Charles Jourdan French fashion designer Country: France

Biography of Charles Jordan

Charles Jordan, a French fashion designer, is best known for his women's shoe designs. He was born in the same year as Coco Chanel and started his career as a shoemaker. After World War I, he opened a small shop in the Drôme department, which was an informal center of the shoe industry in France. His women's footwear quickly gained popularity, leading Jordan to focus solely on creating new shoe designs.

In just two years, Charles relocated his shoe company to a dedicated factory on Boulevard Voltaire, where he employed just over 30 people. In the 1930s, Jordan became the first shoemaker to advertise his products in major fashion magazines in France, establishing himself as a prominent figure in the high fashion industry. In 1947, his sons Rene, Charles, and Roland joined the company, and by the 1950s, their footwear was being sold in the UK.

In 1957, the Jordan family opened their first boutique in Paris, while their headquarters remained in Romans, in the Drôme region. They obtained the rights to produce and develop shoes for the Christian Dior label in 1959 and later switched to working with Pierre Cardin. Both Jordan and his sons played a significant role in maintaining the reputation of the shoe industry, with their company being considered one of Europe's largest shoe suppliers and main innovators before World War II.

During the 1960s and 1970s, Jordan continued to promote his creations through advertising campaigns featuring the artwork of surrealist Guy Bourdin. In 1975, Charles expanded the company to include ready-to-wear clothing and women's handbags, although footwear remained the main source of income. Sadly, Charles Jordan passed away in 1976, and his sons took over the leadership of the fashion house. Roland Jordan led the company for the following ten years, introducing slight changes to the style of their designs, such as elongating the toe and adding decorative buckles for an elegant touch. The Jordan family's boutiques expanded worldwide, with stores in Europe and North America.

In 1981, Roland retired, and the company shifted its focus to producing more conservative models under new management. In 1986, Charles Jordan's name became associated with Imelda Marcos, the legendary shoe collection of the former First Lady of the Philippines. Imelda had a particular fondness for Charles Jordan's stilettos, as they comprised a significant portion of her extensive shoe collection. The company also briefly entered the fragrance market, gaining success with the release of the 'Stiletto' perfume in 1996, commemorating the firm's 75th anniversary.

Financial difficulties plagued the fashion house, leading to the closure of their flagship store on the Champs-Élysées just two years after relocating there in 1999. In the mid-2000s, the company faced bankruptcy and was eventually sold to a Luxembourg investment group. With the change in ownership, Charles Jordan's focus shifted from design to sales.