The story so far: Last week there wasn't a dry eye in the house at Christian Lacroix's last ever show. Apparently, without financial backers Lacroix was about to close his fashion empire. However, I've just read that France's culture Minister, Frédéric Mitterrand, has decided to do something to prevent the demise of Lacroix's couture business as it would be "un désastre culturel" = a cultural disaster!
Lacroix actually studied Art History at the University of Montpellier and then went on to do further study at the Sorbonne in Paris. His ambition at this time was to be a museum curator. He then took up museum studies at The Louvre Museum as a further step towards this goal.However, in 1978, he went to work as a colourist and designer at Hermes. Then from 1981 to 1987 Lacroix worked at the fashion house of Jean Patout. Finally in 1987, he opened his own couture and ready-to-wear business.
I think you can see his love of history in his clothes. His famous opulent and whimsical designs always have a historical edge to them. Personally, it was his use of colour that I really loved.
So, I suppose we'll have to wait and see what becomes of Monsieur Lacroix and his fashion house. Meanwhile, you could do worse than have a look at his official site here - it's very pretty. If you'd like to know more about the man himself there's a biography about him here.
The top photo is from a Vogue fashion spread: Lacroix is the chap on the far right. Below that is another photo from the same spread. The photo directly above shows Lacroix receiving a standing ovation at his final (?) show last week.
