At first glance, a Jeanne Lanvin design would aptly be described as feminine, fresh and utterly beautiful. A closer look will reveal sumptuous details of intricate embroidery, hand-ruched silk or silk charmeuse carefully cut on the bias. Like any artist who knows his medium intimately, this kind of craftsmanship and marvelous design is reserved for an elite few. Jeanne Lanvin was the creative genius behind the legendary House of Lanvin. Recognized as the oldest operating couture house in near continuous existence since 1909, the famous French label is currently led by design director, Alber Elbaz. He carries on Madame Lanvin’s tradition of creating unique designs that are of the moment and at once timeless.
The tailored bouquets on these pages evoke the feminine styling and French savoir-faire of the haute couture dresses from which they were conceived. In the same way that a fashion designer’s medium is sumptuous fabric, florists Debbie Hemingway and Yvonne Chapman worked with the shapes, textures and colors of flowers to reinterpret Lanvin’s chic sensibility and intricate effects. While no two are alike, each of these bouquets bears the signature grace and style of their original counterparts.
In this extravagant bouquet, Yvonne Chapman has captured the essence and purity of a simply elegant dress by Alber Elbaz. This spectacular monochromatic dome is actually over one hundred ruby gladioli, each individually wired to look like one extraordinary bloom.
An enchanting bundle of purple stock is intoxicating, both for its rich hue and its sweet scent. Debbie Hemingway’s bouquet mirrors a sublime silhouette from a 1930s collection by Lanvin. The short cape of hand-ruched silk velvet comes to life in the texture and color of the blooms. A row of silver buttons embossed with the same intricate pattern gives the arrangement classic Lanvin appeal.
This innocent bouquet created by Debbie Hemingway was fashioned after one of Lanvin’s youthful party dresses. Lush peach 'Juliet' roses represent the hand-tinted organdy flowers that Lanvin preferred. The handle is finished with sheer organdy ribbon arranged in an ultra-feminine ruffle at the base, then tied with a single strand of black velvet. Juxtaposing such details—both simple and extravagant—was a hallmark of Lanvin’s style.
A striking assembly of ‘Freedom’ Ecuadorian roses and anemones is Yvonne Chapman’s interpretation of Lanvin’s 1939 “Fuseé”. The bodice of the original couture dress was embellished with intricate red cording conveyed in the ruffly blooms of the bouquet. The stems of the flowers are wrapped in a pleated charcoal cuff of ribbon, evoking Lanvin’s haute couture craftsmanship.
This image was taken by Sylvain Bardin and is the cover of the beautiful life portrayal entitled, "Lanvin", (Rizzoli New York) by author Dean L. Merceron, an authority on 20th century French fashion. This fabulous book documents the visual elements and history of Jeanne Lanvin’s amazing career, and includes fascinating details from more recent collections. Original fashion sketches, delicate embroidery swatches and photographs of artifacts tell the story of an innovative and important figure in the world of fashion, whose life work continues to be an influence today.
Madame Lanvin’s trademark robe de style fashions were both flattering and feminine. The cinched waist and full skirt was a classic look and an enduring silhouette that graced her collections throughout the decades. To mimic this look, Yvonne Chapman composed a delicate bouquet of ‘Miranda’ David Austin garden roses in pale pink, to match the handmade rose at the waist of Lanvin’s dress. Swarovski crystals interspersed among the roses imitate the bugle-bead appliqué and detail of the skirt. The handle, covered in taupe satin ribbon, is embellished with a strand of smokey freshwater pearls.
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