📌 Explore the life and legacy of Paul Poiret, the Parisian couturier who revolutionized early 20th-century fashion. From theatre gowns and ocean travel wardrobes to the Minaret dress and exotic evening wraps, discover how Poiret blended art, individuality, and innovation. A valuable resource for teachers, students, genealogists, and historians.

Chez Paul Poiret, Paris. (Harper's Bazar, October 1927) | GGA Image ID # 226f21d4ab

🌊 Review & Summary

Paul Poiret (1879–1944), often called the "King of Fashion," transformed the Parisian fashion world in the 1910s and 1920s. His designs broke with tradition—abolishing the corset, embracing vivid colors, Orientalism, and fluid silhouettes.

For ocean travel, Poiret’s creations spoke to the first-class passenger: bold gowns for promenades, utility wear for leisure pursuits like skating, and lavish evening costumes suitable for dining rooms at sea. His designs were theatrical, reflecting his belief that fashion was performance art.

For students and teachers, Poiret’s work opens conversations on:

• Fashion as a global art form, intersecting with theatre, ocean liner culture, and modernism.
• The tension between individuality and mass fashion.
• His role as an innovator—introducing trousers for women, harem skirts, and costume balls that rivaled anything in Edwardian Paris.

For genealogists, references to Poiret in family photographs, diaries, or ocean liner passenger wardrobes help date documents and contextualize ancestors’ social standing.

📌 Quick Facts

Name: Paul Poiret (1879–1944)

Known for: Abolishing the corset, Orientalist influences, lamp-shade “Minaret” dress

Connection to Ocean Travel: Designed wardrobes for wealthy travelers; Mme. Poiret sailed aboard the *Lusitania in a custom Poiret ensemble

Signature Styles: Harem pants, hobble skirts, tunic gowns, bold use of color and exotic fabrics

Legacy: Founded the decorative arts atelier *Martineand perfume line *Rosine*, pioneering the fashion–lifestyle brand model

Chez Poiret (October 1927)

For those who are tired of the mass-produced fashion of the modern woman, Poiret's new collection is a breath of fresh air, offering unique and artistic visions of beauty. Poiret deliberately eschews the current fashion trends, choosing to follow his artistic inclinations in design and color.

His creations are not just clothes but works of art inspired by the world of art and suitable for the individualistic and picturesque woman. A visit to Poiret's establishment is not just a shopping trip but an educational experience akin to a visit to an art gallery.

The Poiret waistline, as usual, wanders prodigiously and may be discovered low down or again high up; in most cases, however, it occupies its normal position. In most houses, this produces a pre-war impression but succeeds at Poiret's in conveying an atmosphere of Greece.

Poiret uses velvet in all conceivable shades, beautiful brocades, and much gold and silver, besides the fabrics he invents and which no one can handle but himself. He shows practically no tailored suits and hardly any sports clothes.

The most original is a very full-skirted green velvet afternoon gown called "Mortemart," which, worn with a beige and gold waistcoat, has a very high collar. Many gilt shells form a hat combined to harmonize with this costume.

A clinging gray marocain coat and plaited skirt have pale green silver embroidered braids to edge the jacket. The model is very appropriately named "Institut."

Another glorified suit de style called " Louis XIII . " is designed in brown velvet with rose-red bows and a golden guipure collar.

"Zig Zag" is a voluminous beige mantle decorated by geometrical bands of black velvet.

"Neige " is snowdrifts of ostrich feather strands on pure white satin, and "Vermer" is the newest-looking robe de style imaginable. It consists of a tight-fitting black velvet jacket distended at the hips, from which depends an ample black chiffon skirt over a white satin foundation.

However, the most beautiful creation of all is "Charles VII." It is a ruby velvet garment with flowing sleeves embroidered in gold and lined with a mellowed green. This garment is worn over a short white satin petticoat.

Last, a long-trained and very short-waisted gown of green and rose metal brocade must be mentioned. It has both feet and ankles protruding from slits ingeniously provided in order not to interfere with the sweeping motion of the train.

Will the Greek note, inspired by "Aphrodite," play as important a role on the stage of fashions as the crinoline introduced in the "Minaret"?

Paul Poiret believes that it will and he has sounded it in a subtle, alluring manner in the production that has taken Paris by storm. In this very illuminating article he has taken our readers behind the scenes and tells them the whys and the wherefores of the designs he has originated.

One Way to Start a Fashion by Paul Poiret. Harper's Bazar, May 1914, p. 42. | GGA Image ID # 1cc3cd5bf8

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1. A rainy day in stage and permits many liberties with regard to costume, and Poiret has taken advantage of his privileges in this gown of plaited delft blue voile protected by a mauve mantle, caught just below the ear by an antique medallion.
2. Only a Parisian could dignify this tunic and ceinture by the title "dress." Of sleeves and corsage there is not a trace. The tunic is in a gold tint and is painted in a black and white Egyptian design. Over it falls the plaited white voile peplum restrained by the ceinture of red leather studded with gold.
3. The courtesan on fête day is a brilliant creature in a robe as light as air veiled by as immaterial a mantle. It is caught on the shoulders and on the arms, and extends to the deep fringe of pearls which scintillate like a shower of luminous rain drops.
4. Only the master of the intricacies of drapery could swathe the figure effectively in three blue linen scarfs, catching the draperies with garlands of pearls. Even the cothurns are encrusted with the pearls.
5. The Tanagra statuette has come to life and is wearing a heavy gray voile mantle painted in an Egyptian design on the right shoulder and on the train. Her little pointed hat is a replica of the one worn by the Grecian women of antiquity and is found in certain regions bordering the Mediterranean.
6. Over a chlamys of metal, similar to a cuirass, there falls a straight length of transparent voile , extending from the coiffure to the floor, where it passes between the feet, forming the train embroidered in pearls, and mounts again to the coiffure of pearls.
7. A typical Poiret color scheme has been developed in this costume of plaited gold-tinted crêpe veiled with a mantle of currant-hued chiffon embroidered in pearls and mounted over a fourreau of blue crêpe.

10. With the two long chains of pearls this courtesan, according to Poiret, is giving an invitation to her admirers to follow her. She is clothed in plaited co ton crêpe partially concealed by the sinuous green crêpe mantle. Her parasol suggests an ancient vintage.
11. For the poor little flute player, Poiret has designed a costume that will signify misery and poverty. The brown cotton tunic falls from the coiffure, down the back to the ankles, where it passes between the legs, and is carried up to the point held in place by the cord encircling the neck. A red braid serves as the ceinture.

Poiret Model on the Front Cover of Harper's Bazar, August 1914. | GGA Image ID # 1cc41a01cb

Much ink is wasted in articles telling how fashions are created, how the dressmaker first conceives them, carried out in the models, then displayed to the public, and finally, cither accepted or tossed aside. Fashions are never created—they grow.

They are in the air. There seem to be currents of thought demanding specific fashions, certain conceits, at certain times, and equally strong
currents were turning them down absolutely at others.

An event in art or the theatrical world often starts a fashion, like a war or a great catastrophe. Happily, most fashions are begun by the theatre, not by calamities, and particularly is this true of Paris.

