Coqueline Courrèges (born Jacqueline Barrière, July 25, 1935) is a French dressmaker and co-founder of the Courrèges fashion company.

Coqueline Courrèges
Jacqueline Barrière
Born(1935-07-25)July 25, 1935
Hendaye, France
NationalityFrench
Occupation(s)Couture, Design, Electric Vehicles
LabelCourrèges
SpouseAndré Courrèges (married 1966)

Biography

edit

Coqueline Courrèges was born Jacqueline Barrière on July 25, 1935, in Hendaye, France. She arrived in Paris at the age of 14 to sit for her dress-making training certificate.[1]

In 1952, she joined Balenciaga, where she met André Courrèges.[2] It was he who first began calling her Coqueline.[3] She enrolled in the commercial dress-making register in 1955.[4] In 1961, André and Coqueline Courrèges opened the André Courrèges Couture house,[5] located at no. 48 Avenue Kléber, Paris.[6] They presented their first collection of 29 pieces in Paris on August 1, 1961.[7] Coqueline Courrèges was André Courrèges's "partner in creativity,"[8] with André acting as the "face of the company" and Coqueline ever-present in the "background."[9]

They were married in 1966. Their daughter, Marie, was born in 1970.[10]

Together with André,[1] Coqueline popularised pure white trouser suits, "second skin" tights, and flat boots.[11][9][12][13] She remained second in command of the company.[14] She embodied the “Courrèges' revolution,” with its image of free independent working women.[15] The house developed clothing using new fabrics and fibres, and Coqueline was in charge of creating these futuristic visions of fashion.[16]

From 1995 to 2010, while André Courrèges spent his days involved with painting and sculpture, Coqueline Courrèges ran the Courrèges Design and Courrèges Parfum companies.[17][18][19] She re-opened the factory in Pau.[9][20] In 1997, the company launched a new perfume, "2020."[21] Coqueline worked with biologists and geneticists on the clothing of the future, organising different events which combined fashion and new technologies.[22][23]

Her childhood passion for cars, the result of memories of her father taking part in races driving Bugattis,[24] led her to start designing cars in 1999.[1] Convinced of the importance of ecological challenges, she focused on electric cars. An initial prototype was designed and presented during a Courrèges fashion show in 1968.[25] In 2002, she introduced her first electric car, the Bulle, followed by the EXE in 2004.[26] Between 2000 and 2008, five prototypes of 100% electric cars were created and built. The Zooop model was exhibited as part of the Bibendum Challenge organised by Michelin in June 2006 in Paris.[27][28] Also in 2006, the International Salon of Inventions in Geneva awarded her a “patent” for Electric cars.[29]

Since 2010, Coqueline Courrèges has devoted herself to the defence of André Courrèges's intellectual and moral rights,[30] whilst simultaneously pursuing her projects involving electric transport.[31]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c Orsenna, Erik (2008). Courrèges. Paris: éditions Xavier Barral. p. 178. ISBN 9782915173406.
  2. ^ "Coqueline Courrèges, still years ahead of her time". danielfeau.com. Retrieved 2021-12-20.
  3. ^ Bender, Marylin (1967). The Beautiful People. United States: Coward-McCann, Inc.
  4. ^ "André and Coqueline Courrèges, official site, moral and patrimonial rights". andrecourregespatrimoine.fr. Retrieved 2021-12-20.
  5. ^ Polan, Brenda (2020). The Great Fashion Designers: From Chanel to McQueen, the Names that Made Fashion History. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 9781350091610.
  6. ^ Liber, Nadine (21 May 1965). "The Lord of the Space Ladies". Life (Magazine). Vol. 58. pp. 47–57. ISSN 0024-3019.
  7. ^ Times, Patricia Peterson Special To the New York (1961-08-02). "Balenciaga Gets Ovation For 'Fabulous' Collection". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-01-10.
  8. ^ W. W. D. Staff (2011-01-24). "Space Age Sold… Etam's VIP Lineup… Michael Kors in Paris…". WWD. Retrieved 2021-12-20.
  9. ^ a b c Eisner, Lisa; Alonso, Román (2001-08-19). "Style; The White House". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-01-10.
  10. ^ "André Courrèges, Influential French designer who invented the little white dress and the go-go boot". The Times. 2016-01-16. ISSN 0140-0460.
  11. ^ Sheppard, Eugenia (17 November 1967). "Courrèges covers the stores" (PDF). Women's Wear Daily.
  12. ^ "La mode de Courrèges". INA archives, RTBF Sonuma Collection. 15 March 1965.
  13. ^ Duka, John (1981-11-24). "NOTES ON FASHION". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-01-10.
  14. ^ Bonheur, Janie (15 March 1965). "Qui êtes-vous Monsieur Courrèges ?" (PDF). Marie Claire (in French). 132: 85.
  15. ^ Lipovetsky, Gilles (1991). L'empire de l'éphémère (in French). Paris: Gallimard. p. 170. ISBN 978-2-07-032642-6.
  16. ^ Cassati, Sandro (2014). Yves Saint Laurent: l'enfant terrible (in French). Paris: City. ISBN 9782824604367.
  17. ^ Friedman, Vanessa (2016-01-09). "André Courrèges, Fashion Designer Who Redefined Couture, Dies at 92". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-01-10.
  18. ^ Foreman, Katya (24 November 2008). "Take Courrèges chock-full of inspiration, the designer's studio packs a one-two punch". Women's Wear Daily.
  19. ^ White, Constance C. R. (1995-03-20). "Review/Fashion; Courreges, Once Again". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-01-10.
  20. ^ "A Trip to Courrèges's Workshop in Pau, France — With its New Designers". The New York Times. 2016-04-13. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-12-21.
  21. ^ Schwartzbrod, Alexandra (18 February 1998). "Mère Courrèges. La femme du célèbre couturier des années 60 relance la marque". Libération (in French).
  22. ^ "Coqueline Courrèges prépare le 3e millénaire à la FIAC". INA Archives, Scènes sur Seine (in French). 3 March 1998.
  23. ^ Scott, Chris (March 2003). "Living in a Bubble". Frame (Design Magazine) (31). Frame Publishers B.V.: 58–69. ISSN 1388-4239.
  24. ^ "Rérolle, Raphaëlle (6 December 2008). "Coqueline Courrèges, la fée énergie". Le Monde 2 (in French)". Archived from the original on 2022-01-06.
  25. ^ AFP (2016-02-29). "Courrèges adds a touch of class to Citroën's Geneva concept". news.yahoo.com. Archived from the original on 2016-03-01. Retrieved 2022-01-10.
  26. ^ Foiret, Cyril. "Courrèges reinvents the car: thanks to coqueline!". Trendland. Retrieved 2022-01-10.
  27. ^ Meunier, Nicolas (27 May 2008). "Les Courrèges au Parc André Citroën". Le blog auto.
  28. ^ Foiret, Cyril (2012-09-12). "Courrèges Reinvents The Car: Thanks To Coqueline!". Trendland. Archived from the original on 2012-09-14.
  29. ^ Minard, Antoine (2020-10-01). "Quand André Courrèges habillait l'automobile". Les Hardis.
  30. ^ "André Courrèges Patrimoine". André Courrèges Patrimoine. Retrieved 31 January 2019.
  31. ^ Van Laer, Astrid (2 October 2018). "Vidéo : 200 km, 5 minutes de charge, Coqueline Courrèges nous présente sa voiture électrique". Konbini. Retrieved 31 January 2019.