Jacques Fath, Couture of the '50s (London Fashion Week 2009 Handbag Review)

This year sees a new venue for the annual event, the London Fashion Show, which has now arrived at Somerset House. Thus at the venue where once Admiral Nelson attended to collect his orders, now the drums beat to a different tune, one of contemporary modernism.
New Handbags from the House of Jacques Fath
Standing amongst a small but pleasing collection of what might at one time have been described as a grandmothers' handbag collection, the author recalled anecdotal tales and the black and white photographs shown to him over the years of his French grandmother, who had spent many of the pre-Second World War years in Nice elegantly dressed for the Society occasions of the day.
Regardless of an initial somewhat patronising first thought, the more one observes, the more one likes the ageless qualities. But what was the main factor that caught people’s attention? Colour, yes, which was part of the overall attraction; line, classical 1950s, though it was much more than that.
Considering the inspirations for the design base revealed a puzzle of how or where to find a comparison. Examining the living world, the author's initial thought was that of a displayed shape of a beetle’s wing casings; about to expose the underlying wings prior to flight, with the elevated handles resembling the antennae. The casings appeared only on the larger handbags within the collection and were all finished with a wooden bar top closure, and a decorated metal clasp. The quality of the fine leather with a textured finish was second to none.
This applied particularly to the small clutches on display and especially the gold close chain link clutch with a classic '50s large gold globe fastener. On opening it reveals double lined gusseted sides, with a matching interior of smooth finely cut pink veal hide. So who was Jacque Fath?
Jacque Fath
His era has been describe as the “Golden age of Couture”. He opened his House of Couture in1937 at the age of twenty five, but his career would soon be interrupted by the ravages of war, resulting in imprisonment until his release in 1941.
Within four years he had released a range of perfume which is still available today. His business grew exponentially after visiting America, acquiring orders to design for the retail market and exposure of his works through the movie industry in such films as The Red Shoes. His lasting claim to fame must surely be the design of a wedding dress for Rita Hayworth in 1949.

The Future of Couture
With Laurence Dumenil (pictured) now taking the reins as designer for the House of Jacques Fath,could he reach the bar that has been set so high? A resounding yes; his designs on show at London Fashion Week are praiseworthy of maintaining the integrity to the brand image. Dumenil states in the show's biography: "I enjoy everything about him! His impish, audacious, witty, quaint personality, which led him to a typically Parisian rise to fame... his ways of masking, with an apparent bubbly, carefree mind, his successful talents as well as his daring, avant-garde modernity."
These masterpieces are not for everyday use; they warrant a special occasion, no, they demand it. If only you give the respect which this couture demands, a dream of a generation, a “Golden Age of Couture”.

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