Chloe, founded in 1952 by Gaby Aghion, an Egyptian-born Parisienne with a dark beauty and a bohemian spirit, rejected the stiff formality of fashion. Aghion created soft, body conscious clothes from fine fabrics and called them “luxury prêt-à-porter”. Unique for their time, they were beautifully made clothes available off the rack.
In 1956, Gaby Aghion and her business partner, Jacques Lenoir, debuted the first collection over breakfast at Café de Flore, which, as the city’s infamous meeting ground for existentialists and artists, was one of their own favorite haunts.
“Chloé” – a name they chose for its warm, feminine appeal – was perfectly in synch with the new mood of Paris : youthful and modern in design, and slightly audacious in spirit.
The label grew in popularity, and Gaby Aghion and Jacques Lenoir initiated what would become the hallmark of the house : hiring new, young talents to design the collections.
In the 60’s, Chloé hothoused a group of youthful Left Bank designers who later defined the Paris ready-to-wear movement, “Le Style”.
In 1966, Karl Lagerfeld became the house’s head designer, and under his direction Chloe became one of the most iconic fashion brands of the 1970’s. Jackie Kennedy and Brigitte Bardot, Maria Callas and Grace Kelly all came to Chloe’s boutique in the 7eme in search of luxurious daywear. with its romantic, gauzy blouses and long skirts, Chloé defined the look of a generation.
In the 80’s, a series of talented designers including Martine Sitbon kept the collections fresh and ever-changing, whilst reiterating Chloé’s quixotic ability to be both cutting-edge and timeless at once.
After the house was bought by the luxury goods conglomerate Richemont Group in 1985, its notoriety grew around the globe.
In 1997, Stella McCartney reinvented Chloé once more, with a romantic yet streetwise mix of vintage lingerie, tailoring, and signature low-rider trousers that hit a nerve with young women around the world and propelled the house to a new level of success.
From 2001 to 2005, the creative Director, Phoebe Philo, has continued the Chloé legacy of luxurious, audacious prêt-à-porter whilst stamping the house with her own unique signature : sexy daywear, fluid lines, graceful and distinctly modern diaphanous tops.
On October 11, 2006 a new Chief Designer has been appointed, Paulo Melim Andersson : He becomes part of the Chloé Design legacy.
Today, just like Grace Kelly and Maria Callas did before them, young stars like Kirsten Dunst, Natalie Portman and Lou Doillon have fallen in love with the soft elegance of the French house's art.
More than fifty years after Gaby Aghion imagined it, Chloé’s vision of romantic, ultra feminine Boots, Wedges and Mocs live on.