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Chloe is a French luxury fashion design house headquartered in Paris, France. Founded in 1956 by French-Egyptian creator Gaby Aghion, the house produces women’s prêt-a-porter, accessories, and fragrances.
History
Chloé has employed several of contemporary fashion’s most influential designers in the past 40 years. Karl Lagerfeld, who currently serves as creative director for Fendi and Chanel, served two stints as top designer for the house. From 1971 to 1983. He replaced outgoing designer Martine Sitbon, who brought a more modern look to Chloé during her tenure., In 1997, young British designer Stella McCartney took the helm of the fashion house, Having graduated from London's Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design only two years earlier, McCartney’s eponymous collection was already popular among London’s fashion scene. This did not silence critics who maintained that McCartney received the position only because of her celebrity parents, ex-Beatle Paul and Linda McCartney, and that the appointment was simply a publicity stunt on the part of Chloé's owners, the Vendôme.
McCartney’s first collection for Chloé, shown in Paris in October 1997, put to rest any criticism of her abilities as creative director. Her ready-to-wear designs elevated Chloé's profile to new heights in the late 1990s.
McCartney announced her departure from Chloé in early 2001, naming 27-year-old Phoebe Philo as her successor. Again, critics were silenced after the young designer’s first collection. Planted firmly at the intersection of casual street chic and whimsical femininity, Philo’s designs forged an image that the Chloé calls "luxurious, romantic and quinessentially French." Philo also created several "it" bags during her time at Chloé |
