Skip to content

Andre Courreges (1923 – 2016) was trained as a civil engineer, but he chose a career in fashion. He worked throughout the 1950s as a fitter at the House of Balenciaga. He left in 1961 to form his own business. His first collections showed traces of the Balenciaga influence, but he soon began working in a new direction.

In 1964 Courreges showed the first of his “space age” inspired collections. He was the first in Paris to show the mini skirt and tunics over trousers. His work was wildly popular, and thus, widely copied. In disgust at the cheap copies of his work that were available world-wide, Courreges suddenly sold his business near the end of 1965.

Two years later, he had reopened, and along with his couture, he introduced two ready-to-wear lines: Couture Future and Hyperbole. In 1973 he began a menswear line.

Though associated most closely with the 1960s, Courreges continued to operate through the 1970s and 1980s. In the early 1990s, Jean-Charles de Castelbajac was signed to design the Courreges ready-to-wear lines. The business is still in operation.

Written by fuzzylizzie


c. 1967 - Courtesy of kickshawproductions

c. 1967

Courtesy of kickshawproductions

from a late 1960s pair of leather gloves - Courtesy of pinky-a-gogo

from a late 1960s pair of leather gloves

Courtesy of pinky-a-gogo

from a 1960s mini dress - Courtesy of northstarvintage

from a 1960s mini dress

Courtesy of northstarvintage

from a 1960s couture dress - Courtesy of claireshaeffer

from a 1960s couture dress

Courtesy of claireshaeffer

from a 1960s dress - Courtesy of claireshaeffer

from a 1960s dress

Courtesy of claireshaeffer

from an early 1970s dress - Courtesy of claireshaeffer

from an early 1970s dress

Courtesy of claireshaeffer

from an early 1970s tee shirt dress - Courtesy of kevinjohnnyc

from an early 1970s tee shirt dress

Courtesy of kevinjohnnyc

from a 1970s pantsuit - Courtesy of Ryerson University Fashion Research Collection

from a 1970s pantsuit

Courtesy of Ryerson University Fashion Research Collection

from a 1970s jumper - Courtesy of coutureallurevintage.com

from a 1970s jumper

Courtesy of coutureallurevintage.com

from a 1970s knit pullover - Courtesy of Ranch Queen Vintage

from a 1970s knit pullover

Courtesy of Ranch Queen Vintage

from a pair of 1970s bell bottom pants - Courtesy of themerchantsofvintage

from a pair of 1970s bell bottom pants

Courtesy of themerchantsofvintage

from a late 1970s skirt - Courtesy of fuzzylizzie.com

from a late 1970s skirt

Courtesy of fuzzylizzie.com

from a late 1970s/early 1980s skirt - Courtesy of claireshaeffer

from a late 1970s/early 1980s skirt

Courtesy of claireshaeffer

from a 1980s dress - Courtesy of fuzzylizzie.com

from a 1980s dress

Courtesy of fuzzylizzie.com

from a 1982 dress - Courtesy of delabelle

from a 1982 dress

Courtesy of delabelle

from a 1980s coat - Courtesy of chexmov

from a 1980s coat

Courtesy of chexmov