Probably no city in the world has better or more refined theatres than Paris. At least, I am sure that no other cities have residents as devoted to this form of entertainment as the Parisians.

Theatre Fashions by Poiret. (Harper's Bazar, May 1914) | GGA Image ID # 1cc42c981a

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1. Back and front views of citron-coloured crêpe satin and silver cloth gown by Poiret. These two materials have been swathed around the figure in true Poiret fashion for this evening gown and, as if to give the creation character, a wide girdle of jet is added . Gimbel Brothers imported the model.
2. The semi- fitting basque has been interpreted by Poiret in terms of printed moiré faille and he has added a very novel touch in the lacing which fastens the garment in the back. The crinoline note, originally struck by this master designer, is apparent in the magenta tunic. The model was imported by Gimbel Brothers.
3. One of the gowns designed by Poiret for "Aphrodite" and imported by John Wanamaker. Green sating is combined with black tulle and jet, ropes of the jet being fastened bracelet-like on the arms.
4. Another of the "Aphrodite" gowns at John Wanamaker's in a wonderful blending of orange and yellow.
5. Poiret takes purple taffeta, a brilliant radiant shade of purple, and winds around it magenta ribbon.
6. True to his theory that the masculine fashions supply inspiration for feminine modes, Poiret has designed this cape after the garments worn by the coachmen of the busses in 1789 and 1830.  The model has been imported by John Wanamakerer.

💡 Did You Know?

• 🎩 Paul Poiret designed a custom travel costume for his wife’s return voyage aboard the RMS Lusitania in 1913. This shows how couture fashion wasn’t just about salons in Paris but also about visibility on iconic transatlantic liners.
• 🎭 Poiret often drew inspiration from the theatre. His gowns for the play Aphrodite blended Egyptian and Greek motifs, later influencing evening fashions worn by elite ocean travelers.
• 🌍 Through his “Martine” decorative arts studio, Poiret even experimented with textiles produced in America, allowing U.S. buyers to bring Parisian couture influences directly into department stores.
• 👑 Nicknamed the “King of Fashion,” Poiret helped popularize the corset-free silhouette—an innovation embraced by women traveling by sea who valued both elegance and comfort during long voyages.

Designs by Poiret for the Crinolines Worn at the Duchesse de Gramont's Ball. "I Have Never Known a Period When Women Were Lacking in Grace,” Declares Paul Poiret, and Verifies His Statement by Reference to the Crinolines Worn at the Duchesse de Gramont’s Ball. Even in These Superannuated Costumes, He Sees Much to Admire—and Perhaps Utilize in the Future for the Creations of Tulle and Taffeta He Designed for This Famous Ball Caused a Veritable Furore in Paris. Incidentally, He Takes This Opportunity to Have a Friendly Fling at Sem, the French Caricaturist. Harper's Bazar, August 1914, p. 12. GGA Image ID # 1cc453b736

Parisians of all classes flock to the theatre, the grande dame, the bourgeoisie, and the working woman. And the scale of prices in the French theatres is so varied that, as a rule, all the different classes of society are represented in the same plays.

The French are a drama-loving people. The moving picture. for instance, has never been able to make the inroad to French theatres that it has made in other countries, for the French are individualists, and they like to come in contact with the human equation.

Perhaps because it is the favorite diversion of a whole city, the theatre has become one of the most convenient places for launching a fashion. The newest designs are displayed there—not the freaks, but the tendencies, which the general public will take up later and develop.

The actress who appears in modern plays feels that it is as much her duty to be fashionably gowned as it is to act well, for she knows that in the beginning, at least, women will come to see her for her gowns as much as for the play.

Costume plays, however, are different. The modem play shows you the full-fledged dress; the costume play gives you glimpses of the possibilities of adapting certain styles or lines and colors if you have any imagination.

The "Minaret" is a case in point. And such, I hope, will be the new play by Pierre Frondaie taken from the novel by Pierre Louys, "Aphrodite," which is living produced at the Théâtre de la Renaissance.

The scene of "Aphrodite" is the city of Alexandria at the time of its splendor. Of course, the setting is Greek and Egyptian, and the costumes must reflect the local color.

Skating Suit Designed by Paul Poiret Is an Excellent Model for Utility Wear. It Is Fashioned From a Heavy Cloth, Preferably in One of the New Bright Colours Which Belong by Right to Young Girls. the Severely Tailored Skirt Features Inverted Plaits at the Bottom, Providing Sufficient Width for Freedom of Motion. the Cut of the Jacket Suggests the Russian Blouse, With Inverted Plaits in the Peplum, and a Belt Extending Across the Back and Sides, Buttoning Onto the Front Panel. Harper's Bazar, November 1913, p. 46. GGA Image ID # 1cc45b3ed3

In designing the costumes, I have made no effort to copy photographically, as it were, the costumes worn at that time. I have not attempted to reproduce the designs found in old parchments or documents in the libraries or museums, for that is not my way of giving an impression of the past.

I do not believe in too much realism on the stage. Too much detail, too authentic a reproduction of life, is apt to prove bewildering; cluttering the stage with all sorts of useless ornaments used in the period does not give an impression of local color; it merely hampers the imagination.

And after all, the object of a costume play is to stimulate, not kill, the imagination. Indeed, I will say that a costume, every part of which is mechanically copied from an old text, is apt to give no impression of the spirit of the times.

In the costumes of a play like "Aphrodite," my desire is to convey a suggestion of the atmosphere of the times, to reflect the abandon, the love of luxury, the love of color, and, also, of simplicity.

For the First Cotillion, Poiret Has Designed an Effective Frock of White Net With a Tracery of Gold Thread. The Three Flounces of the Net Are Mounted Over a Close-Fitting Foundation of a Softly-Coloured Charmeuse, and Are Edged With Skunk Fur. the Corsage, a Mere Veiling of the Net, Is Banded With the Fur in Surplice Fashion. a Deep Frill of the Net, Fur-Edged, Makes the Sleeves Slightly Longer Than Usual. Harper's Bazar, November 1913, p. 47. GGA Image ID # 1cc49df72c

Consequently, I tried to create an atmosphere quite fantastic and arbitrary -if one might say so —but which, in its ensemble, conveys a suggestion of Egyptian civilization. And I am sending you a few of the sketches I have made.

I have made use of new and different materials. We are apt to think of a beautiful theatrical production associated with silks and sumptuous velvets. I have not followed this idea. Believing, incidentally, that few silks 
were used in those days.

I have employed other materials—some of the new fabrics and some adapted from old ones. I have used crêpes, in both cotton and wool, roughly woven materials, lightweight and infinitely pliable, like those Indian shawls which may be slipped through a ring.

The gowns are built on straight lines and have numerous vertical plaits. Indeed. I shall not be surprised if the play brings back a return to plaits.

The principal characters are clothed in rich cloaks—wide and ample—of soft tissues in brilliant hues. And all the little priestesses of Isis wear colored wigs—pink hair, studded with silver ornaments, and short hair, braided in an infinite number of braids like a fringe, in peacock blue and orange, with bandeaux and ornaments at beads in the same colors.

