Marcelle Dormoy (1895–1976) was a French couture fashion designer active from the 1910s to 1950, and a former model. Dormoy was born Marie-Léonie Graftieaux, but changed her name to Marcelle Dormoy in 1916 soon after the birth of her son Pierre-Edouard. Graftieaux started out as a

mannequin A mannequin (sometimes spelled as manikin and also called a dummy, lay figure, or dress form) is a doll, often articulated, used by artists, tailors, dressmakers, window dressers and others, especially to display or fit clothing and show off dif ...

for

Paul Poiret Paul Poiret (20 April 1879 – 30 April 1944) was a French fashion designer, a master couturier during the first two decades of the 20th century. He was the founder of his namesake haute couture house. Early life and career Poiret was bor ...

, which she credited with helping her learn to "understand the female body." At this time, her grandson has claimed, Graftieaux met Edward, Prince of Wales, probably at Luna Park, Paris and he may have fathered her son. Pierre-Edouard's birth was registered over a year after the event, and the certificate does not identify his father, but in addition to her name change, Dormoy reportedly came into a sum of money that enabled her to set up a dressmaking business. Later, in the mid-1940s when Dormoy's grandson François was born, his mother received an unexplained gift of a

Van Cleef & Arpels Van Cleef & Arpels is a French luxury jewelry company. It was founded in 1896 by the Dutch diamond-cutter Alfred Van Cleef and his father-in-law Salomon Arpels in Paris. Their pieces often feature flowers, animals and fairies. History The ...

"cadenas" diamond watch-bracelet made after a design originally commissioned by Edward (now the Duke of Windsor) for his wife

Wallis Simpson Wallis, Duchess of Windsor (born Bessie Wallis Warfield, later Spencer and then Simpson; June 19, 1896 – April 24, 1986) was an American socialite and the wife of Prince Edward, Duke of Windsor (former King Edward VIII). Their intentio ...

- a gift that Pierre-Edouard Graftieaux could not have afforded to give his wife. During the 1920s, Dormoy worked with Vionnet alongside other designers such as Jacques Griffe and Marcelle Chaumont. As première d'atelier, she was head of the workroom at Vionnet until she left to launch her own couture house in December 1928. This date was open to question even while Dormoy was in business, with M.D.C. Crawford stating in 1941 that Dormoy launched "his" ''(sic)'' business in 1934, and the mannequin "Freddy" recalling a launch date of 1927 in her 1958 memoirs. In 1937 Dormoy had her portrait painted by the artist Marie Laurencin, who accepted a fur coat as payment. This portrait was sold by the Swiss auction house Dobiaschofsky in 2013. Dormoy remained with

Jean Patou Jean Patou (; 27 September 1887 – 8 March 1936) was a French fashion designer, and founder of the Jean Patou brand. Early life Patou was born in Paris, France in 1880. Patou's family's business was tanning and furs. Patou worked with his u ...

Biarritz Biarritz ( , , , ; also spelled ; ) is a city on the Bay of Biscay, on the Atlantic coast in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the French Basque Country in southwestern France. It is located from the border with Spain. It is a luxu ...

prior to returning to

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

, following the

German occupation of France during World War II The Military Administration in France (; ) was an interim occupation authority established by Nazi Germany during World War II to administer the occupied zone in areas of northern and western France. This so-called ' was established in June 19 ...

.''Fashion under the occupation'', Dominique Veillon,

Berg Publishers Berg Publishers was an academic publishing company based in Oxford, Oxfordshire, England and Providence, Rhode Island, United States. It was founded in the United Kingdom in 1983 by Marion Berghahn. Berg published monographs, textbooks, refer ...

, 2002, pg. 11. She continued working during the Occupation, providing clothes to clients such as the actress

Edwige Feuillère Edwige Feuillère (born Edwige Louise Caroline Cunatti; 29 October 1907 – 13 November 1998) was a French stage and film actress. Biography She was born Edwige Louise Caroline Cunatti to an Italian architect father and an Alsace-born moth ...

. In February 1946, ''

Collier's } ''Collier's'' was an American general interest magazine founded in 1888 by Peter F. Collier, Peter Fenelon Collier. It was launched as ''Collier's Once a Week'', then renamed in 1895 as ''Collier's Weekly: An Illustrated Journal'', shortened i ...

'' published an article about Feuillère and Dormoy, noting that Dormoy's designs were among the first post-war models "by leading designers" to be bought by American buyers for export back home, despite a poor exchange rate meaning that each design cost $500–600. A picture caption in the article noted that Dormoy's unfussy designs typically featured free-flowing lines. Dormoy closed her house in 1950, and died in 1976. Her son and daughter-in-law presented a 1948 evening gown that she had designed to the

Musée Galliera The Palais Galliera, also formally known as the Musée de la Mode de la Ville de Paris (City of Paris Fashion Museum), and formerly known as Musée Galliera, is a museum of fashion and fashion history located at 10, avenue Pierre 1er de Serbie, ...

References

Further reading : {{DEFAULTSORT:Dormoy, Marcelle French fashion designers 1895 births 1976 deaths 1930s fashion 1940s fashion French female models French women fashion designers 20th-century French women