[What is your opinion? Link to our discussion board]
(Reprinted from our latest NY Fashion Report for Members) Talk about modern thinkers- leave it to the brilliant and legendary Pauline Trigere, to posthumously follow suit. The much copied and revered designer who passed away last year at the age of 97, remains one of the most influential and highly acclaimed design forces, (at a recent Doyle Auction of vintage clothes, a simple trench coat with Pauline’s signature fabric, her name in repeating columns of black, brought an unprecedented 4 times the estimate). And it was announced through a press release sent last week, that her sons, Jean Pierre and Philippe Radley have teamed with Jeff Lotman and Global Icons, a premiere licensing and brand merchandising agency, to explore licensing opportunities.
According to Mee Won Maddox, President, Global Icons, “Pauline’s major regret was her inability to translate her unique and very practical approach beyond the rarified atmosphere of the couture department to mass merchandising. She was a fan of “box stores.” Her secret vice—catalogue shopping. To Pauline, good design was never a factor of cost. Her own licensed line of mid-priced outerwear “A Trigere Coat” was a multi-million dollar seller during the eighties and to Pauline’s credit and her phenomenal design sense, the coats are prominently recycled today as hot sellers in the vintage clothing market.”
“To me, Trigere was more than a designer of clothing. She was the embodiment of what she designed. She infused her own sense of living into everything she created”, said Maddox. Maddox believes that Trigere’s friends, who encouraged the brothers to license the name, are correct in their assessment that the attributes of the Trigere style can transfer her sensibilities into a variety of mass market products,”soft goods, accessories, outerwear, furniture” aimed at today’s price sensitive consumers looking for quality, durability, and style.
In a counter-intuitive approach, Global Icons will extend the brand to areas where the attributes that consumers value and identify with Trigere can provide a value added to the product rather than concentrating on resurrecting the name in fashion and couture.
-Marilyn Kirschner
