andré courrèges

paris
Written by Madison Todd for Introduction to Fashion Design
Spring 2017
Professor Christopher McDonnell
 THE BEGINNING:

André Courrèges was born in Pau, France

on March 9, 1923. Courrèges’ father was a
major domo in a private chateau and decided
to send his son to a school that specialized
in civil engineering. Growing up during the
Second World War, Courrèges trained as a
pilot in the French Air Force. His father wanted
him to be a pilot to stray Courrèges away
from his fashion designing dreams. Despite
his father’s efforts, Courrèges actually gained
an understanding of three – dimensional
structure that would soon become the basis
for his innovative apparel creations.
André Courrèges by Reg Lancaster, 1967
Much to Courrèges’ surprise, Cristobal Balenciaga had been born
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Lorem the other side of the border of Spain. When Courrèges learned this,
he decided that Balenciaga would be the mentor from whom he would
like to learn. Quickly after the war ended in 1945, André ventured to Paris.
At only twenty – two years old, he studied fashion design at Chambre
Syndicale school and tried to gain a job with his idol, Cristobal Balenciaga.
After attempting and failing to receive an interview, Courrèges moved
on to the Jeanne Lafaurie fashion design house. Eventually Courrèges
found a way into the Balenciaga house, through means of smugglers
that were selling Balenciaga fabrics. Cristobal Balenciaga
interviewed Courrèges and took him on as a tailoring atelier.
 André Courrèges at his atelier in Paris

Courrèges enjoyed working at Balenciaga and after five years, Balenciaga

sent him to work in his Elsa couture house in Spain. Balenciaga decided to
do this because he wanted to give Courrèges ‘more freedom’. According to
The Great Fashion Designers, after working at the Elsa couture house,
Courrèges told Balenciaga, “Nothing grows under a tall tree. I am a little acorn
and you are a great oak. I have to leave you to survive.” Of course Balenciaga
pretended not to hear, and acted the same for the next three years. Eventually
Balenciaga wondered in to talk to Courrèges and asked him if he was leaving.
After receiving his answer, Balenciaga offered Courrèges not only money, but
also administration assistance and clients.
In 1961 with some financial assistance from his previous mentor, Courrèges
created his own house. Coqueline Barriere, an assistant that he worked with
in Balenciaga, became a partner for the house and eventually became his
wife in 1966. At first, the couple struggled because they were still under the
influence of their previous employer. According to The Great Fashion Designers,
Courrèges once said, “In his atelier, I had to think like him. Balenciaga taught
me about the seventeenth century. The aesthetic simplicity of his clothes and
mine was inspired by that period.” The Courrèges’ gradually began to develop
their own style, in line with the trends of the sixties.

André Courrèges and wife, Coqueline


John F. Kennedy
Presidential Poster, 1960
Shot Marilyns by Andy Warhol, 1964
THE SIXTIES:
The sixties were a period of disruption in
political, social, and even sartorial terms.
Vogue labeled it a “Youthquake” in 1965.
The youth of the era created the pivotal
change in fashion, due to their interests. The
dramatic political events had an indirect impact
on fashion. However, most of the youth were
influenced by certain social and cultural
experiences, such as popular music
and sexual revolution. Through the social
and economic changes, young people
gained a self – conscious awareness of
himself or herself as a specific and
unified group. Through this they were able
to react to political and social events while
in the process, creating their own culture.
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Within several years, the entire face of fashion had

changed. Instead of daughters wanting to dress like
their mothers, it was the opposite. Before this time, women
would buy a piece by their favored designer. As the
sixties approached, each designer seemed to build their
own personal style, thus women would wait to see
the collections from each designer before purchasing.
The Rolling Stones
Mary Quant created the mini skirt, and Courrèges was concert poster, 1965
able to build on that to make it a couture piece. Being a
time where long legs were coveted, this was an
attractive style to the public. Yves Saint Laurent
attempted a collection that included the riskier rock
trend. Rock and roll bands such as The Beatles and
The Rolling Stones heavily influenced the youth;
therefore those young adults preferred his collection.
The youth of this time were said to be ‘pop art in The Beatles, Abbey Road
motion’, constantly doing something new and album cover, 1969
electrifying, and their clothing
reflected this style..
 THE SPACE AGE:

Courrèges, constantly
thinking ahead of the time, was able to move right along with
the style changes of the new era. The Courrèges’ idea
was that women needed to be able to walk and run again in
their shoes, so they decided to create a flat boot. However
this changed all of the proportions for a women’s body.
This created a very delicate balance to the body, and a hat
became a necessity to finish the ensemble. They decided
this new garment, new look, would fall from the shoulders
and float off the body. Courrèges noted that he didn’t want
to emphasize the waistline because the body is a whole; he
didn’t want to treat the top and bottom as two different parts.
 Audrey Hepburn in André Courrèges Hat,
photographed by Douglas Kirkland, 1965

