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Chloe

Edited by: Boyd Davis

 
Stella McCartney receiving her New Generation Award from the Rover British Fashion Awards, Feb 2001. (Photo by: Javier Mateo)

Founded in 1952 by Jacques Lenoir and Gaby Aghion, Chloe as a fashion house bases its strength on the current head designer and not on the name of the house. This philosophy is a double-edge sword, giving Chloe its biggest strength and also its weakest point.

The strength lies in Chloe's capacity to change instantly and not stay with a certain standard set by the fashion world. Chloe's clientele expects changes, hence when it comes, they are not surprised. So, in times of very strong designers like Karl

Lagerfeld(1965-1983 and in 1992), Maritine Sitbon (1987-1991) and Stella McCartney (1995 to present 2001), the brand flourishes. But during down times, the brand becomes tired and almost non-existent.  

Chloe's distinctiveness is its ability to stay within its design philosophy of providing modern and wearable clothes to its clientele no matter who is its head designer. It will stay in the annals of fashion history as the house which allowed the infusion of new blood every so often to challenge to status quo and allow a brand new designer to establish his or her own identity simultaneously as an individual and as part of Chloe. //BD  

Ouch! Stella Is So Hot!

By Godfrey Deeny

Paris, Mar 14, 2001/ FWD/--- Paris may continue to speculate about Stella McCartney's future plans, but if she does leave Chloe the house will definitely be on a roll for Fall 2001.

The collection she showed in Paris Wednesday was her most sophisticated to date for Chloe, and crammed full of clothes for her faithful fans.

An outspoken critic of using leather and fur, McCartney also proved it's possible to design fake fur that's just as good as the real thing. She sent out high-necked jackets and coats, shaven to show flower motifs with what looked like molten gold.

McCartney has clearly been keeping a lot of Bombay artisans busy embroidering. Her finale featured skirts sprinkled with glass beads and coats showered in appliqué droplets. Couture elements were also in evidence in "sea grass" embroidery that crept across ecru coats and skirts.

Security was strict at the event, so for once McCartney's top-notch front row didn't cause a paparazzi stampede. On her father's right sat rocker Chrissie Hynde, on his left Liv Tyler and Debi Mazar.

McCartney again showed highly wearable T-shirts - especially those with life-size stenciled faces. Dad Paul even wore one, as did Hynde. The Chloe girl continues to don jeans, though for fall she'll have chains on her back pocket and round the waist she'll wear purple sequined belts.

"I loved it, and I think it's great the way Stella gets more and more sophisticated," said Tyler, who is staying with her pal McCartney this week.

Biography:

Nationality French.
Company founded by Jacques LENOIR and Gaby AGHION.
Company formed in 1952.
Collection presented in Paris.
Designed by Karl LAGERFELD 1964-1984
Designed by Martine SITBON 1988-1992
Designed by Karl LAGERFELD 1992-1997
Designed by Stella MCCARTNEY 1997- 2001

Surces: http://www.fashionwindows.com

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