Madame Vignon, also known as Madame Vignon-Chauvin (19th century), was a French

fashion designer Fashion design is the Art (skill), art of applied arts, applying design, aesthetics, clothing construction, and natural beauty to clothing and its Fashion accessory, accessories. It is influenced by diverse cultures and different trends and has va ...

Couturier (; ; French for 'high sewing', 'high dressmaking') is the creation of exclusive custom-fitted high-end fashion design. The term ''haute couture'' generally refers to a specific type of upper garment common in Europe during the 16th to the 1 ...

''. Madame Vignon was an established fashion designer during the

July Monarchy The July Monarchy (), officially the ''Kingdom of France'' (), was a liberalism, liberal constitutional monarchy in France under , starting on 9 August 1830, after the revolutionary victory of the July Revolution of 1830, and ending 26 Februar ...

. She enjoyed a successful career, and came to have an influential position within the French fashion industry and mentioned as a member of the elite fashion designers in mid-19th-century Paris in the era of the Second Republic and Second Empire, alongside other top designers such as Madame Camille,

Madame Palmyre Madame Palmyre also called Mademoiselle Palmyre (19th century), was a French fashion designer '' couturier''. Madame Palmyre was an established fashion designer during the July Monarchy. She enjoyed a successful career, and came to have an influ ...

and

Madame Victorine Madame Victorine (19th-century), was a French fashion designer '' couturier''. Madame Victorine was initially a student and business partner of the famous Madame Guérin, an elite milliner of the Bourbon Restoration. She was an established fash ...

. As one of the top seamstresses in Paris, she and her main rival

was engaged to deliver the 54 dresses trousseau of the new empress of France,

Eugénie de Montijo Eugénie de Montijo (; born María Eugenia Ignacia Agustina de Palafox y Kirkpatrick; 5 May 1826 – 11 July 1920) was Second French Empire, Empress of the French from her marriage to Napoleon III on 30 January 1853 until he was overthrown on 4 ...

, upon the wedding of Emperor

Napoleon III Napoleon III (Charles-Louis Napoléon Bonaparte; 20 April 18089 January 1873) was President of France from 1848 to 1852 and then Emperor of the French from 1852 until his deposition in 1870. He was the first president, second emperor, and last ...

in 1853; it was also Vignon who was given the assignment to design Eugenie´s wedding dress, which became internationally famous. She did the day dresses of the empress, while Palmyre did the evening dresses. The fashion house founded by Madame Vignon, Maison Vignon, traded at 182

Rue de Rivoli The Rue de Rivoli (; English: "Rivoli Street") is a street in central Paris, France. It is a commercial street whose shops include leading fashionable brands. It bears the name of Napoleon's early victory against the Austrian army, at the Battle o ...

, Paris, until at least 1880.

Gallery

Dress MET 40.45ab S.jpg, Dress, c. 1872, Metropolitan Museum of Art Dinner dress MET C.I.69.14.3ab F.jpg, Dinner dress, 1878-79, Metropolitan Museum of Art Dinner dress MET C.I.69.14.12ab B.jpg, Dinner dress, 1875-79, Metropolitan Museum of Art Dress MET CI69.33.13ab F.jpg, Dress, c. 1880, Metropolitan Museum of Art Dress MET CI69.33.14ab S.jpg, Dress, c. 1880, Metropolitan Museum of Art

References

{{reflist French fashion designers French milliners 19th-century French businesswomen 19th-century French businesspeople Year of birth missing Year of death missing People of the Second French Empire People of the July Monarchy French women fashion designers