Christian Lacroix facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Christian Lacroix
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Christian Lacroix, Arles, France, July 2008
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| Born | 16 May 1951 Arles, France
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Christian Lacroix |
Christian Lacroix (born May 16, 1951) is a famous French fashion designer. He is known for his unique and luxurious designs. His creations often feature bright colors, interesting patterns, and beautiful details like beads and embroidery.
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Discovering Christian Lacroix
Christian Lacroix was born in Arles, a town in southern France. From a young age, he loved drawing historical costumes and fashion. After finishing high school in 1969, he studied Art History at the University of Montpellier. Later, he moved to Paris to study at the Sorbonne.
While studying, he also learned about museum work at the École du Louvre. His dream at that time was to become a museum curator, someone who manages a museum's collections. In 1974, he married Françoise Rosenthiel.
Starting His Fashion Journey
Before starting his own brand, Lacroix worked for the famous Paris fashion house of Jean Patou from 1985 to 1987. This experience helped him learn a lot about the fashion world.
The Christian Lacroix Fashion House
Building the Brand
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In 1987, Christian Lacroix opened his very own haute couture (high fashion) house. He received support from a big company called Financière Agache. In 1988, he started making ready-to-wear clothes, which are clothes made in standard sizes for everyday use.
Lacroix's designs often took inspiration from many different cultures. He quickly became famous for his fancy and imaginative creations. Some of his well-known designs include the short puffball skirt, also called "le pouf." He also loved using rose prints and low necklines.
He often looked back at fashion history for ideas, like the corset and crinoline. He also found inspiration in folklore and different parts of the world. He mixed these ideas in a fun and unexpected way. He loved using bright, warm colors from the Mediterranean region. He also enjoyed mixing different patterns and using special fabrics, sometimes even handwoven. His background in theater helped him create very dramatic and colorful collections.
Expanding the Collections
In 1989, the Christian Lacroix brand grew even more. They started selling jewelry, handbags, shoes, glasses, scarves, and ties. They opened stores in several cities, including Paris, London, and Geneva.
Over the years, Christian Lacroix designed many different types of clothing and accessories:
- In 1994, his collections were inspired by old cultures, folklore, and fables.
- In 1995, he launched a line of towels that combined fashion and lifestyle.
- From 1996 to 2006, the brand had a special line called Christian Lacroix Jeans. This line continued to feature ethnic art and traditions from around the world.
- In 2000, he created a line of unique accessories, including jewelry.
- In 2001, he even launched a children's clothing line.
- In 2004, Lacroix introduced a lingerie line for women and a menswear line for men.
Working with Others
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Christian Lacroix also teamed up with other companies for special projects:
- In 1997, he launched an "Art de la Table" (tableware) line with Christofle. He also partnered with Pronuptian for his Christian Lacroix Marriage wedding dress line.
- In 2007, he designed a special bottle for the French mineral water brand Evian.
- In 2011, Lacroix started working with the clothing brand Desigual from Barcelona.
- In 2013, he was asked to create a collection for Maison Schiaparelli, another famous fashion house.
Fragrances and Beauty
In 1999, the Christian Lacroix brand launched its first perfume. In 2002, they released another perfume called Bazar.
Lacroix also partnered with Avon cosmetics. Together, they created several fragrances, including Christian Lacroix Rouge for women and Christian Lacroix Noir for men in 2007. They later released other perfumes like Absynthe, Nuit, Ambre, and Bijou.
Other Creative Projects
Creative Director for Emilio Pucci
From 2002 to 2005, Christian Lacroix was the Creative Director for the Italian fashion house Emilio Pucci. He decided to leave on good terms because he had many other projects and wanted to focus his energy on them.
XCLX Company and Design Work
In 2005, Lacroix started his own company called XCLX. Through this company, he took on many exciting design projects:
- He designed the interiors for the French TGV high-speed trains.
- In 2004, he created the new uniforms for Air France staff and crew. Passengers in Air France First Class even receive pajamas designed by him!
- His firm also designed the interiors of several famous hotels in Paris, including Hotel Le Petit Moulin (2005), Hotel Bellechasse (2007), Le Notre Dame hotel (2010), and Hotel l'Antoine.
Costume Design for Stage
Christian Lacroix is also a talented costume designer for opera, theater, dance, and music. His costume designs were shown in an exhibition called "Christian Lacroix Costumier" at the National Museum of Singapore in 2009. In 2022, he designed the costumes for the opera David et Jonathas at the Château de Versailles in France.
Christian Lacroix is known for designing dresses for Hollywood stars. He designed Christina Aguilera's wedding dress. In the 1990s, he was a favorite designer of the character Edina Monsoon in the TV show Absolutely Fabulous.
In 2025, a Spanish company called Sociedad Textil Lonia bought the Christian Lacroix fashion house.
Images for kids
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Christian Lacroix, Arles, France, July 2008
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Strapless dress by Lacroix, Spring-Summer 1988.(PMA)
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A design by Lacroix [right] on display at The Met's exhibit Camp: Notes on Fashion
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China Eastern Airlines uniform designed by Lacroix in 2013
See also
In Spanish: Christian Lacroix para niños
