Mad Carpentier was a French Couture House from 1939 to 1957, founded by partners Madeleine (Mad) Maltezos and Suzanne Carpentier. Maltezos (1900-1985) was the designer, and Carpentier was the business manager. They were both on staff at Vionnet, and opened their own house when Madame Vionnet closed hers in 1939. Mad Carpentier (many newspapers were confused by the name and thought this was a single person) stayed open during the Occupation of Paris, surviving WWII and thriving afterwards. They took part in the Théâtre de la Mode and became an important house with impressive press coverage. Mad Carpentier was known for bias cut evening gowns in the Vionnet tradition and popular coats. The House closed in late 1957 and Maltezos went on to join the House of Patou, where she showed her first collection in January of 1958.
Written by Hollis Jenkins-Evans
from a late 1940s dress
Courtesy of fuzzylizzie.com
