Poiret, Paul, 1879–1944, French couturier, b. Paris. He served an apprenticeship with Doucet in the 1890s, moved to the Maison Worth in 1900, and in 1904 opened his own small studio. Dominating Paris couture from 1909 to 1914, Poiret revolutionized fashion with his designs for the "new woman," ending wasp waists and constricting corsets and reviving a simple, Empire-waisted silhouette. Around 1910 he introduced the appropriately named hobble skirt, with volume around the hips narrowing to an ankle-hugging bottom. He created ensembles of walking coats and dresses, and short hoop "lampshade" tunics over long sheaths. Inspired by interests in art nouveau, East Asia, and the Ballets Russes, he designed jewel-colored evening gowns and such exotic costumes as coulottes, harem pants and skirts, fringed capes, and turbans. He was the first designer to produce (1911) a line of fragrances and cosmetics, and also created items for the home. World War I brought an end to Poiret's flights of fancy, and while he was active in the 1920s his designs were no longer fashionable.

Bibliography

See studies by P. White (1973), Y. Deslandres (1987), A. MacKrell (1990), and F. Baudot (1997).

Poiret, Paul

(born April 20, 1879, Paris, Fr.—died April 30, 1944, Paris) French fashion designer. After working in the Parisian fashion house of Charles Frederick Worth, he opened his own shop in 1902. In 1908 he revived the Empire style, popular in France during the reign of Napoleon I. Seeking to restore naturalness to female garb, he was principally responsible for the decline of the corset. He is best known for the hobble skirt, to which he later added draped and belted knee-length tunics. Fringed and tasseled capes, multicoloured feathers, and fox stoles imparted a theatrical look to his designs. His flowing Greek costumes were extremely popular in the prewar era, but his popularity faded in the 1920s and he died in poverty.