Robert Piguet Parisian fashion designer originally from Sweden Country: France

Biography of Robert Piguet

Born in 1898 in Yverdon-les-Bains, Switzerland, Robert Piguet was a Parisian fashion designer who gained fame for his work with iconic designers like Christian Dior and Hubert de Givenchy. Initially trained to become a banker like his father, Piguet made the decision to pursue a career in fashion design, much to his father's disapproval.

After the end of World War I, Piguet moved to Paris to further his ambitions in the fashion industry. He initially worked with French designer Paul Poiret before joining the Paris branch of Redfern, a clothing manufacturing company. In 1933, Piguet opened his own fashion house, which became known for its elegant and tasteful designs.

Piguet's breakthrough came when Christian Dior, one of his former students, rose to prominence in 1937. Dior credited Piguet with teaching him the value of simplicity and true elegance. One of the dresses from Dior's collection, designed by Piguet, was named "Cafe Anglais" and received great acclaim.

Throughout his career, Piguet collaborated with other designers such as Pierre Balmain, Marc Bohan, Hubert de Givenchy, and James Galanos. He also ventured into the world of fragrance and released his first perfume, "Bandit," in the United States in 1944. The launch of "Bandit" was accompanied by a memorable presentation featuring models armed with guns and knives.

One of Piguet's most successful fragrances was "Fracas" in 1948, developed in collaboration with Germaine Cellier. The updated version of the fragrance won the "FiFi Awards" in 2006. Piguet also oversaw the creation of perfumes such as "Visa" in 1945 and "Baghari" in 1950.

After his death in 1953, the brand "Robert Piguet" continued to release fragrances, including "Cravache" in 1963 and "Futur" in 1960. However, over time, the public began to forget the name Robert Piguet.

In 1993, the American company Fashion Fragrances & Cosmetics Ltd acquired the brand "Robert Piguet." The designer's archive, which contains around 3,000 original designs, photographs, and documents, is now housed in the Swiss Museum of Fashion in Yverdon-les-Bains.