History of the House

1889 - Jeanne Lanvin, The Milliner

The story of Lanvin began in 1889, in a small hat shop in the heart of Paris.

Jeanne Lanvin had just turned 22 and finished her apprenticeship when she opened her first hat shop in 1889 on the upper level of a store located at 16 Rue Boissy d’Anglas. Even at that young age, her talent was truly dazzling.

Four years later,...

Jeanne Lanvin’s fashion house. Paris, 22 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré. © Studio Lipnitzki / Roger-Viollet

1897 - The Mother and The Child

The birth of her daughter Marguerite in 1897 turned Jeanne Lanvin’s world upside down.

A tightly-bound relationship formed between Jeanne and her daughter. Marguerite became her muse and Jeanne would use luxurious fabrics to create the wardrobe of every little girl’s dreams. The elegant Marguerite was quickly noticed by her friends’ mothers, who in turn became customers of the Lanvin fashion house....

1909 - Jeanne Lanvin, The Designer

In 1909, orders for children’s clothing began to exceed those for hats. Jeanne Lanvin decided it was time for her fashion house to enter into a new era: that year, she opened a Young Ladies’ and Women’s department. Mothers and daughters would come and choose their Lanvin outfits together. Day clothes, evening dresses, coats, and lingerie: Paris fell in love with the entire...

Jeanne Lanvin draping fabric on a mannequin, circa 1936 © Laure Albin Guillot / Roger-Viollet

1915 - Lanvin and The World

Being one of the most respected Parisian fashion houses was not enough for Jeanne Lanvin. The designer set off to conquer the world in 1915, showing her designs all around the globe.

1915 - San Francisco International Exposition

1925 - Paris International Exhibition of Decorative Arts

1937 - Exposition of Art and Technology in Modern Life

1939 - Golden Gate International Exposition

1945 - The Théâtre de la Mode

Designs presented during the Lanvin show on the Normandie ocean liner, 1935 Gouache designs, © Patrimoine Lanvin

1920 - The Lanvin Way Of Life

Jeanne Lanvin had an innate flair for business, but she was also a visionary. Very soon, she realized that the success of a fashion house didn’t just lie in its creations.

During an event thrown by fashion designer Paul Poiret in 1920, Jeanne Lanvin met renowned architect-decorator Armand-Albert Rateau , who had just graduated from the famous École Boulle....

The Théâtre Daunou, decorated by Lanvin, Lanvin Decor, 1923 © But Sou Lai / Patrimoine Lanvin

1924 - Lanvin Perfumes

In 1924, Lanvin Perfumes set up shop at 4 Rond-Point des Champs-Elysées. For the former milliner, it was obvious: perfume was an essential accessory on a woman’s dressing table.

The first fragrance was American. The perfume My Sin , formulated by Maria Zède and launched in the United States in 1925, was an immediate success.

It wasn’t until...

Design registration of black ball perfume bottle, 1925 © Patrimoine Lanvin

1926 - Lanvin For Men

Nothing escaped Jeanne Lanvin’s discerning eye. In 1926, she became the first Parisian designer to launch a made-to-measure clothing line for men.

When “Lanvin Tailor-Shirtmaker” took up residence at 15 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, it was the only place in Paris that offered both Men’s and Women’s collections. Suits, ties, pajamas, day clothes, and sports attire: to satisfy her male clientèle, Jeanne Lanvin...

Illustration from Adam magazine, 1938 © DR

1946 - Lanvin After Jeanne

On July 6, 1946, Jeanne Lanvin passed away peacefully at the age of 79. Jeanne— the milliner, the designer, the decorator, the perfume manufacturer , “Madame” as her staff called her—left behind an empire in her wake.

After Jeanne Lanvin passed away, her daughter Marie-Blanche became president of the company and continued to design collections until 1950. Several designers succeeded her with...

Marie-Blanche de Polignac, circa 1946 © DR / Patrimoine Lanvin

The Artistic Directors of Maison Lanvin