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~ Pauline Trigère ~

Pauline Trigère was born in Paris in 1912, and immigrated to the US in 1937. By 1942 she was designing under the name "Trigère", having spent the previous years working for Ben Gershal, Travis Banton and Hattie Carnegie.  By the 1950s, her label read, "Pauline Trigère" and this label was used through the 1990s.

Pauline Trigere label

Pauline Trigère Sculptured Coat

Trigère was a master cutter; she worked directly on a live model. Her garments were known for sophisticated and structured tailoring, and the best of these were her coats and dresses made from fine wools.

She even made evening dresses from wool - in designs that were elegant, never frilly or fussy. She was also a master at fitting; her clients often remarked that a Pauline Trigère dress fit like a second skin.

To see Pauline Trigère's work in action, watch the movie, Breakfast at Tiffany's. Trigère dressed the character played by Patricia Neal. The clothes are the embodiment of dramatic sophistication.

Ms. Neal wearing Trigère
photo courtesy of Paramount

Trigère scarf from the 60s

Over her long career, which spanned from the 1940s to the 2000s, Trigère's business remained relatively small, with Trigère herself doing the designing and running the business with the help of a son.  She designed scarves, jewelry and furs in addition to her clothing line. She also did a lower cost line of coats "A Trigere Coat" for manufacturer Abe Schrader. Pauline Trigère remained active until her death in 2002.

To see more Trigere labels, check out the label resource at the Vintage Fashion Guild.

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