Rose Valois was the name of a millinery establishment in Paris founded in 1927 by Madame Fernand Cleuet,

Vera Leigh Vera Leigh (17 March 1903 – 6 July 1944) was an agent of the United Kingdom's clandestine Special Operations Executive during World War II. Leigh was a member of the SOE's Donkeyman circuit and Inventor sub-circuit in occupied France unti ...

, and one other. It closed in 1970. During its time, it was considered one of the leading milliners of the 1930s, 40s and 50s. The founders of Rose Valois had all worked with

Caroline Reboux Caroline Reboux (circa 1840–1927) was a Parisian milliner and French fashion designer. She opened her first boutique at 23 rue de la paix in Paris in 1865, which she continued to operate throughout her life. Reboux opened other shops in ...

, leaving in 1927 to found their own salon. Rose was Mme Cleuet's first name, and Valois was a construct made up from the initials of Vera Leigh and the other (as yet unidentified) woman. Leigh left Rose Valois in 1940, which remained in business through the occupation of France by enemy German forces during World War II, despite Leigh's later involvement as a member of the

French Resistance The French Resistance ( ) was a collection of groups that fought the German military administration in occupied France during World War II, Nazi occupation and the Collaboration with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy#France, collaborationist Vic ...

, leading to her arrest and execution by the Germans in 1944. Rose's husband, Fernand Cleuet (d. June 1961) was chief executive officer of the establishment. Simone Mirman, who later found fame as one of London's foremost milliners in the 1940s-1960s, served her

apprenticeship Apprenticeship is a system for training a potential new practitioners of a trade or profession with on-the-job training and often some accompanying study. Apprenticeships may also enable practitioners to gain a license to practice in a regulat ...

with Valois.

References

Hat companies Clothing companies of France Manufacturing companies based in Paris Clothing companies established in 1927 Manufacturing companies disestablished in 1970 1927 establishments in France 1970 disestablishments in France {{France-company-stub