Lanvin

The oldest Parisian fashion house, Lanvin, is notoriously tricky to pronounce. Saying it how you see it, Laan-vin, is the ultimate faux pas. As a result of its French province, the house is pronounced Loh-vah. Vah in the same way as "vin", French for wine. The now-household name – following a collaboration with H&M in 2010 – is the surname of its founder Jeanne Lanvin.

Jeanne, pronounced zhon, was born in January 1867 in Paris, 35 rue de Mazarine, to poverty stricken parents Bernard-Constantin Lanvin and Sophie-White and was the eldest of 11 children. Her father was mentally unstable and frequently was out of work. The French novelist and friend of Bernard-Constantin's father supported the Lanvin's financially but was often frustrated by Constantin's behaviour. Aged 13, Jeanne became an apprentice milliner at Madame Félix in Paris at the age of 16 and trained at dressmaker Talbot before becoming a milliner. In 1889, she set up her eponymous house on the Faubourg Saint-Honoré, with the now-iconic mother and daughter logo. Designing clothes for her daughter (Marguerite di Pietro, her muse and would-be successor), attracted the attention of wealthy mothers. One of the most influential designers of the 1920s and 30s, Jeanne's use of intricate trimmings, virtuoso embroideries and beaded decorations in clear, light, floral colours became a Lanvin trademark.

"Saying it how you see it, Laan-vin, is the ultimate faux pas"

Following Jeanne's death in 1946, the house stayed in the family until 1989 went it was shuttled between various companies. In October 2001, Alber Elbaz was appointed artistic director and was pivotal in leading Lanvin to be the respected and commercial viable house it once was. Elbaz is continually respectful of the founder's work, regularly referencing it in the use of Forget-Me-Not inspired packaging (Jeanne's favourite shade which she purportedly saw in a Fra Angelico fresco). This year, the designer has been chosen to decorate Claridge's christmas tree, following in the footsteps of John Galliano. The colourful design featuring trademark marionettes dressed in Lanvin-designed hotel uniforms, will be unveiled tomorrow morning.

Suggested Reading: Alber Elbaz reveals his thoughts on the fashion calendar here.

Text by Laura Bradley