Speaking of materials, however, I would like to say a few words regarding those made in America this year according to the Martine designs.

Hats and Furs from the J. M. Gidding & Co. Drawing by Mercedes Carles. (Harper's Bazaar, November 1913) | GGA Image ID # 1cc4a4789f

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• (Upper left) Fox dyed a rich golden tone and seal brown chiffon velvet are combined in the scarf and muff, and plumes of the golden tint decorate the hat of brown velvet. These plumes rise to a great height at the back, over a sharply turned-up brim.
• (Center) Both the combination of tiger-skin with seal and the shape of the muff and scarf make this set unusually interesting. The extremely high coque feather increases the height of the flaring left brim.
• (Upper right) For the theatre, there is a stunning wrap of seal-brown chiffon velvet combined with ivory brocaded velvet and trimmed with wide bands of fox. A new effect is given by applying the fur bands at the elbow. The bonnet of yellow uncut velvet is stamped with purple and blue flowers and trimmed with a band of fox which extends over the hat and under the chin, fastening under the right ear beneath a cluster of three silk berries in the dull, soft Poiret shades.
• (Lower left) This cleverly draped chinchilla wrap is edged with fox. To accompany it there is a jaunty little toque of seal-brown velvet, likewise draped, and trimmed with beaver.
• (Lower right) A charming set for the debutante consists of a deep collar and muff of seal-brown taffeta, plaited and edged with skunk. A band of the fur edges the upturned brim of the brown velvet hat trimmed with ostrich.

For years. American buyers in Paris have complained to me, saying:
"Your dresses are gorgeous, we admit, and they tempt us immeasurably, but you must understand that it is very hard for us to copy them in America. It is, indeed, nearly impossible. That piece of embroidery, for instance, cannot be duplicated there, and that material cannot be procured."

That argument has always sounded reasonable, but it seemed to me that there must be some way out of the difficulty, and I tried to find it. That is why I asked my friend Duplan— who controls large silk interests in the United States—to manufacture some materials according to the latest Martine designs.

The idea was a simple one, and it was efficiently carried out. In this way, I made it possible for American concerns to copy my models without being
put to the inconvenience and serious charge of laying in large quantities of materials in Paris—materials on which they would have to pay heavy duty.

And I imagined that everybody would approve of this new way of doing things. I am still unable to grasp why the contrary has taken place.

An amazing protest

The American buyers have raised loud voices of protest. They have scorned the idea and sent me an avalanche of reproaches. The arrangement does them no good, they say. I am still dumbfounded by their attacks and cannot see any reason for them.

And worse yet, I received an official delegation from the silk manufacturers of Lyons, who threatened to put me on the industrial index, so to speak, and to ruin my trade, if I continued, as they expressed it, to damage their business by praising American silks.

At first, I did not take them seriously, and I merely laughed at it, but now I see that there is a serums side to the agitation.

All the manufacturers have considered the question as to whether or not I merit punishment for my audacity; they call me "anti-French" and unpatriotic, claiming that I wish to dethrone the flourishing industries of my country.

I listened to the tempest roaring over my head, and I was not yet sure I was out of its reach.

The dressmakers, too, have made common cause with the manufacturers, an«! one was delegated to express their surprise and indignation to me.

One must pay such a price for being an innovator who desires to leave the beaten path and the broad highway.

I may add, however, that the experience has not discouraged me. I have always known that a reaction asserts itself, and I fully realize the weight of routine and tradition.

I believe that progress in aviation, for instance, is due to those men of daring who risked their lives for the great cause, those men who broke their backs to advance the cause of the "heavier than air" machines. I have determined not to heed them.

And as for me, I am still prepared to have my back broken twice a year— and more often if necessary. Whether I am punished for introducing a harem skirt, a slit skirt, or a crinoline, I shall always defy criticism, and I am prepared to face its blows, for I am in this world to discover new things and to search for them.

The Evening Wrap for the Debutante, as Designed by Poiret, Is a Lovely, Soft, Voluminous Garment of a Brightly-Coloured Velour. The Influence of the Orient Is Patent in the Long, Full Drapings and the Gorgeous Jeweled Girdle Which Holds the Wrap at the Low Waistline. A Collar of White Fox Encircles the Neck and Reaches to the Waistline on the Right Side, and the Long, Loose Sleeves Are Finished With a Deep Cuff of the Fox.(Harper's Bazar, November 1913) | GGA Image ID # 1cc52fe6c5

The inconsistency

Why should others protest or criticize the things which, sooner or later, they are going to adopt?  Why adore tomorrow what they trample on today? Has it not been proved again and again that such is the case?

Do you remember the cry that was raised when the first tight skirt made its appearance? And now everyone wears them and will wear no others. And so it was with the crinoline.

How many people made fun of the "Minaret" when it first appeared who now arc wearing or making Minaret skirts more than I ever did?

The papers have told how the Archbishop of Paris has forbidden the tango and, at the same time, has warned women against the audacities of the current fashion and its immodesties.

When a Cardinal speaks in such a way about fashions, he must be obeying the noblest of impulses. And assuredly, discussing his desires is none of my concern, and I would not think of doing so.

The Holy man must have serious and weighty reasons to talk in so decided a manner. Besides, he must believe that his commands will be obeyed, for he knows better than I do the degree of piety with which his parishioners are blessed.

Golfing Costumes by Abercrombie & Fitch. (Harper's Bazar, May 1914) | GGA Image ID # 1cc5e9afcd

As for me, I am only a dressmaker, and I only know with what coquetterie they are blessed, yet I know that their desire for modish gowns is very strong (and I am glad of it). That is why—if I were Cardinal—I should never try to place morality in opposition to vanity, lest the first should get the worst of it.

I admit that I may be mistaken and that Monseigneur, the Archbishop of Paris, undoubtedly knows the psychology of women much better than I do.

Since his mandate, several décolleté gowns have been ordered for tango parties because the fetes organized by society have not been canceled.

It is said, among other things, that Monsieur Poincaré, President of the Republic, who was to have been present at the first performance of Monsieur and Madame Richepin's latest play "The Tango," was deterred from so doing through the Archbishop's letter. Undoubtedly a very unexpected consequence of his mandate!

However, that may be, the piece has been much discussed by the press; the idea of the play is too novel and inspired by a sentiment too noble, and at the same time, too subtle, to please the great public; but, in regard to the scenery and the costumes, I have received many compliments.

Poiret Shows Frivolous and Serious Frocks and Wraps for the Evening in His Spring Opening. From the Original Drawing by Paul Poiret. Harper's Bazar, April 1914, p. 24. GGA Image ID # 1cc373c5cc

It is the season's opening—a solemn day for me. Just as the playwright scarcely breathes on the day of a first performance, as the accused awaits the sentence of his judges, so I am awaiting the verdict of my patrons, who, within the short space of a few moments, will judge the result of many months' work.

For an hour or two, they will view the mantles and gowns that my brain has created; for that purpose, they have gathered in my salons, and they, too, are impatient to see, criticize, condemn, or praise.

