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Cacharel (b. 1932) was born Jean Louis Henri Bousquet, and now goes by Jean Cacharel. Cacharel went to Paris from his native Nimes in the 1950s. He had studied to be a tailor, but found making women’s clothing more to his liking. In the late 1950s he started his clothing business, making women’s pants. In 1962 he began making the product for which the company became known – women’s shirts. Along with designer Emmanuelle Khanh (who worked at Cacharel 1962-67), they developed what became THE shirt of the mid 1960s – a closely fitted shirt that was based on the traditional man’s shirt. In 1968, they began making these shirts from Liberty prints, and they were an immediate fashion hit.

In 2000, husband and wife design team Clements Ribeiro were hired as head designers for Cacharel, and in 2002, Celia Birtwell joined Cacharel as a fabric designer.

Written by fuzzylizzie


from a 1960s blouse - Courtesy of Annabel Lee

from a 1960s blouse

Courtesy of Annabel Lee

from a late 1970s print blouse - Courtesy of fuzzylizzie.com

from a late 1970s print blouse

Courtesy of fuzzylizzie.com

from a 1970s dress - Courtesy of matthewenbrey

from a 1970s dress

Courtesy of matthewenbrey

from a 1980s print blouse - Courtesy of fuzzylizzie.com

from a 1980s print blouse

Courtesy of fuzzylizzie.com

from an early 1980s shirt - Courtesy of themerchantsofvintage

from an early 1980s shirt

Courtesy of themerchantsofvintage