Carven Founder Madame Carven Dies At Age 105

Madame Carven, the founder of French fashion household Carven, died in Paris yesterday at the age of 105, according to Women’s Wear Day after day. The well-known designer had a passion for making clothing for petite women, as she stood at just five foot one herself.

Carven was born as Carmen de Tommasso in 1909, and launched her mark in 1945. The thought for her line’s name came from pairing her first name, Carmen, with the last name of her inspirational, fashion-loving aunt, Josy Boyriven.

The designer later changed her name to Marie-Louise Carven and was part of a breakthrough generation of Paris-based fashion designers, along with other key players like Elsa Schiaparelli and Coco (Gabrielle) Chanel.

Formerly, Carven had dreams of studying architecture or interior design, although she later switched her focus to fashion. Her designs quickly became known for their colourful, bold patterns, embroidered details and abstract prints. Although she may have been Parisienne, Carven also brought global inspiration into her styles, with global fashion shows that were set everywhere from Brazil to Morocco. In fact, Carven also had a modern mentality in mind, as she adopted the thought of ready-to-wear fashion (or prêt-à-porter) in 1950.

The New York Times reports that Carven had kept designing in anticipation of age 84. With the Carven name having an incredible influence on the world of style, the death of this legendary fashionista is a foremost loss to the fashion industry.

Photo: Maher Attar/Corbis via The Cut ‏(@TheCut) on Twitter

Original article: Carven Founder Madame Carven Dies At Age 105