When I look at my judges, I do not feel particularly reassured. There is the Hungarian who used to work in my establishment in Paris some ten years ago and whom the vagaries of fortune have brought to New York.

There is a man who used to be at the head of a large embroidery concern that failed about five years ago in Paris. He was then "picked up" by a prominent American establishment of which he is now the accredited buyer; in a moment or two, he will give me his impressions.

Black Charmeuse Restaurant Frock and Afternoon Gown by Poiret. Photographs by Feder. (Harper's Bazar, April 1914, p. 24) | GGA Image ID # 1cc3ab58d2

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1. Poiret startled the French manufacturers when he commissioned the Duplan Silk Co. of New York to make for him silks from the designs of the children in his Martine school. In the so-called Liseron silk, green and red have been combined in a daring, but not crude manner, and Poiret has used it for the bodice of the black charmeuse restaurant frock he designed exclusively for John Wanamaker.
2. In this fetching afternoon gown designed by Poiret for John Wanamaker the Martine silk has been featured by draping it in pannier folds at the sides of the skirt. The Boquet design, a striking combination of black and white, forms an effective contrast to the black taffeta foundation of the costume. A lace scarf is cleverly draped to simulate a collar on the jacket of vague outline.

And here is Monsieur K—, the New World's "Petronius." In matters of style, his opinion is decisive, and his impressions have weight with the other buyers. They study his every move; they scan his features; they interpret the lift of an eyebrow and the hardline formed by the pursing of his lips. He is the one, it is said, who diplomatically decrees what is and what is not to be fashionable in America.

Mr. L— is at ease on a sofa; he is smoking a large cigar, and his dog is dreaming at his feet.

Mlle. P— from Boston is exchanging glances and winks with Mlle. T— of New York. Those two women, who cannot bear the sight of each other in America, develop a great intimacy in Paris in order to further their business.

All these people went to bed late. It would be impossible to be in Paris without going about a little. Seeing the fashions is an excuse for a theatre party and then for supper at one of the restaurants where the doors never close; no wonder if the mind is not freshly alert to pass on the new Spring fashions. There is a rustle-a very slight one.

The mannequins are coming. One by one, they pass, moving with infinite grace. Lightly swaying, they advance through the salons like delicate canoes balancing between dangerous rocks. But these rocks are silent and immovable. A mild warmth fills the room.

Mlle. P— lulled by the gliding of the canoes, falls asleep as the fifth tailor-made passes. It is a chic little costume of which the skirt is of ratine in a tan and black check and the jacket of self- toned material. A green-collar brightens it. A clever little hat completes the chic effect. The outfit is suitable for sports and summer walks.

Woolen Afternoon Gown

The second costume is of new woolen material in black and white stripes; the wide yoke covers the shoulders, and the sleeves are attached to it. A shawl collar of white pique brightens the costume with a touch of suitable springlike gayety.

The skirt is quite plain, except at the front where it is hitched up as though caught by the waistcoat, here and there, a little green binding emphasizes, as it were, the cut of the skirt, while a few coral-red buttons give the requisite bright touch to the discreet and distinguished ensemble. The hat is a large kioko of black straw, varnished so that it shines almost like jet; a band of white pique encircles the crown knotted jauntily at the side.

The next model has a neat little jacket cut to give the wearer ample freedom of movement. The only trimming consists of a collar of heavy black silk flowered with roses in red and blue. It has been designed primarily for women fond of driving, and it is an effortless cut and extremely chic.

Silk Frock and Afternoon Frock by Poiret. (Harper's Bazar April 1914) | GGA Image ID # 235386df44

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1. It is not surprising that a color artist, such as Poiret is, should delight in the Martine silk bearing the name Pekin, for in it black, yellow and red stripes are cleverly blended. He has dared to make the tunic of this frock designed for John Wanamaker entirely of the silk, but he has toned down the brilliancy by adding a skirt, wide sash and plaited rushing of black charmeuse.
2. An unusual combination of white and navy blue has been exploited in a Martine silk known as Rameau. And Poiret has adapted it in quite as novel a fashion to the black charmeuse afternoon frock designed expressly for John Wanamaker by using it for the bell-shaped sleeves and side insets of the tunic. The flaring tunic and wide sash are typical Poiret features which he has continued in his spring costumes.

The mannequin slips off her coat, and the lining, black studded with roses like the collar, is shown. The skirt is relatively new; it is a straight piece of material, raised in front and held in place by a broad belt of the same material. How it is draped causes it to form a large pocket on either side which is edged by a binding of the same silk as the lining and the collar.

I am sorry that Mlle. P— has fallen asleep. Perhaps if her employers knew how she behaves in Paris, they would replace her with a more conscientious person. Nothing could be simpler.

Another model is a kind of habit of the 1830 period. It is wide and comfortable. The wide collar reminds one of the Incroyables; below it, the vest of cerise linen is closed with four little gold buttons attached to two embroidered "frogs."

Nothing exactly like the skirt has been seen before. It is impossible to see where it closes; it looks like it was all in one piece, as no seams or plackets are visible. Underneath the coat's basques are hidden draperies that look like pockets, but if they were not embroidered to match the waistcoat, they would not be noticed. And so the mannequins pass.

The evening dresses appear. They are more novel than ever. The frivolous little bright-colored gowns are suitable for young girls at Casino hops and garden parties. The tunics are of net. The waists are slightly draped and fastened by a string of pearls that falls over one shoulder to form a sleeve. They are delightfully plain and simple.

There are also more serious dresses - gowns in which black chiffon draperies form delicate clouds on the white surface of the satin underdress. These dresses are trimmed with several strings of diamonds -or rhinestones—and have gold or embroidered jet belts. They are discreet and distinguished; dresses for the mothers to wear.

In this other gown, the movement of the drapery is given by the little bouquet of silver roses attached to the side. The little tunic of the rose-colored net is gathered at the waist. Consequently, it forms numerous pleats which, in every movement of the dance, are lifted, as it were, giving a delightful vaporous and cloud-like effect to the dancer.

With this dress, the hair is dressed a la Grecque with a wreath of little silver roses.

The cloaks to wear with the evening gowns are attractive also. Take this one of linen-colored charmeuse draped like the toga of a Roman Senator. On one side, a sleeve is practically formed by the heavy gold lace; the other side has no such thing as a sleeve, the effect of a double scarf thrown over the arm. Each end of the scarf, as it were, is weighted down with golden lace ending in a jet tassel.

Another wrap is of American material in blue. I would ask you to note that the material is American. This fact is of interest. Hitherto, dressmakers who bought their models in France have been obliged to import large quantities of the material they require in order to copy the models for their American patrons. On those materials, they have to pay exorbitant and crushing duties.

But Mlle. P— of Boston has no eye for this. But let us not disturb her.

Meanwhile, let us look at this dress of blue crêpe de Chine, with a wide drapery in front arranged so that it has no seam whatsoever. A broad belt of pearls, crossed at the bosom, is the only trimming, except for three diamond tassels, one at each sleeve and one in front.

With this gown, a white satin coat is shown. To be truthful, it isn't a coat so much as a pair of white satin sleeves shaped like two huge bags gathered at the wrist by gold ribbons.

