At Vogue World: Paris, a legendary story of fashion was reawakened, marking one of the event’s most beautiful moments and hinting that Vogue magazine might have initiated the very first fashion collaboration in history! In the 1920s, this Lanvin dress debuted at Place Vendôme, crafted by one of only three fashion houses still active today, alongside Chanel and Patou. Specially reimagined for this show, the midi-length dress, adorned with a constellation of stars and made from scarves and chiffon for gentle draping, required 800 hours of meticulous embroidery by 20 couture artisans. The design features cords trailing along the back, each tipped with globes echoing the iconic cabochon of the Arpège perfume. Drawing inspiration from a 1924 swimsuit designed by Jeanne Lanvin and aptly named ‘Vogue,’ this dress reveals a true tale of fashion…
Be kind rewind! We journey back to a beautiful night in June 1924 when the Count of Beaumont, an aristocratic patron of the arts and literature, hosted 'Les Soirées de Paris' at the Théâtre de la Cigale (now the Cigale concert hall in Paris’ 18th district). It was a magnificent event, the kind interwar France was renowned for, dazzling the world with its legendary balls. Much like today's Vogue World: Paris, which donates show proceeds to the French Secours Populaire, this gala benefitted the War Widows Assistance Fund and the Russian Refugees Relief Committee. For the occasion, Etienne de Beaumont collaborated with Vogue France to present a grand 'choreographic and dramatic performance' featuring stars of the era, from Picasso to Erik Satie, Jean Cocteau and Georges Braque. And, naturally, fashion played a central role! The program included a scene that celebrated the magic of Vogue.
The magazine commissioned Jeanne Lanvin to bring its pages to life by designing costumes for three short story plays. Journalist Jean Laporte reported on the event in the July 1924 issue of Vogue France: “The show begins with the pages of Vogue—yes, pages from Vogue! Magazine covers, artistically transformed by Valentine Hugo, come alive and suddenly start dancing as though the magazine had dropped from the hands of a dreamy reader, with characters in organdy or satin completing a tarantella or a splendid minuet. Vogue eagerly collaborated with the Count of Beaumont and Paul Morand, who composed an impromptu piece on Le Bain de minuit [Midnight Swim] - this trio displayed exceptional taste. Les Filles mal gardées, and Favori—what graceful dances, executed in the most fanciful and romantic manner."
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Among these three choreographed pages, the notable 'Vogue' swimsuit appears in Le Bain de minuit [Midnight Swim] with a plot that goes: "After leaving a ball, a dancing couple decides to go for a swim in a river. The gentleman falls asleep. Another man arrives and begins dancing with the woman. The sleeping gentleman awakens and gets upset but eventually ends up joining the dance.'
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Since then, the 'Vogue' swimsuit had been quietly resting in the archives of the Palais Galliera, cushioned with soft tissue paper. It was revived by Alber Elbaz at the 2015 tribute exhibit to Jeanne Lanvin at the museum, where the late designer was responsible for staging. He was particularly taken with the way the garments were stored, explaining then: 'We started by selecting the dresses. They were laid out in drawers, and I absolutely loved that narrative. They seemed like beautiful sleeping beauties waiting for me. So, we allowed ourselves to dream. I no longer saw dresses, but fragrant silhouettes ready to release their scents once again. I chose to display them as they were, flat on glass tables. Suddenly, they transformed into real jewels, entirely contemporary shapes. It was no longer about an era or determining if a dress belonged to a princess or a countess. It was about the essence of womanhood, like perfume, a scent you could almost imagine.' At that time, there was a hint of a connection with the magazine, a potential collaboration between Vogue and Jeanne Lanvin. But it was only recently that Lanvin’s archivists discovered that it was specially created for that exceptional show. Fast forward to today, on a summer night at Place Vendôme, its glorious descendant, this exquisite dress, continues the tale of the 'Vogue' swimsuit. From the 'Soirées de Paris' in 1924 to today's Vogue World: Paris, there is merely a trail of shooting stars…
*Following the Vogue World: Paris event, the dress will be displayed in the window of the Lanvin boutique at 22, rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, Paris-8th. Inside, visitors can also view a replica of the original 1924 swimsuit. Both models will be available for custom order, made to measure.
Translated by Nafiseh Soolari
Read more on fashion on Vogue.fr:
For Vogue World: Paris, singer Aya Nakamura mesmerized onlookers at Place Vendôme in a Jean Paul Gaultier haute couture gown
Deva Cassel lights up the Vogue World: Paris runway in a Dior look paying tribute to France
This tricolor dress by Alaïa at Vogue World: Paris paid tribute to a celebrated moment in fashion history
