: silk, metal credit line: brooklyn museum costume collection at the metropolitan museum of art, gift of the brooklyn museum, 2009; gift of arturo and paul peralta - ramos, 1954 accession number: 2009. 300. 173
fashion was the focus at the opening - night gala oct. 21 of
making mainbocher: the first american couturier
presented by the costume council of the chicago history museum. over 200 stylish partygoers attended the event at the museum to celebrate the life and work of chicago - born designer main rousseau bocher .
in addition to his custom order collections, mainbocher also designed costumes for the stage. among the stars he dressed were mary martin in “the sound of music, ” irene worth in “tiny alice, ” ethel merman in “call me madam, ” rosalind russell in “wonderful town” and katherine cornell in “the prescott papers. ”
from the start, mainbocher specialized in simple, conservative, elegant, and extremely expensive fashions, the luxury of cut, materials, and workmanship that could only be recognized by those in the know. most importantly, the clothes, exquisitely finished inside and out, gave self - confidence to the women who wore them .
mainbocher had a design philosophy rooted in elegance and sophistication which became apparent in each of his garments. he remains an iconic figure in the world of fashion and his legacy cannot be ignored. not one to overlook such an iconic figure, we have the chicago history museum to thank for breathing more life into his story .
as the years progressed, mainbocher continued to design exclusively on a made - to - order basis, refusing to license his name. la galerie, a department in his salon, did produce clothes in standard sizes, a compromise for busy women without time for lengthy fittings. the reverse snobbery of the humble pastel gingham or cotton piqu
mainbocher located his salon on the third floor on a quiet residential street in paris. unlike other couturiers, he established a “caution”–a fee to see the designs; this fee was applied to any orders clients placed. this reduced copying by other designers, manufacturers, and retailers. his business flourished, and he bought out his original investors .
while mainbocher did use some japanese - like kimonos as eveningwear during this period, his hallmark was nonaggressive, not exaggerated or period dressing. a touch of labor - intensive luxury would be bestowed by all - over sequins on an evening jacket or on a bare top worn discreetly under a jacket. the grayish - blue ,
wallis blue ,
of the duchess of windsor' s wedding dress, as well as the long, fluid crêpe dress itself, was widely copied. the simple, conservative elegance of mainbocher' s style, feminine but not fussy, perfectly suited the slim, severe good looks of the duchess and wealthy women like her. additionally, she was honoring a fellow american .
designed to keep women warm in their bare evening gowns. another practical wartime innovation, the
glamor belt ,
an apron - like, sequined or bead - encrusted accessory, could be added to embellish any plain costume. practically gratis, mainbocher designed uniforms for the u. s. women' s marine corps, the waves (navy), the american
n what must be one of most intriguingly messaged wedding looks of all time, simpson wore a silk crepe dress designed for her by mainbocher, an american couturier working in paris at the time. the dress was dyed ‘wallis blue’, a pale duck egg shade which the designer coined especially to match his client’s eyes - white was obviously not an option, but ...
mainbocher closed his couture house in 1939 as the germans moved into france. he returned to the united states and opened a small salon in new york city. many of his paris customers had been americans, so it wasn’t a surprise that his first collection was wildly successful. he moved to a new, larger salon near tiffany & co. on 57th street in manhattan .
on friday, october 21, the costume council will present the exhibition’s opening gala, worthy of the elegance of mainbocher. kristin noelle smith serves as costume council chair and benefit co - chairs are nancy connelley, marci holzer, and mary shearson. chicago’s chicest will have a preview tour of the exhibition, hear remarks by petra slinkard and enjoy dinner and dancing at the museum .
follow the trajectory of mainbocher’s life throughout the exhibition, discovering his bold career choices and unrelenting ambition that guided him through work in chicago, paris and new york. exhibition highlights include a 1937 suit identical to one selected by the duchess for her trousseau, a stunning strapless ball gown worn by mrs. watson armour iii, two items donated by the couturier and samples of his uniforms .
hen we think of the fashion capitals of the world we think of new york, paris, and milan. as a fashion lover in chicago, it always disappoints me that chicago is not part of such a prestigious group. however, chicago is home to a very iconic figure in fashion and chances are you have never heard of him. meet mainbocher, the first american couturier .
it was a time of grandeur and mainbocher (he ran his name together for his label, in the manner of other reigning couturiers such as louiseboulanger and augustabernard) startled by his simplicity. he made short evening dresses instead of long ones, he designed cloth coats to wear at night instead of furs and he used peasantlike checked cottons for grand evening dresses. he became the rage of paris .
how a man from east garfield park (a 1940 new yorker profile described him growing up on
the unfashionable west side of chicago
) found himself dressing some of the world' s most notable women, first in 1930s paris and then for decades in new york, is the theme of the new exhibit at the chicago history museum :
making mainbocher: the first american couturier .