Paul Poiret Orange Velvet Sleeveless Jacket Over Velvet-Trimmed White Wool. One Belt at Normal Waistline. (Ladies' Home Journal, May 1923) | GG Image ID # 226f0ce81f

I consider that coat a charming fantasy, but Mr. K— scowls at it and, in a whisper, makes a disparaging remark about it to his neighbor.

Poor American women condemned to see Paris fashions through the eyes of these sad intermédiaires!

The best and the most appealing, and to be truthful, the very heart of our work never reaches you. You are given only the bubbles of it. Happily, however, your well-dressed women usually go to Paris and choose what they like themselves.

Poiret in the Garden in Front of His Paris Establishment. (The Illustrated Milliner, October 1913) | GGA Image ID #

Paul Poiret's career is as enjoyable as anything he writes. His father, a tailor, apprenticed him to an umbrella maker. During his leisure, Poiret began designing dresses for the fun of the thing.

The value of these sketches soon became apparent, and his talent was quickly snapped up by the splendid "Rue de la Paix" establishments. When his own time came, Poiret left the famous thoroughfare and took a quiet, old mansion formerly used by the pages of Louis XVI in the Chaussee d'Antin.

He filled it with period furniture and, in this atmosphere, were born the styles which have given such vogue to Poiret. The mansion has been the scene of many entertainments where prominent Americans were guests.

Distinctive Signature of Paul Poiret. (Harper's Bazar, September 1912) | GGA Image ID # 1cc2a182a2

The art of dressing is an art as complex and elusive as all the others. It, too, has its principles and traditions, known only to persons of taste because they harmonize with their innermost feelings.

This art has nothing in common with money—the woman whose limited resources have no more reason to be unfashionably dressed than the wealthy woman. However, money can procure the services of a good dressmaker and an artist who can guide her in style.

Fashions for the Theatre by Paul Poiret. Harper's Bazar, May 1914, p. 43. | GGA Image ID # 1cc33d1e28

Captions for GGA Image ID # 1cc33d1e28 (T to B, L to R)

• Back and front views of citron -coloured crêpe satin and silver cloth gown by Poiret .
• These two materials have been swathed around the figure in true Poiret fashion for this evening gown and, as if to give the creation character, a wide girdle of jet is added. Gimbel Brothers imported the model.
• One of the gowns designed by Poiret for "Aphrodite" and imported by John Wanamaker. Green satin is combined with black tulle and jet, ropes of the jet being fastened bracelet-like on the arms.
• Another of the "Aphrodite" gowns at John Wanamaker’s in a wonderful blending of orange and yellow.
• Poiret takes purple taffeta, a brilliant radiant shade of purple, and winds around it magenta ribbon.
• True to his theory that the masculine fashions supply inspiration for feminine modes, Poiret has designed this cape after the garments worn by the coachmen of the busses in 1789 and 1830. The model has been imported by John Wanamaker.
• The semi-fitting basque has been interpreted by Poiret in terms of printed moiré faille and he has added a very novel touch in the lacing which fastens the garment in the back. The crinoline note, originally struck by this master designer, is apparent in the magenta tunic. The model was imported by Gimbel Brothers.

The contrary is very often true. The wealthy woman can satisfy her slightest caprice most haphazardly. In contrast, the woman of average means is more apt to realize what is suitable and what is not, simply because she is forced to think about her wardrobe. Therefore, she learns how to choose and what to select. She acquires the art of dressing well.

It is not an easy art to acquire. It requires a genuine appreciation of harmony of lines and colors, ingenious ideas and absolute tact, and a love for the beautiful and clear perception of values; in short, she possesses "good taste."

Taste is by no means developed by riches; on the contrary, the increasing demands of luxury are killing the art of dressing. Luxury and good taste are in inverse proportion to one another.

One will kill the other as machinery is crowding out handwork. It has come so far that many people confuse the two terms. Because the material is expensive, they find it beautiful; because it is cheap, they think it must be ugly.

To give you an example: All women, whose wealth may be measured beyond a particular figure, invariably appear with a string of pearls around their necks.

Pearls are essentially becoming to certain types only. They cannot be suitable for all women, but they seem to have become a visible sign of social class.

To how many women does a pearl necklace add any beauty? How many women choose their pearl necklaces for good taste and style, which is to say, to set off the beauty of their coloring?

Hundreds of women are adorned at the theater and restaurants more than Indian idols. The most sparkling with jewels, the most expensively garbed, is never the most beautiful, quite to the contrary. 

Those who are most loaded down with precious stones, necklaces, bracelets, and rings rarely attract my attention. Sometimes, I try to force myself to admire them.

I cannot feel anything more for them than the stunning setting of a jeweler's window. The women who appear thus dressed in their fortune only would not appear one whit less attractive to me if they wore it in their hair as curling papers made out of banknotes!

Unfashionable to Follow Fashions

The well-dressed woman is the one who picks out her gown and her adornments simply because they make her appear more pleasing, not because other people are wearing that style or because it will be tangible proof of her husband's bank account. 

Because one woman chooses to emphasize the purity of her Grecian profile by winding a band of gold around her hair, why should she do her hair in the same style?  

But that is the way fashion sways women today. The only well-dressed women are those who dare and create original ideas, not those who servilely follow fashion.

To avoid appearing entirely out of harmony with her surroundings and the place where she lives, a woman is obliged to follow fashions to a certain extent. But let that be within certain bounds! 

Can any idea of being fashionable makeup for being ridiculous? What does it matter if tight skirts are the fashion if your figure demands a wide one? Is it not more important to dress to bring out your good points rather than to reveal the bad?

I dined the other day in a fashionable restaurant. At the tables around me, I noticed at least half a dozen women whose hair was dressed in the same way, with the same number of puffs and switches.

All were dressed in equally expensive gowns, although I could not judge the colors because they were similarly overloaded with beading, embroideries, gold, silver, or steel ornaments with laces and fringes. 

These women, who, I imagine, were neither sisters nor friends, were all shaped in the same mold, which is to say, in the same kind of corsets, and they all wore jewels, pendants, and necklaces, which, if not exactly alike, were at least of the same type. 

Every woman had adapted her body, movements, and taste to the commonplace desire of being fashionably dressed. Also, in looking at them, I could not help thinking that in case of a panic, their husbands or brothers or friends would be perfectly justified in mistaking one for the other.

Instead of hiding their individuality, why did each woman not try to bring out her personality type of beauty? One woman would have been more attractive without the puffs and switches; another would have been more beautiful in black; jewels were out of place on the third.

Costume and Hat by Poiret Strikingly Suited to This Particular Personality. Harper's Bazar, September 1912. GGA Image ID # 1a47aa19bb

A Definition of the Well-dressed Woman

Curiously enough, women fear being called original or individual but never hesitate to fool themselves by following the latest fashion. A woman will submit to any torture or ridicule if she believes she is worshipping the absurd goddess "Fashion."

Every year, a certain minimal number of types of styles are seen, and almost all women may be classified under one of them. Only those who do not fit in under any particular heading are worthy of being called well dressed.