André Courrèges, Boots, ca. 1967,

The Metropolitan Museum of Art,
New York
 Courrèges created his iconic collection,
Space Age, in 1964. The collection was
new, exciting, and full of innovative pieces.
Boxy shapes, thigh – grazing lengths, bold
accessories, booties, and helmets were a
majority of the metallic runway show.
Courrèges became known all over
the world for his futuristic and modern
pieces, calling it a ‘celebration of life’. With
small pops of tangerine, lime, and neon
pink, the collection had a sense of youth.

André Courrèges, Ensemble, 1964

Courrèges also transformed the ‘little
black dress’ into the ‘little white dress’
through his Space Age collection.
Many of the outfits in this collection
had cut – out midriffs and bare backs.
Courrèges didn’t like anything that would
make movement difficult, so he strayed
from high heels and bras. Courrèges also
worked on creating trousers for women.
He knew that women were already
wearing pants ensembles for leisure, but
Courrèges wanted to make them couture,
and did so by using luxurious fabrics and André Courrèges, Dress,
flattering cuts. He understood the female’s photographed by William Klein, 1965
body proportions and wanted to create
clothing that was flattering on any body
type but that also had personal style. Lorem ipsum
Overall, it caught every woman’s attention.
 Below: Patti Boyd in André Courrèges Ensemble,
photographed by David Bailey for Vogue, 1969

Above: André Courrèges, Ensemble,

photographed by F.C. Gundlach, 1965
Below: André Courrèges, Dress,
photographed by William Laxton, 1960s

Above: André Courrèges, Ensemble,

photographed by Pierre Boulat for LIFE, 1965
 MOVING FORWARD:

Courrèges kept working on his designs over the years, and eventually
fashion was closing in on his vision. He had been designing and selling
some of the most desired pieces for sportswear for a couple of years,
and understood that this would have an influence on clothing. According
to The Great Fashion Designers, in 1977 Courrèges said, “We have
reached another turning point. Other designers are wanting to give women
that refined style of the 1940s, but it does not correspond to their way of
life. So the cothes made for sport must be embodied into every day life.
We must introduce a more relaxed, at – ease style to everday clothes.”
Although Courrèges was a couple of years off, it is interesting to see
how accurate he is in his hypothesis while analyzing fashion trends today.
By 1972 there were 125 Courrèges boutiques worldwide and
the company went on to create their own fragrance and accessory
lines. Courrèges was chosen to create the staff uniforms for the
Munich Olympics, and the next year the powerhouse began designing
menswear. Although fashion moved on from the futuristic movement,
Courrèges and his wife kept to their own personal style. The two were
able to regain the company again in 1994, after being tossed around
to other business in the recent years. In 2002, Coqueline began
developing a line of electric concept cars that resemble the curves of
the white helmets her husband made a signature piece. The pair sold the
brand in 2011 to two former Young and Rubicam advertising executives:
Jacques Bungert and Frederic Tortoting. The brand reappeared on the
Paris Fashion Week Runway in September 2015 under two new creative
directors: Sebastian Meyer and Arnaud Valliant. One of the new Courrèges
pieces was worn by Miley Cyrus to the MTV’s Video Music Awards in 2015.
 André Courrèges passed
away January 7, 2016. Courrèges will always be known
as the man who changed the look of fashion. Throughout
his years, he has risen to international fame for his forward –
thinking modern designs. Along with other contemporary
designers, such as Paco Rabanne and Pierre Cardin,
Courrèges changed the look of the sixties for the go – go
girls of the era. The advancement that Courrèges’ Space
Age collection made for the entire world of fashion, including
how business in fashion is done, is legendary. The brand will
forever be remembered as changing the world of fashion
as we know it.
André Courrèges and model, late 1960s
References:
Brenda Polan, Roger Tredre. The Great Fashion Designers. New York : Berg, 2009.

Friedman, Vanessa. "Andre Courreges, Fashion Designer Who Redifined Couture,

Dies at 92 ." The New York Times 8 January 2016: A15.

Leblond, Romuald. Andre Courreges. 31 June 2014. 25 May 2017

<http://theredlist.com/wiki-2-23-1249-1257-view-1960s-profile-andre-courreges
-3.html>.

Steele, Valerie. Fifty Years of Fashion . Paris : Yale University Press, 1997.