HAUTE COUTURE: Callot Soeurs (Callot Sisters)
A Leading Fashion House in the history of fashion:

The Callot Soeurs, Marie (Gerber), Marthe (Bertrand), Régine (Tennyson-Chantrelle), and Joséphine (Crimont) opened a prominent fashion design house in Paris in 1895. Mme Gerber took on the management of the house. By 1900, the Callot House was employing six hundred workers. During the 1920s, the House of Callot was one of the leading fashion houses in Paris catering to actresses and an exclusive American and European clientele (Gazette du Bon Ton, Sanderson, 2009). The House expanded and opened branches in Nice, Biarritz, Buenos Aires, and London (Clothing and Fashion Encyclopedia, 2010).

The Callot sisters specialized in designing exotic evening gowns, capes, day wear, and feminine lingerie inspired by the elegance of the eighteenth century, and Asian styles and decorations.

Evening Gowns
The gorgeous evening gowns or ball gowns fashioned by Callot Soeurs were reminiscent of eighteenth century styles. In their contemporary versions, they incorporated tightly corseted waists, pointed waists, wide hoop skirts, panniered skirts and pretty floral designs. These gowns were usually made from pastel colored tulle, antique fabrics and lace, and rich brocades. The sisters were the first designers to use silver and gold lame. During the 1910s and 1920s their delicate and exotic evening dresses were popular with actresses and high society women (Benham, 2011; Boucher, nd, p. 392; Clothing and Fashion Encyclopedia, 2010; Sanderson, 2009).

Capes
The Callot sisters created capes which were much admired. In their 1916 collection they introduced a cape which they named ‘Le Roi de Bacchante.’ This luxurious cape was draped out of wine-coloured red silk with metal threads of different colours. There were different colours and designs on the outside and inside of the cape. This cape was highly praised by The New York Times. In 1920, Callot Soeurs presented the ‘manteau d’abbé’, a short cape worn over coats and evening gowns. They also made evening coats with a Russian influence and gave these coats names such as, ‘Petrograd’ and ‘Grand Duke Nicholas’ (Sanderson, 2009).

Day Clothes
In the early part of the century the Callot Soeurs introduced luxurious tea gowns made of silk, chiffon, and organdie. The layered, filmy, pastel-toned tea gowns, trimmed with costly antique laces, were very fashionable (Clothing and Fashion Encyclopedia, 2010). In 1914, the sisters presented a new creation, the shirtwaist dress (Benham, 2011),

Asian Influence
The Callot sisters conceived dresses that incorporated elements of design and embellishment from Asia and Africa into Western garments. Some of these dresses were referred to as ‘robes phéniciennes’. One of Madame Gerber’s innovations was to combine different design modes in a garment. For example, a kimono sleeve might be used with an Algerian burnoose form, or she would incorporate a kimono sleeve into a Western dress. In 1920, the sisters presented a beaded chemise printed and embroidered with dragon motifs. They favoured using rich fabrics of brilliant fauvist colors and rich Eastern coloration in their Asian inspired designs (Benham, 2011; Clothing and Fashion Encyclopedia, 2010).

Lingerie
Callot Soeurs created the most ultra feminine lingerie in gossamer silk which they embellished or accentuated with bands of exquisite and delicate lace, ribbons, and bouquets of silk flowers. As young girls they acquired an attraction for lace making from their mother and loved to adorn their lingerie with lace. Their feminine lacy lingerie was popular with the famous and wealthy (Benham, 2011; Clothing and Fashion Encyclopedia, 2010; Sanderson, 2009).

Workmanship
The Callot sisters had a reputation for fine workmanship and detailed work. They set the standards for couturiers that followed them. In addition, they were the first designers to use the practice of draping their designs on live models (Benham, 2011; Sanderson, 2009). Callot Soeurs attracted talented young designers, one of whom was Madeleine Vionnet, who founded the famous House of Vionnet in 1912.

Promoters of Safeguards for Haute Couture
In 1914, the Callot sisters became involved in Le Syndicat de défense de la grande couture française. They recommended that the syndicate members put in place controls to protect their original designs from copy houses that were selling them to ready-to-wear manufacturers without their permission. They also proposed that designers should date their labels (Clothing and Fashion Encyclopedia, 2010).

By 1926 the fashionability of the House of Callot declined. The house’s expensive designs no longer appealed to the modern career women. They could not compete with the comfortable new clothes made by such couturiers as Chanel. In 1928, Madam Gerber’s son Pierre took over the business. In 1937, the the House of Callot was absorbed into the House of Calvet (Clothing and Fashion Encyclopedia, 2010; Sanderson, 2009). The House of Calvet continued to expand over the years and formed partnerships with Hermes, Rochas, Patou, Fath, Balenciaga, Nina Ricci, and others (Murgia, 2011). Today, Calvet is known for its popular bags and luggage (Calvet Sacs & Baggage).

BIBLIOGRAPHY