Mme. Poiret in her latest Costume de Ville. Designed by M. Point. (The Illustrated Milliner, November 1913:01) | GGA Image ID # 23538b76eb

Description of Costume de Ville (GGA Image ID # 23538b76eb)

Blouse linon brodé a l’ancienne. Tailleur de soie blanche, avec une sorte de smoking avec une ceinture de satin souple noir à glands d’or. Jupe unie. Bottes de cuir souple blanc. Toque de soie blanche assortie avec une fontaine de plumes vert sombre. Etole de Zibeline.

Batiste blouse embroidered in an ancient style. Tailored suit with a Tuxedo coat loosely belted by a black satin sash, finished with gold tassels, and a plain skirt. Boots of soft white leather. A toque of white silk to match the suit, with a fountain of dark green ostrich feathers. Sable stole.

I cannot help feeling a vague contempt for those who ask at the beginning of the season, "What is to be the favorite color?" Choose the color that suits you, Madame. If someone tells you that red is to be worn, dare to wear violet and consider only what is suitable to you, because there is only one rule for the well-dressed woman. The old Romans expressed it in one word – decorum - which means "that which is suitable." That which is suitable!

Choose whatever is suitable to the time, the place, the circumstance, the landscape, the place you are staying, whether it be a large city, a village, or a watering place! Choose whatever is most in harmony with your character, for a dress can be the expression of a state of mind if you but try to make it.

Some dresses sing of the joy of life, dresses that weep, dresses that threaten. There are gay, mysterious, lovely, and tearful dresses.

Paul Poiret's re-appearance since the Armistice has been hailed with delight by the many who admired his creative genius before the war. It suffices to add that the management of his house is the same and his ideas better than ever.

Determining his lines, his interpretation of the fashion, and a masterful way of carrying out both, Poiret adds much to the jaded reporter's joy!

Before reading the following description, you must understand that the unexpected always happens at Poiret's. There is no hard and fast rule for any dress.

For tailor-made, the favorite kinds of stuff are kashavella (cashmere with a duvetyn pile), mouflonne, duvetyn, and striped or checked velvet, to say nothing of the plain fabric.

The color schemes include many browns and blues. Skirts are relatively long, about six inches off the ground, gathered full; the jackets are inclining to three-quarter length, as skirty as possible, especially on the hips. The general effect is bunchy and charmingly suggestive of 1850 prints.

A typical model is "Lapon," the skirt gathered, the top of the jacket a flat bodice, the basques shirred on very fully; a broad band of mole running around the hips underlined each side by pleated red braid (also forming the high collar and cuffs) is a daring departure from our economical present-day silhouette.

Another way of emphasizing a skirty coat I observed on a blue serge was the basques cut into panels, each edged and hemmed by large bands of fur. A mouse duvetyn, treated in the same manner, is edged with seal, the inner part of the basque embroidered in satin ciré braid.

The sides of these ample coats (which one and all have long, long sleeves and high necks) may be of fancy stripes in contrast to the plain back and front. They may be trimmed with one of the numerous and fascinating wool or silk braids created by Rodier.

A red and black fuzzy woolen braid applied in rows on a blue serge jacket is delightful, and so are bright silk-cashmere designs woven several rows deep on a sober gray or brown tailleur.

A thousand little details charm us; collars and cuffs tied by cords and tassels in quaint Oriental shades are unexpected. When sleeves are too long, you can gather them up the arm, holding the shirring in place by rows of gold buttons.

The finest fancy reigns in combining a claret velvet skirt with a Persian blue cloth jacket edged with gold embroidery.

Poiret's wraps are loose, large affairs that remind one somehow of capes and draperies. In several instances, striped woolen Moroccan stuff, Burnoussa, is combined with velvet; an oversized, brown blanket coat is trimmed with different shades of brown wool fringe.

A novelty consists of broad bands of a bright color edging the hem of dark stuff. A coat of dark blue with a red selvage is another combination of red and blue with a roomy wrap of black and blue striped velvet with a gray fox collar, ample red braid cuffs, and red tassels weighting down the sides of the coat. Agnella is a beautiful heavyweight stuff imitating lamb's fleece. 

A very unusual afternoon gray plush wrap has a collar and wide sleeves of black velvet, a velvet belt starting from the sleeves, and tying loosely in front. Grebe collars and cuffs are a good substitute for fur.

At left, long waisted gown of red wool figured in black, trimmed with skunk.

Above, négre velvet bolero worn over dress shown at left. Buttons of red lacquer.

Long, Full Skirts and Flat Bodices Characterize the Tailleur. Velvet is Dominant, and Daring Color Schemes Add Attractiveness.

Many coats have a straight detached panel falling from the shoulders, which helps to give an ample outline. A pink duvetyn wrap the panel is edged by eighteen inches of seal and embroidered in tiny suns of pink silk and black beads.

Groups of gathers at the sides are frequent, and so are deep round yokes. For the evening, a gray velvet coat cape has both; it is worked in front in steel and black braiding. 

Pamela stamped in Persian designs is gorgeous over an evening dress. What more like Poiret than a fluffy cape of peach-colored Swansdown with an enveloping gray collar of the same?

The Street Costumes Shown at His Spring Opening, Poiret Considers Simple and Chic. From the Original Drawing by Paul Poiret. Harper's Bazar, April 1914, p. 25. | GGA Image ID # 1cc3475157

Coat dresses may or may not be straight, but they are never tight. Sometimes they take the form of a long military coat, and then its skirt is gored to give a bell-like flare at the hem; one of brown duvetyn is trimmed with narrow lateral strips of brick velvet, also forming a sort of vest.

Long bunchy redingotes are put on over a narrow front. A blue kashavella has a band at the back to hold in the fullness, and the entire front is embroidered in a bright blue braid, and so is the high-standing collar.

Orange duvetyn is a favorite tailor dress material; it is stunning, hemmed in fox, and the front panels embroidered in fine gray silk. So is another with a broad apron edged with putois.

For aprons are much liked here, sometimes all the dress's embroidery is on them. Collars may be a straight band burying the chin or a high pleated shell-like frill of serge ribbon, which, when turned over, becomes a cream muslin ruffle.

Long hanging sleeves, the cuffs much exaggerated (almost a foot wide in some instances), or the material shirred into the cuff, forming a long detached strip.

Bunchy, gathered skirts and flat bodices are the line for dresses here. Be they of the woolen texture of velvet; the latter is a positive furor. Most interesting combinations are a blue serge dress with huge sleeves of green panne: "Plöerme!" a turquoise blue velvet skirt worn with a navy blue serge bodice, like a Breton peasant's, finely embroidered in narrow strips.

A vermillion velvet answering this description has sleeves heavily embroidered in jet, also the whole front of the waist. The same line in Royal blue with jeweled motifs at the shoulders and waist is chic.

A third wine-colored model gives the same effect. A green cord and tassels fasten only the quaint little collar. Old red, flamingo, orange, black, and a great deal of blue are the dominant colors.

