Chloe Dress formerly owned by Lauren Bacall
View Similar Items
Chloe Dress formerly owned by Lauren Bacall
About the Item
Chloé
A part of the Left Bank intellectual crowd who shared her mother’s fondness for fashion, Chloé cofounder Gaby Aghion was inspired to empower independent working women to break from the conservative dress of the 1950s and don more free-spirited, feminine designs that were appropriate for both work and social life.
Born in Alexandria, Egypt, Aghion established her fashion house in Paris in 1952 with her business partner Jacques Lenoir to develop her own source of income, separate from her husband’s. She was one of the first designers to embrace the concept of luxury prêt-à-porter as a middle ground between haute couture and off-the-rack for the masses.
In 1964, Aghion hired a fledgling Karl Lagerfeld as a designer. The pair would bring Chloé into the international spotlight with their easy yet glamorous lines that drew such fans as Jacqueline Kennedy. Lagerfeld became the staff creative lead at Chloé in 1974 and stayed with the brand until 1983, during which time he became known for his romantic silk dresses that continued Aghion’s feminine vision and were a favorite of the “rich hippie” set. In 1988, then-unknown designer Martine Sitbon took the helm of Chloé for several years before Lagerfeld returned as creative director from 1992 to 1997, drawing all of the iconic 1990s supermodels to his runway.
After his second departure, Chloé tapped yet another early-career designer to lead the label: a punky 25-year-old Stella McCartney, who earned the position not because of her famous lineage (she’s the daughter of Paul and Linda McCartney), but because of her fashion education at Central Saint Martins and work experience on London’s Savile Row and at Christian Lacroix. Following McCartney’s exit to launch her own line in 2001, Chloé named Phoebe Philo to the post.
Under Philo’s leadership, Chloé expanded from women’s clothing to an accessories line — including handbags — and debuted the legendary Paddington bag in 2004. The padlocked satchel, notorious for weighing a hefty three pounds while empty, became one of the “It bags” of the decade (the brand’s double-handled Marcie holds its own in that regard); the entire 8,000-bag initial production run sold out via preorders.
Philo left Chloé in 2006; her successors include, among others, Clare Waight Kelle and Natacha Ramsay-Levi, who announced that she would be departing the house in late 2020. Part of Chloé’s decades-long lasting influence — which we’d like to speculate would appease Aghion greatly — is the brand’s dedication as a career-launching platform for newbie designers, particularly women.
Browse an extraordinary inventory of vintage Chloé handbags, day dresses, shoes and more on 1stDibs.
- Gianni Versace S/S 2001 Vintage Geometric Print Belted Open Back DressBy Gianni VersaceLocated in Naples, FLGianni Versace S/S 2001 Vintage Geometric Print Belted Open Back Dress IT 44Category
1990s Evening Dresses and Gowns
- 1980 Adolfo Gold Lace & Sequin Pouf Shoulder Cocktail Mini Dress Size 4By AdolfoLocated in Gresham, OREarly 1980s Adolfo sequined and beaded gold lace 3/4 sleeve mini dress with pouf shoulder. Gold bead banding at hem, collar and cuff. Back zipper. Unlined.Category
1980s American Cocktail Dresses
- Michael Kors Collection Size 6 / 8 Navy Blue and White Gingham Puff Sleeve DressBy Michael KorsLocated in San Diego, CAChic MICHAEL KORS COLLECTION navy blue and white gingham checkered puff sleeve nautical dress ! 98% Cotton 2% Spandex. Features allover navy blue and white gingham throughout the e...Category
2010s Italian Cocktail Dresses
$796 Sale Price20% Off - Bob Mackie For Neiman Marcus Important Cotton Plaid 50s Style Vintage DressBy Bob MackieLocated in San Diego, CAImportant Bob Mackie late 70s/early 80s dress! From the era of Mackie's 'hype,' this dress mirrors his femininity, and attention to detail. Cotton la...Category
1980s American Cocktail Dresses
- Elaborately Beaded French FLapper Dress, c.1920sLocated in New York, NYElaborately Beaded French FLapper Dress, c.1920s Indigo knee-length gauze Flapper dress with intricate beading of art deco style motifs in shades of indigo, blue and silver. Featurin...Category
1920s French Aesthetic Evening Dresses
- Judy Hornby for Neiman Marcus Vintage Hand Painted Silk Dress + Wrap EnsembleBy Neiman Marcus, Judy HornbyLocated in Sparks, NVBeautiful hand painted silk dress and matching wrap ensemble by Judy Hornby for Neiman Marcus in watercolor shades of pink, brown, teal and pur...Category
Late 20th Century American Evening Dresses
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
14 Iconic Luxury Handbags and the Stories behind Them
When the name of a bag is as well-known as its brand, you know it's a classic.
The Best Ways to Dress for Your Astrological Sign
Makeup and astrology expert Linda Mason dispenses fashion advice for every zodiac sign. Does your wardrobe match your horoscope?