Jacques Tiffeau
Jacques Tiffeau | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 11, 1928 Loire Valley, France |
| Died | February 29, 1988 (aged 59) Paris, France |
| Occupation | Fashion designer |
| Known for | Miniskirts |
| Awards |
|
Jacques Tiffeau (October 11, 1928 – February 29, 1988)[1] was a French fashion designer.
He was grew up on a farm in Chenevelles, a town in the Loire Valley of France.[2] He left at age 16 for Paris where he trained as an apprentice in men's tailoring.[3] He served in the French Air and Space Force and did some time in a military prison for taking leave without permission.[3]
In 1952, Tiffeau joined Monte-Sano & Pruzan, a New York City fashion house, as a pattern-cutter while financing his evening tuition.[4]
Tiffeau eventually became chief stylist for the house, and in 1958, he and Beverley Busch launched a parallel fashion label, Tiffeau & Busch.[4] He found success by championing the miniskirt and became famous in his own right as a "celebrity designer".[1] In 1964 he was questioned about the length of skirts he designed as being three inches above the knee he explained that "...American women have beautiful legs and beautiful knees."[5] Tiffeau instituted changes that became commonplace in the fashion industry. He played pop music at his runway shows, showed each look with a fast pace, and was one of the first designers to hire Black models, including Renee Hunter, Pat Cleveland, and La-Jeune Hundley. [3]
Tiffeau went won several awards whilst working for both fashion houses concurrently, including a two Coty Awards,[1] a 1962 Cotton Fashion Award, and the 1964 International Designers Award, and a Neiman Marcus Fashion Award in 1966.[4][6]
Tiffeau later worked for Yves Saint Laurent until 1975.[1] In his later years he taught fashion design at the Institut de la Mode in Paris.[1]
Tiffeau lived as an openly gay man.[3]
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 5 Schiro, Anne-Marie (March 17, 1988). "Jacques Tiffeau, 59, Miniskirt Proponent In World of Fashion". New York Times. Archived from the original on May 25, 2015. Retrieved August 13, 2026.
- ↑ Yann Salaün (July 18, 2022). "A Chenevelles dans la Vienne, première marche des fiertés rurales organisée en France". France 3 Nouvelle-Aquitaine (in French). Archived from the original on February 25, 2024. Retrieved August 13, 2026..
- 1 2 3 4 Horyn, Cathy (August 17, 2003). "The Hustler". The New York Times Magazine. Archived from the original on December 28, 2017. Retrieved August 15, 2026.
- 1 2 3 "Tiffeau Spring Fashions for 'Vital Thinking Woman' received 1966 Neiman-Marcus Award". Fairbanks Daily Newspaper. February 5, 1966. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved March 15, 2015.
- ↑ Bender, Marylin (June 12, 1964). "Questions Being Raised with Hems". The New York Times: 39. Archived from the original on March 31, 2024. Retrieved March 30, 2024.
Rudi Gernreich and Jacques Tiffeau...have chopped daytime hems off at three inches above the knee...
- ↑ "The Neiman's Seal of Approval". Women's Wear Daily. October 25, 2002. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 2, 2015 – via Highbeam.