Jeanne Lanvin was a French fashion designer who started her apprenticeship as a milliner at the tender age of 15 in order to be able to provide for her brothers and sisters. At 22, she opened her own little dressmaking shop in two small rooms, surrounding herself with artists and talented young people from all walks of life. Their inspirational influence still shines through in today’s advertising campaigns. Lanvin applied her extraordinary organisational skills and talent for business to running her fashion house, which was one of the first haute couture establishments to feature departments for perfume, menswear, children’s clothes and ladies’ sportswear. Her fragrance ‘Arpège’, launched in 1927, became a timeless, classic ladies’ perfume. In 1989, the fashion house was briefly taken over by Giorgio Armani. Today, the establishment’s reputation reaches as far afield as Asia.

After a brilliant 14 years under design genius Alber Elbaz, his departure marks a new beginning with his french successor, Bouchra Jarrar. Born in Cannes and a graduate of the famous Ecole Duperré, she has long been recognized as an exceptional talent in France. With her own Couture House she brought a breath of fresh air to Haute Couture. Her initial drafts for Lanvin will be for the spring/summer 2017 collection.