Marc Bohan facts for kids
Marc Roger Maurice Louis Bohan (born August 22, 1926 – died September 6, 2023) was a famous French fashion designer. He is best known for working at the well-known fashion house Dior for 30 years.
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Early Life and Fashion Start
Marc Bohan was born in Paris, France, and grew up in a town called Sceaux. His mother was a milliner, which is someone who designs and makes hats. She encouraged him to get into fashion from a young age.
After finishing school at the Lycée Lakanal, Marc Bohan started his career in 1945. He got a job at a fashion house called Robert Piguet. He worked there for four years, learning a lot about designing clothes.
In 1949, he became an assistant to another designer named Edward Molyneux. Later, in 1952, he worked as a designer for Madeleine de Rauch. For a short time in 1953, he even opened his own fashion studio in Paris and created his first collection.
In 1954, Marc Bohan joined Jean Patou, another famous fashion house. There, he designed their haute couture collections. Haute couture means very fancy, custom-made clothing that is often hand-sewn for specific clients. He stayed at Jean Patou until 1958.
Designing for Christian Dior
From 1958 to 1960, Marc Bohan designed clothes for the Christian Dior company's London line. In September 1960, the main designer for Dior, Yves Saint Laurent, had to leave for military service. Marc Bohan was then chosen to take his place as the creative director for Dior.
Bohan's designs were known for being simple yet very elegant. He often found inspiration from the fashion styles of the 1920s. He didn't like the extreme fashion trends of his time. For example, in 1966, he created a collection inspired by the Russian style seen in the movie Doctor Zhivago.
Many of Marc Bohan's classic designs are now kept in museums around the world. In 2009, the Christian Dior Museum in Granville, France, even held a special show to celebrate his work.
Marc Bohan left Dior in 1989. After that, he joined the fashion house of Norman Hartnell in London and worked there until 1992. Later, he started designing clothes under his own name.
Famous People He Dressed
Marc Bohan designed clothes for many famous people. Some of his notable clients included:
- Princess Grace of Monaco: She even helped him open the Baby Dior children's clothing store in 1967.
- Lynn Wyatt
- Betsy Bloomingdale
- Actress Sophia Loren
Jacqueline Kennedy, the wife of former U.S. President John F. Kennedy, also admired Bohan's designs. She had other designers adapt his styles for her.
In 1976, Marc Bohan was chosen to design the wedding dress for Silvia Sommerlath. She was marrying King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden. Two years later, in 1978, he designed the wedding gown for Princess Caroline of Monaco when she married Philippe Junot.
Awards and Recognition
Marc Bohan received several awards for his contributions to fashion:
- Sports Illustrated Designer of the Year award in 1963.
- Schiffli Lace and Embroidery Institute award in 1963.
- Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur in 1979. This is a very high award given by the French government.
- Ordre de Saint Charles from Monaco.
Later Life
Marc Bohan was married twice. His first wife, Dominique Gaborit, passed away in 1962. He then married Huguette Rinjonneau, and they had one daughter named Marie-Anne.
He lived in a beautiful, restored 18th-century country house in Burgundy, France. Marc Bohan passed away at his home on September 6, 2023, when he was 97 years old.
