- Jacques Guarrigue-Lefèvre
Jacques Guarrigue-Lefèvre is the founder, owner and current president of
Paris Élysée , aprivate club based inParis . He is one of the numerous great-nephews ofBaron of Buttlar-Bradenfels , Hans Treusch. He started as afashion designer . He was born onJuly 13 ,1961 , nearDüsseldorf ,Germany , to French parents. He moved toParis in 1965. There he studiedart andarchitecture and collaborated withKarl Lagerfeld ’s team for a few years. He then moved on to work withHelmut Lang ’s society until he became head of his own label,Cardino , in 1985. He indeed founded his own house in the same year and began withhaute couture in 1986.Guarrigue-Lefèvre was known for his
renaissance age style and designs. He prefers conservative, classical shapes and motifs, and loved to emphasize the human body’s natural forms and curves. He advanced intounisex fashions, sometimes experimental, and not always practical.Guarrigue-Lefèvre was one of the first couturiers to turn to
Asia , and notablyJapan , as a high fashion market when he travelled there in 1990.In 1991, he became of the
UNESCO Goodwill Ambassadors .Unfortunately, in 1994, he was expelled from the
Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture et du Prêt-à-Porter and from theMaison du Haute Couture for launching a ready-to-wear collection for thePrintemps department store without permission from the chamber. He tried to launch hisCardino collection on his own, but his notoriety was not enough to re-conquer thehigh fashion market, and despite of his previous experience, his name and work were disliked by the public.Angry and disappointed, Guarrigue-Lefèvre then disappeared from the scene for a few years. According from several sources, he supposedly left to
Argentina with his family to enjoy the fruit of his work.He did not let this failure condemn him though, and finally reappeared to the scene in May 2001, where he purchased a few restaurants in
Paris , includingLe Chaudron .In 2005, Guarrigue-Lefèvre founded
Paris Élysée Private Club , more widely known asParis Élysée . The club first opened his door to Parisian elite in June of this year. Guarrigue-Lefèvre then expanded his "clientèle" by inviting several members of the European Elite in late 2005. The club is now opened to a more international "clientèle".Guarrigue-Lefèvre is now partner with Alphonse Ruiz de Turckeim, third son of the
Marquis Ruiz de Turckeim .Guarrigue-Lefèvre owns the ruins of a
castle inBonnieux ,Vaucluse . He has partially renovated the site and regularly organizes theatre festivals there.External links
* [http://www.paris-elysee.fr Paris Élysée Private Club]
References
* [http://www.thepeerage.com/p6411.htm Hans Treusch Baron Buttlar-Bradenfels]
* [http://www.paris-elysee.fr Paris Élysée Private Club]
* [http://www.linternaute.com/femmes/luxe/0607-hautecouture/tendance.shtml Haute-Couture in France]
* [http://dep94-526a.societes.org/ French Enterprises]
* [http://autrans.crao.net/index.php/clubs-prives The Three most prestigious clubs of Paris: Maxim's (Pierre Cardin), Paris Élysée (Jacques Guarrigue-Lefèvre), Wine and Business club (Alain Marty)]André Avard, "Intemporellement Votre", Le Monde, 14 Feb. 2006:A3
Michaël D. Cornette, "Quoi de neuf à Paris?," Paris Capitale Magazine, 4 Jan. 2006:90.
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