Madame Vignon was an established fashion designer during the July Monarchy. She enjoyed a successful career, and came to have an influential position within the French fashion industry and mentioned as a member of the elite fashion designers in mid-19th-century Paris in the era of the Second Republic and Second Empire, alongside other top designers such as Madame Camille, Madame Palmyre and Madame Victorine.[2]
As one of the top seamstresses in Paris, she and her main rival[3]Madame Palmyre was engaged to deliver the 54 dresses trousseau of the new empress of France, Eugénie de Montijo, upon the wedding of Emperor Napoleon III in 1853; it was also Vignon who was given the assignment to design Eugenie´s wedding dress, which became internationally famous.[4] She did the day dresses of the empress, while Palmyre did the evening dresses.[5]
The fashion house founded by Madame Vignon, Maison Vignon, traded at 182 Rue de Rivoli, Paris, until at least 1880.[6]
Gallery
Dresses by Maison Vignon
Dress, c. 1872, Metropolitan Museum of Art
Dinner dress, 1878-79, Metropolitan Museum of Art
Dinner dress, 1875-79, Metropolitan Museum of Art
Dress, c. 1880, Metropolitan Museum of Art
Dress, c. 1880, Metropolitan Museum of Art
References
^Penny McCracken: Women Artists and Designers in Europe Since 1800: An Annotated Bibliography (Bibliography of Women Artists & Designers in Europe Since 18)
^Valerie Steele: Women of Fashion: Twentieth-century Designers, Rizzoli International, 1991
