Louis Feraud (1921-1999) opened his first boutique in Cannes, France, in the early 1950s, launching his fashion career. As luck would have it, Brigitte Bardot bought one of his dresses, and the attention this brought to the store helped to establish his name. He dressed her for many of her films and gained a large following among Hollywood stars including Kim Novak and Ingrid Bergman.
In 1955 he moved to Paris and opened a ready-to-wear salon. Soon after, he established a couture house catering to his elite clientele. He held his first runway show in 1960, after which his clothes were carried by stores in the US, Canada and the UK.
In the 1960s Feraud was known for his strikingly graphic mod dresses and suits. His style softened in the 1970s, into a look called “The Gypsies” He won the Golden Thimble award for his Spring/Summer 1978 Haute Couture Collection, and again in 1984. In the early 1980s he created a series of fragrances for Avon. In addition to his fashion design career, he was also an artist, exhibiting his paintings in Paris, Tokyo, and New York.
Feraud retired in 1996 and his daughter Dominique took over the house. In September 1999, the Dutch group Secon acquired the company. Feraud died in December of that year, following a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. In 2000 ESCADA acquired a majority share of the business and in 2003, the Feraud worldwide flagship store opened in Paris.
Written by Vintage Fashion Guild