Dinner dresses are high; the necks barely scooped out in a circle or point: the straight shoulder line is frequent, with very tiny cap sleeves. While waists continue flat and belted low, the skirts are long and voluminous. Velvets are liked, but more particularly panne and panela, bright pinks, blues, and cream.

One idea which appears several times is that besides the shirred skirt, there is a much longer loop of the stuff hanging almost to the ground and lined with another fabric. This occurs in purple panne edged with scarlet braid, the long loop embroidered in silver.

A particularly gorgeous mustard plush has one revers on the bodice lined with silver, the same reappearing in the loop. I almost forgot that the "loop" might occasionally be wound around the neck as a scarf. 

Heavy silver lace and much gold embroidery are seen, but, on the whole, the dress relies more on line and fabric than on trimming; the flatness of the bodice accentuates the full hips, a typical model being a bright pink panne corsage worn with a dull turquoise skirt.

For the evening, the bodice may be square with shoulder straps or a triangular flap, the apex of which points to the collarbone.

Summer Frock of White Organdy By Poiret, Trimmed with Pipings and Bows of Waxed Chiffon. Garment Manufacturers' Index, April 1921. GGA Image ID # 1a47e41897

At Poiret's, we leave behind us all dull realities and step into a world of fancy. Here no hard and fast rules laid down by Dame Reason are observed, only the dictates of a powerful imagination coupled with a love of beautiful kinds of stuff and an exquisite sense of color.

Here you have a synopsis of Monsieur Poiret's art; as a genuine creator of line and fashion, he never produces a model which does not bear the mark of his original and distinctive genius.

One is struck through the collection by the highly ample line, flowing without bulkiness, tight bodices worn over long shirred skirts, oversized elaborate sleeves, and quaint embroidery. A great color scheme - red and purple, orange combined with black, geranium, and blue - is a frequent case to meet coats and skirts, bodices and tunics in violent contrast, matching and blending perfectly.

Mme. Paul Poiret in costume especially designed for her return on the "Lusitania." (The Illustrated Milliner, November 1913) | GGA Image ID # 23543cf32c

As the mannequins glide by, one has the thrilling sensation of viewing a pageant, a resurrection of bygone beauties, copies of old masters, all modernized by an artist's hand to suit our twentieth-century life.

In the sedate costume of the French peasant, with its wide skirt, laced bodice, and muslin kerchief, the quaintly fashioned model might have stepped out of a medieval book of hours. The pointed stomacher, wide embroidered sleeves, and flowing draperies represented the stately Louis XIV lady with her square panniers of glossy satin are all represented.

The Dominican monk's sober black and white garb undoubtedly inspired my favorite gown. Imagine a straight dress of white satin with a broad black sash, tied around the neck by a narrow black cord and hanging over the shoulders, a long black satin cape falls in straight, dignified folds.

Exclusive Paul Poiret Costumes. Photographs by Feder. Harper's Bazar, November 1913, p. 34. GGA Image ID # 1cc2ace236

Captions for GGA Image ID # 1cc2ace236 (L to R)

1. Poiret designed this gown from an Oriental miniature of the Queen of Sheba. This creation, as shown at John Wanamaker's, is of brocaded satin in the deep, rich sapphire shade combined with white chiffon . The tunic is a stunning creation of gold lace, and jewels sparkle on the Turkish jacket of lace.
2. The minaret tunic in its simplicity is shown by Poiret on the evening gown imported by J. M. Gidding & Co. Over the black meteor foundation falls a tunic of black tulle lavishly embroidered in iridescent beads. The flower design developed by this bead embroidery is very effective.
3. In this gown of black and canary shaded velvet, with a tunic of black tulle, imported by John Wanamaker, Poiret has reproduced features in the Bysantine frieze of the Church of St. Sophia at Constantinople.

PAUL POIRET is the most advanced and remarkable exponent of women's fashions and apparel. He is characterized by the one statement invariably made in Paris when you speak of Poiret—"Mais Poiret - c'est un artiste !" Poiret is not a dressmaker.

With a keen eye for color, a remarkable ability to delineate "la ligne," and above all that freedom from time-worn and conventional tendencies in fashions, Poiret is undoubtedly the most significant French authority on a dress.

Poiret originated the narrow skirt. Poiret introduced the fashion of the corset-less figure. Poiret was the first to do away with the petticoat. Poiret was the first to conceive the idea of the trouserette. The harem skirts, which attracted so much comment a few years ago, were brought out by him; now, after several seasons, they are beginning to come into their own.

Two years ago, he created the lamp-shade skin that has now been extremely popular through his adaptation of this idea to the costumes of the "Minaret" (or which he designed the gowns.

Poiret began by studying art when he left school. But he had always had a fondness for designing clothes and made those for his sister and mother. He began his active career, as it were, by selling designs to the large dressmaking establishments of the Rue de la Paix and, while still very young, attracted the attention of Doucet, who offered him a vital position in his establishment.

Poiret accepted but left it to perform his military service, and when he returned from the regiment, he was offered a more important position with Worth. Here he remained for two years.

Poiret finally set up his own establishment. But he did so with that independence that characterizes everything he does. He left the Rue de la Paix, and took quarters in the more exclusive Faubourg St. Honoré.

More Exclusive Paul Poiret Costumes. Photograph by Feder. (Harper's Bazar, November 1913) | GGA Image ID # 1cc2f4419f

Captions for GGA Image ID # 1cc2f4419f

• (Left Hand Figure) -Quite original is the mantle designed by Poiret and imported by J. M. Gidding & Co. It is fashioned from American Beauty colour and black velvet and lined with Venetian velvet. The curious drapings are edged with skunk and caught with heavy gold cords finishing in long gold tassels.
• (Middle Figure) -This Poiret gown imported by Gimbel Brothers shows a four-tier plaited tunic of white chiffon over a closely-draped white satin skirt. An adaptation ofthe Zouave jacket in black velvet finished by a deep frill of the chiffon serves as the corsage
• (Right Hand Figure) A most wearable Poiret frock imported by R. H. Macy & Co. The draped underskirt is of midnight- blue meteor, and the minaret tunic is of Copenhagen blue duvetyn with the embroidery in subdued colourings. A very wide girdle of the meteor swathes the waist and the hips and a vest of lace lightens the front of the bodice.

Poiret has two others in connection with his principal establishment: the house of "Martine" and "Rosine." These are the names of his two daughters, aged four and two and a half.

 "Marline" is Poiret's establishment of decorative art and will be the property of Poiret's younger daughter when she grows up. The elder, to use his phrase, "has been consecrated to perfumes," and for her, Poiret has created a unique perfume establishment.

In this line, as in the others, Poiret strives for the original. Leaving aside flowers and combinations of scents, he attempts to extract the power and sweetness of odorant wood, of cedar, for instance, or pine.

From coffee, he has obtained a wonderful odor, entirely different from the smell of coffee, for it is a pungent, exotic odor as individual as the man who thought of it.

As the creator of fashions, decorations, and perfumes, Poiret is ahead of his time. But he is never so far ahead as to be out of reach.