“ making mainbocher, ” a new exhibition opening in chicago tomorrow, is a long - overdue hometown homage to an autodidactic designer, main rousseau bocher, who created exquisite designs for the crème de la crème. if his outlook wasn’t particularly democratic, bocher’s life was a rather splendid example of the american dream, which we are hearing so much about this election season, and bears a brief retelling .
ainbocher was a trendsetter in more ways than one. one of his most iconic yet controversial creations was the “mainbocher corset” it dramatically pulled in the waist and altered an undefined silhouette creating a defined bosom. his last and final parisian collection featured the iconic yet controversial piece. he was a little ahead of his time by accentuating the figure of a woman in the 1930’s, so the controversy is understandable .
while mainbocher did use some japanese - like kimonos as eveningwear during this period, his hallmark was nonaggressive, not exaggerated or period dressing. a touch of labor - intensive luxury would be bestowed by all - over sequins on an evening jacket or on a bare top worn discreetly under a jacket. the grayish - blue ,
wallis blue ,
of the duchess of windsor' s wedding dress, as well as the long, fluid cr
mrs. winston guest. (c. z. , wife of the dashing sportsman. lambert introduced the outdoorsy guest to mainbocher, a match that proved to be as mutually inspiring as the enduring one he enjoyed with the duchess of windsor. “in main, c. z. was so understated that when she went to spain they didn’t understand her at all, ” recalls a fashion editor. “they thought she dressed like a governess. ” )
“main bocher and five new mainbochers, from left to right: [ on sunny harnett ] silk surah morning glories—pink and fuchsia on black, one of the few long dresses mainbocher showed this season. this has his famous bias cut, a cowboy fling of scarf trickling off the shoulders. at main bocher’s, left, one of those short evening dresses that look almost too fragile to breathe on—embroidered white organdy. over [ isabelle albonico’s ] arm, a short red faille coat. the coat half - hidden by this one [ on anne st. marie ] is fitted white cotton, with a dotty pink - and - white lining. the other dots—mauve on white—belong to one of the famous mainbocher suit blouses, and account for much of the charm of the mauve jersey suit in the foreground [ on dorothy mcgowan ]. finally, a cashmere dress with its own flick of jacket in white and yellow checks. the coiffures by kenneth of lily daché. ”
at the close of the 40s, lambert improvised a “best - dressed fashion professionals” list: the flamboyant valentina, whose producer husband, george schlee, was greta garbo’s lover; sophie gimbel (sophie of saks); maxime de la falaise, then a designer at paquin; and mrs. john c. wilson (born natasha paley, she was a morganatic russian princess, mainbocher’s directrice, the wife of noël coward’s lover, and the possessor, cecil beaton wrote, of an “instinctive and poetic beauty”) .
the costume council of the chicago history museum presents a first look at the exhibition at making mainbocher: an opening night gala, on friday, october 21. the fashionable evening gala promises cocktails, dinner and dancing. the event is sponsored by the costume council of the chicago history museum alongside liz stiffel as presenting sponsor; luvanis as lead corporate sponsor; laurent perrier; jewell catering and bbj linen as event sponsors; and chicago magazine as media sponsor. co - chairs for the event are nancy connelly, marci holzer, and mary shearson .
“in actual fact, ” mainbocher divulged to town & country in 1967, the poll was “a publicity stunt for my paris house, ” orchestrated “by the directrice of my salon with the aid of a helpful journalist. naturally, the top awards went to my own clients with a few others sprinkled in for verisimilitude. we did not take it all seriously at the time but others did; indeed, it was a sensation, and it eventually passed out of our hands altogether. since then, there has been a stupendous escalation of the original idea. ”
mainbocher, known for his sense of decorum, created a garment impeccably suited to the occasion. if his design seems conservative, as compared to the modern experiments of others in the 1930s, it was because he sought an unerring gentility. he held decoration to a minimum, favoring refined feminine forms (petal - shaped collar, shirring, small embroideries). even the gloves were specifically designed to accommodate the wedding ring. while a defect in the stability of the dye has caused the dress to lose its
wallis
blue, it retains the willful seemliness of a marriage in world view .
kristin noelle smith, president of the costume council of the chicago history museum, spoke of mainbocher' s legacy .
he was born and raised on the west side of chicago, served in world war i in france and rose to become the first american couturier, one of only two ever, to be granted this label by the french government... . he was a one - of - a - kind, exceptional chicagoan who reached the pinnacle of design .
his client list included hollywood icons, socialites and royalty. (he designed the duchess of windsor' s wedding gown) .
mainbocher
is usually given a frenchified spin (
man - bo - shay
), appropriate for a venerated fashion house that dressed generations of a - listers, women such as the duchess of windsor, whose 1937 wedding gown in
wallis blue
is one of the most recognizable garments of the 20th century; gloria vanderbilt, the jeans designer and anderson cooper' s mom; socialite c. z. guest; legendary vogue editor diana vreeland; and mary martin, the broadway star. but the name of the man himself was pronounced
maine bocker ,
for he was american — born and raised in chicago.
mainbocher is a fashion label founded by the american couturier main rousseau bocher ( 1890 – 1976 ) , also known as mainbocher . established in 1929 , the house of mainbocher successfully operated in paris ( 1929 – 1939 ) and then in new york ( 1940 – 1971 ) . although often pronounced " man-bo-shay , " the designer 's name is correctly pronounced " maine-bocker . " 
mainbocher is a fashion label founded by the american couturier main rousseau bocher (1890 – 1976), also known as mainbocher. established in 1929, the house of mainbocher successfully operated in paris (1929 – 1939) and then in new york (1940 – 1971). although often pronounced " man-bo-shay, " the designer's name is correctly pronounced " maine-bocker. "
mainbocher is a fashion label founded by the american couturier main rousseau bocher (1890 – 1976), also known as mainbocher. established in 1929, the house of mainbocher successfully operated in paris (1929 – 1939) and then in new york (1940 – 1971). although often pronounced " man-bo-shay, " the designer's name is correctly pronounced " maine-bocker. "