ELLE, Seriousness in frivolity, irony in the serious
Our warmest thanks to ELLE for this beautiful feature celebrating the history, heritage and revival of Germaine Guérin.
From its creation in 1945 under the direction of Hélène Gordon-Lazareff, Germaine Guérin appeared in the pages of ELLE. More than 80 years later, ELLE retraces the origins of Germaine Guérin, shining a light on the women who shaped the house, as well as those who wore it.
“243, RUE SAINT-HONORÉ, 1st arrondissement of Paris. Do the elegant customers who walk through the door of this very chic men’s shoe boutique know that, some forty years ago, another kind of shop stood here? An address known throughout Paris, where the local bourgeoisie mingled with film stars, all coming to find reticules, clutches and other precious handbags. Accessories crafted according to the highest standards by Germaine Guérin, a French designer now largely forgotten, yet once nicknamed the ‘Dior of handbags’. The press also said that she may have inspired Gabrielle Chanel’s famous ‘2.55’, inventing the concept of the it-bag before the term even existed…”
The full article is available on newsstands today, in the French ELLE Hors-Série Style.
