History Vera Borea

1 history

1.1 sports models city wear : couture house dedicated sportswear
1.2 international success
1.3 novel approach elegance: relaxed simplicity, chic in details, gender fluidity
1.4 technical innovation

history
sports models city wear : couture house dedicated sportswear

vera borea boutique rue saint-honore in 1949

countess de regoli, passionate sportswoman born , raised in italian dolomites, frustrated lack of clothing chic yet comfortable , began design sportswear, négligées , swimming suits featuring special knitting stitch invented grand mother

with assistance of friend, british-born princess de rohan, countess located haute-couture salon @ 29 rue d’artois, @ end of faubourg saint-honoré. growing success, house established in 1935 two-story shop @ 376 rue saint honoré, remained open until 2007.

with no-nonsense, hands-on approach, countess de regoli, avid skier, swimmer , golfer, tried out creations on herself before offered them sale, , modelled them clients. designs appeared smart enough worn in town, reuniting sports , town wardrobes.

international success

vera borea became favorite destination on both sides of atlantic women going new relaxed lifestyle.

american department stores snapped designs , house became reference garments simple in line unusual in materials , cut, modern , practical. vera borea s creations featured details that, beyond looking good, served practical purpose , wore on multiple occasions such after tennis, motoring or on shipboard.

prestigious fashion magazines featured vera borea s creations alongside hermès, lanvin, chanel , patou. designs copied of vionnet, schiaparelli, lanvin , patou.

scores of americans joined regular french clients @ borea’s paris salon, including famous sports women helen wills , mademoiselle suzanne lenglen , hollywood movie stars such joan bennett.

until retirement of countess de regoli in 1962, vera borea considered 1 of grand parisian couturiers of days , member of parisian haute-couture.

a novel approach elegance: relaxed simplicity, chic in details, gender fluidity

vera borea brought sporty aesthetic , integrated codes of athletic wear. house started off designing daywear, , became known garments elegant yet dynamic, stylish yet practical. creations had unusual details served practical purpose. evening wear, introduced few seasons later, avoided superfluous details , instead focused on superb cut, comfortable fit, , excellent workmanship.

in general, designer favored simple noble materials wool, linen, hemp, , cotton, textured or nubby surface. when used silk, in heavy woven patterns, vera borea had made in italy.

she borrowed liberally menswear, , regularly used wool flannel, tweeds , pinstripes women’s suits , separates. ski ensembles made of wool flannel , shown ascot or tie. example of mixing men’s , women’s codes seen in extraordinary black velvet ski suit borea designed in 1933, looked tuxedo , closed metallic clips echoed of ski boot. designer re-visited theme often, evening wear designed in 1945 sported tuxedo top , full skirt ballerina’s tutu… decades before le smoking burst onto fashion scene.

technical innovation

a constant desire explore , innovate permeated vera borea’s work. figured out how weather-proof corduroy , used raincoat. raincoat made of rubber. spun hemp silk travel suits , introduced in france two-way-stretch elastic fabrics. evening coat made of transparent fabric. aviator jacket made of supple leather , knitted panel, making wearable both indoors , outdoors. shoes sported heels made of rubber. buttons made of brazil nuts. other elements fur, raffia, rope, bone, nut, feathers, pine cones , leather showed in designs.