A New Furniture Line Based on This Legendary Fashion Designer Hits The Market
Before there was Yves Saint Laurent and Karl Lagerfeld, there was Jacques Doucet: a couturier and art collector who dressed the who's who of the Belle Époque. Actress Sarah Bernhardt was one of his clients. As was a Carrie Astor, Consuelo Vanderbilt, and, even, Edith Wharton. Though he was a hit among the elite during this era, his sartorial tastes lost their luster in society by the 1920s, when fashion began to shed the Edwardian lavishness for simpler silhouettes (Think: Chanel's little black dress). But, those who follow fashion know that what's old always becomes new again, and Doucet's name is ringing in the ears of aesthetes more than a century later.
What if Doucet were around today? How would he outfit his home? What pieces would he find worthy enough to match his taste? These are the questions that the design duo Olivier Garcé and Clio Dimofski pondered when creating their latest furniture line; a direct nod to the designer. The collection, which debuted at Salon Art + Design, comprises of pieces across all categories, from dining to living rooms, and sofas to sconces. "Each piece reflects Doucet's influence, with layered textures like the matte oak and shining ceramic in the Gray Coffee Table. Our designs are simple in shape but intricate in detail, creating an understated sophistication we think Doucet would have appreciated," Garcé and Dimofski tell T&C.
Doucet was a staple socialite in his era. By the time he was born (1853), "Doucet" was an established name due to his family's successful lingerie and linens business. His clothes were adored for their highly detailed embroideries, and use of rare gros point de Venise lace. He was an avid collector of artists, racking up names like Constantin Brâncuși, Marcel Duchamp, Henri Matisse, and Joan Miró (Little did he know that these artists would sell for several millions a century later). His trademarks are in Garcé and Dimofski's collection. There's a rug made in the same fashion as an archival Doucet Embroidery; there are sconces and lamps that echo Brancusi's sculptures. There's a hint of cubism in tables like Doucet's love for Picasso. And, the couches and chairs upholstered in Dedar fabrics mimic the curvaceous dresses Doucet fashioned for his women.
"From all couture houses of the Belle Époque, Jacques Doucet was the one who best understood and translated the sinuous and fluid lines of Art Nouveau in the sartorial field," Arnaud de Lummen, Managing Director of Luvanis, an investment company that revives dormant heritage brands. (Jacques Doucet is one of them). "Doucet’s popularity among elite women stemmed from his romantic, ultra-feminine designs allowing clients to embody an idealized, graceful past of fragility and romance. For wealthy Americans, his couture offered a slice of Parisian sophistication, while for Parisian women, he represented the pinnacle of style at the time."
But, why now? Who today craves Doucet's aesthetics? For Isabelle Dubern-Mallevays, Co-founder of Invisible Collection where the line will exclusively sell, it has to do with the emphasis on how history plays such a vital role in the design process. "Today, design enthusiasts and collectors continue to draw from this perspective, buying into the culture and storied imagination that lives on in this new collection of furniture. As the co-founder of Invisible Collection, I’m thrilled to present the Jacques Doucet Legacy Brand to our clients who value rich cultural narratives and historical depth in design."
To shop the collection, please visit the invisiblecollection.com.
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