“Adeline Andrès’s fashion is literature.” That is how System Magazine described the designer. Let’s explore Avenue Adeline. It is more than just a street. It is a tribute to a Parisian fashion icon.
Adeline Andrè, born in Bangui in 1949, is no ordinary designer. She studied at the École de Haute Couture in Paris. Salvador Dali influenced her work greatly.
In 1970, Adeline joined Christian Dior. She assisted Marc Bohan with Haute Couture collections. Later, she worked at Louis Feraud and Castelbajac. In 1981, she launched her salon. Hungarian architect Stevan Dohar helped her.
Adeline Andrè registered her “three-sleeve-hole” garment in 1981. This innovative design became her signature. The F.I.T. Fashion Institute of Technology in New York has this garment in its collection.
Adeline’s first ready-to-wear show took place in 1983. It was held at the Daniel Templon gallery. Guests wore the collection. They posed for giant Polaroid shots. Until 1987, Adeline presented collections in unique places. She used spaces never before used for fashion shows.
From 1989 to 1990, Adeline briefly designed knitwear for Jeanne Lanvin. Her models mingled with guests. This created a calm and intimate atmosphere. This contrasted with the podium shows of the time.
Adeline presented tall, slender shapes. She used fluid materials like silk crepes. She also used wool satins and fine cashmere cloths. She always dyed them according to her personal color range.
In 1994, Adeline Andrè moved her atelier-boutique to the Marais. Since 1995, she has presented a Couture collection each season.
Since 1997, Adeline Andrè has been an invited member of the Syndicate Chamber of Parisian Couture. She presented her Couture collection in 1997 at the Cartier Foundation. In 1998, she presented at the Georges Pompidou Center.
Adeline’s Fall 2002 collection was her first Haute Couture collection. The Haute Couture association had invited her to become a member. It was very well received.
Adeline Andrè’s designs are unique. She invented clothes like the “three-sleeve-hole” jacket. Her clothes free the body and allow movement. She designs ballet costumes, too. Intimacy is key to her work. Luxury is not in shared things. Intimacy is the only real made-to-measure that exists.
Her shows favor closeness. Models are not always part of the shows. Each event is a space for women of all ages to meet. A show is not about theater. It deals with questions of women and the self.
So here on Avenue Adeline. Remember the designer. She viewed fashion as literature. She leaves a lasting impression. It is a humble setting of infinite prestige.