Three More Exclusive Paul Poiret Costumes. Photographs by Feder. (Harper's Bazar, November 1913) | GGA Image ID # 1cc31aedf4

Captions for GGA Image ID # 1cc31aedf4 (L to R)

• Henri Bendel has imported a particularly chic afternoon wrap in pervanche-blue chiffon velvet. The distinctive gold tassel has been placed in the front of this mantle by Poiret. White chiffon at the neck and finishing the sleeves gives a becoming effect.
• From the primitive pictures of Tiepolo and Veronese, Poiret derived the inspiration for this glorious wrap known as "Ruyter" which has been imported by John Wanamaker. It is developed in velvet and ermine and the purity of line preserved in the drapings is worthy of attention.
• The "Doge of Venice" mantle which Poiret designed for John Wanamaker. The scarf of ermine loosely knotted in front and the long tight sleeves of the ermine are most unusual features.

His ideas, new, fearless, and individual, nevertheless always contain an element that makes them valuable to today's woman, no matter where she is or how she is situated.

Mr. Poiret has been widely discussed as the man who introduced the most fabulous fêtes to Paris. In his establishment at the Faubourg St. Honoré, he gives fêtes that are rivaled only by the descriptions of the ancient splendor.

The Persian fête organized by Monsieur Poiret started the Persian element in women's dress. All the notables of Paris in art and literature are invited, and a few society people.

Photographs of these fêtes, which have never been published even in the Paris newspapers and magazines, will be sent to HARPER'S BAZAR during the winter and published from time to time. 

Three More Exclusive Paul Poiret Costumes. Photographs by Feder. Harper's Bazar, November 1913, p. 37. GGA Image ID # 1cc2e6ae59

Captions for GGA Image ID # 1cc2e6ae59 (L to R)

• In the "Sorbet" gown imported by John Wanamaker, Poiret has shown an excellent development of the tunic. The gown is of black meteor and the tunic is of white crêpe de chine embroidered in beads in Oriental colourings and roses. One side of the corsage is carried out in the white crêpe de chine, and the other in the black meteor, and there is a wide belt ending in a large butterfly bow in the front.
• J. M. Gidding & Co. are showing an effective restaurant gown of pearl satin edged with Russian fitch. The tunic of net is embroidered in an Oriental design suggested to Poiret by Persian manuscripts. The design is carried out in beads and jewels, giving a very rich and handsome effect. A cap of gold lace is finished with a very long gold tassel.
• A remarkably effective theatre gown is shown by J. M. Gidding & Co. It is developed in black chiffon velvet. The minaret tunic is fashioned from gold net edged with a band of skunk and shows a new line in the extension of the tunic in the back. The Empire bodice is trimmed with heavy gold cord and tassels, of which Poiret is making a special feature.

Two Inimitable Frocks by Poiret the Frock on the Left Has White, Gray, and Black Fringes, and the One on the Right Has White Organdie Flounces and a Bodice of Black Satin Richly Embroidered With Gold Tubes. Photo by De Meyer. (Harper's Bazar, July 1927) | GGA Image ID # 22677aa545

🎨 Noteworthy Images

Chez Paul Poiret, Paris (1927) | A glimpse of his famed salon, symbolizing Parisian luxury.

One Way to Start a Fashion (1914) | Illustrates Poiret’s design philosophy: theatricality meets modernity.

Theatre Fashions by Poiret (1914) | Gowns for plays like *Aphrodite show" how stage influenced mainstream style.

Skating Suit (1913) | A rare example of utility fashion, blending freedom of movement with elegance.

Mme. Poiret aboard the Lusitania (1913) | Ties Poiret directly to ocean travel.

Two Inimitable Frocks (1927) | Demonstrates his later period—still bold, still unmistakably Poiret.

📘 Brief Dictionary of Terms

Chlamys: Ancient Greek cloak, revived by Poiret in theatrical designs.

Fourreau: Close-fitting sheath dress.

Guipure: Heavy lace often used in collars.

Minaret Dress: Poiret’s “lamp-shade” silhouette, with tunic over slim skirt.

Peplum: Overskirt or short flared fabric attached to the waist.

Tunic: Outer garment extending over the hips, often layered.

🎓 Essay Prompts for Students

1. How did Paul Poiret’s abolition of the corset reflect changing ideas of femininity in the early 20th century?

2. Compare Poiret’s designs for stage productions like *Aphrodite" with his ocean travel fashions. How did performance and practicality intersect?

3. What role did exoticism and Orientalism play in Poiret’s fashion, and how should we interpret it today?

4. Consider Mme. Poiret’s Lusitania costume. What does it tell us about fashion as a tool of identity in transatlantic travel?

📚 Citations

Chicago
Gjenvick-Gjønvik Archives. *Paul Poiret: Parisian Fashion Revolutionary – Theater, Ocean Travel, and Modern Elegance (1910s–1920s).GG Archives. Accessed September 15, 2025. [https://www.ggarchives.com/OceanTravel/Fashions/FashionHouses/Poiret-ParisianFashionDesigner.html](https://www.ggarchives.com/OceanTravel/Fashions/FashionHouses/Poiret-ParisianFashionDesigner.html)

APA
Gjenvick-Gjønvik Archives. (1910s–1920s/2025). *Paul Poiret: Parisian Fashion Revolutionary – Theater, Ocean Travel, and Modern Elegance.GG Archives. Retrieved from [https://www.ggarchives.com/OceanTravel/Fashions/FashionHouses/Poiret-ParisianFashionDesigner.html](https://www.ggarchives.com/OceanTravel/Fashions/FashionHouses/Poiret-ParisianFashionDesigner.html)

MLA
Gjenvick-Gjønvik Archives. "Paul Poiret: Parisian Fashion Revolutionary – Theater, Ocean Travel, and Modern Elegance (1910s–1920s)." *GG Archives*, 1910s–1920s/2025. [https://www.ggarchives.com/OceanTravel/Fashions/FashionHouses/Poiret-ParisianFashionDesigner.html](https://www.ggarchives.com/OceanTravel/Fashions/FashionHouses/Poiret-ParisianFashionDesigner.html).

Bibliography

Paul Poiret, "Individuality in Dress: The Secret of the Well-Dressed Woman," in Harper's Bazar, New York: Harper & Brothers, Vol. XLVI, No. 9, September 1912, p. 451.

"Paul Poiret's Spring Opening," in Harper's Bazar, New York: International Magazine Company, Vol. XLIX, No. 4, April 1914: 489-490, 529.

"Poiret," in Garment Manufacturers' Index, New York: The Allen-Nugent Company, Vol. II, No. 9, April 1921, p. 19.

Baron de Meyer and Marjorie Howard, "What Is New in Paris: The Autumn Collections of The Great Paris Houses: Chez Poiret," in Harper's Bazar, New York: International Magazine Company, Inc., Year 61, No. 2580, October 1927: The Paris Openings Number, Illustrated By Baron de Meyer, Bernard B. Demonvel, Mary Mackinnon, Reynaldo Luza, and Dynevor Rhys, pp. 76 and 85.

"Poiret" in the Garment Manufacturers' Index, New York: The Allen-Nugent Co. Publishers, Vol. II, No. 3, October 1920: 26-27.