Alice Bernard - Parisian Fashion Designer - 1920
Tailor-made of turquoise velours de laine. High Medici collar and slit sleeves trimmed with grey squirrel; back and sides of coat shirred slightly; plain tight skirt
Charming and Varied Collection of Winter Suits, in Beautiful Materials is Shown by this House, Noted for Its Tailleurs
Madame Alice Bernard, the indefatigable head of the house, was ten years with Poiret, one of his most precious auxiliaries. When Poiret closed during the war, she transferred to Jeanne Lanvin's.
After the armistice, she decided her wealth of ideas needed a more personal outlet and created an excellent establishment in the rue François Premier where marble floors and Pompeian decorations prove an unusual and perfect setting for Madame Bernard's distinctive models.
The Maison Alice Bernard is famous for its tailor-mades, although it excels in all styles. The winter collection of suits is extremely varied; beautiful stuffs, velours de laine, duvetyns, velvets in warm browns, fawns, café au lait, and a new shade of greenish blue, “dead turquoise.”
Skirts are unimportant – plain, short and tight this year. Jackets are long, at least three-quarters, slightly flaring although not exaggerated. The collars button high around the throat and turn over or stand out from the neck in a Medici shape.
As we are writing for the winter season, it seems a curious anomaly that neckwear should protect the throat in so sensible a manner by decree of Dame Fashion.
The long, loose sleeves are the objects of intricate embroideries and fur trimmings at the cuffs. Among a dozen chic models is a very distinctive one of dark blue velours de laine; the three-quarter coat is gored, flares a good deal and slopes gently down at the sides towards the back.
A big, loose shawl collar and wide sleeves complete the jacket, which is faintly embroidered all over in fine gold tracery. A high-necked, square waistcoat of copper taffeta finishes off this chic costume.
Next, a felted satin (so much warmer than the usual variety) is all black and slips on over the head by means of a V neck which does not preclude a high collar of broadtail; shirred slightly at the back and sides on the hip level this very long coat is trimmed by horizontal bands of raised stitching.
A third model of coffee colored duvetyn has a very good line. A broadband of kolinsky edges the knee-length coat. The enormous, comfortable shawl collar, fastening at the waist by one button, and the broad cuffs are similarly trimmed.
The fullness, for fullness, there is, is gathered at the hips in tiny lateral
pleats and the back are a little longer than the front; this is a favorite movement here.
I note a good collection of fur and brocade evening wraps, charmingly youthful tulle and silver dancing frocks, while a beaded white Georgette tunic, slit into panels over old rose taffeta strikes a pretty note.
"Alice Bernard" in the Garment Manufacturers’ Index, New York: The Allen-Nugent Co. Publishers, Vol. II, No. 3, October 1920: 32.