Jacques Fath

Jacques Fath was the original "enfant terrible" which is a term that's now used in reference to Jean Paul Gaultier. He will forever be remembered for his flattering dinner dresses that made women  look and feel glamorous. Carmel Snow who at the time was the editor of Hapers Bazaar US once said said "He makes you look like you have sex appeal—and believe me, that's important.”

Together with his wife and muse Genevieve Fath, they hosted some of the most effervescent parties of their time. He always had a keen interest in fashion from an early age this probably channeled his ability to teach himself everything he knew as a couturier.

His charm, charisma and good looks intrigued people. The likes of Rita Hayworth, Ava Gardner, Greta Garbo slipped into his body molding garments for their numerous events.

You could say that Jacques came from art inclined background. His great grandmother was a seamstress/fashion illustrator; great grand father a landscape painter and his grand father a writer.

His father on the other hand owned an insurance brokerage business which Jaques Fath was a part of for a short period before following his dream. 

At the age of 25 he opened his own studio at Rue de la Boetie where he employed 10 workers to work with him. It was there he created his first collection of 20 dresses which brought enough capital and awareness for him to develop a larger collection the next season. As young designers, Herbert de Givenchy, Guy Laroche and Valentino Garavani worked in Jacques Fath's studios.

Jacques Fath came up with the idea of constructing a full A line skirt, that would allow women ride their bicycles comfortably when there was a shortage in gasoline after the war. This shows that he paid attention to what women needed in terms of practical yet stylish clothes. Though he died early of leukemia, he is still strongly regarded as one of the dominant fashion figures from the 40's and the 50's.