Jacques Fath (1912-1954) was a French fashion designer who marked Haute couture during the postwar period with Christian Dior and Pierre Balmain. He was an autodidacte, he didn’t do fashion studies. In 1937, he started his fashion business located at 32 rue de la Boétie with Mme Gulbenkian. Jacques Fath raised awareness on Vogue in 1939, when his wife Geneviève wore an asymmetric drap dress designed by him at the Grande Nuit de Longchamps. Vogue wrote “He is inspired. He has a vision. He will succeed.”
The couple became famous for their elegance and looks. Then, Jacques Fath broke off from his partner Mme Gulbenkian and joined other designers. In the 1940s, he used tartan for his designs and created confortable but feminine outfits for biking ; it was a success.
After Paris was liberated, he became famous for his glamorous and feminine clothes (softer hourglass shape than Christian Dior, deep necklines and more skin showed). The company diversified in selling hats, perfume, jewelry, scarves and ties. In 1954 was launched a pret-à-porter line called “Jacques Fath Université”. Unfortunately, he died at the end of the year. In 1957, the Jacques Fath’s Haute couture activities ended.
Forties fashion by Jacques Fath :
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