Madame Gres

Germaine Emilie Krebs

"I wanted to be a sculptor, for me its the same to work with fabric or stone."  

Madame Gres 

Germaine Emilie Krebs (1903-1993) was a French sculptress and the creator of her Fashion house 'Madame Gres' that she opened in Paris, 1942. After selling her Haute couture house in the eighties it was long before the business deteriorated. Gres had a specific way of working, she never had bothered with paper patters or toiles, instead preferred to directly cut straight into the fabric and patiently pin each pleat into place. Majority of her dresses consisted of endless meters of material some as long as 21 meters, Jersey silk was one of her preferred fabrics. In the 1930s however a lot of her inspiration and influences came from North Africa and egypt, it was then that she started cutting on the bias and draped her beautiful goddess like dresses that are an exact example of a timeless design. Being known as one of the best courtiers of the 20th century her inspiration had arisen from within herself, her designs were sensuous and classy, and she was modern designer in her own time. Six decades she dedicated to "work, work, work" and today her garments remain to inspire. She was a perfectionist and new well to work and compliment a women's body. Her craftsmanship remains undeniable and her minimalist style speaks for itself. 

                           

Draping a dress directly on a model

close up of pleated dress

1930's Dress