André Courrèges, founder of the French fashion house of the same name, passed away earlier this week at the age of 92 after a battle with Parkinson’s disease. You can thank André and his bold designs for the sensationally liberating look of the 60s. Goodbye girdles, hello miniskirts.
Together with his wife, Coqueline Barrière, in the 60s André catalyzed the fashion world’s burgeoning desire for change into the paradigm shifting futurist fashion movement that shook the decade. Think A-Line minidresses, bodysuits, and modernist cutouts. His high-hemlines, abstract silhouettes, and signature go-go boots scandalized the mainstream and changed the shape of fashion forever.
It wasn’t simply his collections that sparked industry-wide change; Andre’s personal aesthetic did, too. Fashion journalist Suzy Menkes recalls how André set a new standard of dress for designers themselves: “Of course it doesn’t seem extraordinary now, but when Courrèges himself (not the models) came out wearing sports clothes and sports shoes, which at that time were called gym shoes, it was a revolution.”
Earlier this year, the magazine André founded in 1970, Bonjour Courrèges, relaunched andcarried André’s love of youth into the 21th century. The eponymous house remains as strong as ever under the artistic direction of LVMH Prize nominated duo Sebastien Meyer and Arnaud Vaillant of Coperni. We really can’t thank André Courrèges enough.
Credits
Photograph courtesy Courrèges