Carven: A 2014 legacy in fashion

Fashion’s niches are as fine as Parisian materials, and fashion’s most-celebrated designers and brands find hidden corners and new avenues leading to mass popularity. Carven, a name in haute fashion since the early 20^th century, introduces its spring/summer 2014 line.

History

After the end of WWII, the brand recognised as a couture fashion house, would begin a legacy, providing luxurious clothes and styles for less-than luxurious prices.

Carven makes it look incredibly simple to meet the everyday requirements of functional yet fashionable women’s wear. Refreshing, with sentiments of royalty, cuts in clothes are strong and assured, like the women wearing them.

Guillaume Henry, formerly of Givenchy and Paula KA, took lead of Carven in 2010. Like an artist of any “school of thought”, Henry brings a unique craft to an existing design ethos. Guillaume’s meticulous attention to securing choice materials enables continuity in fusing art with affordability.

Spring/summer 2014

The Carven S/S14 line reminds onlookers of 90s’ women who charmed us with a mix of sweet and sexy styles: Drew Barrymore and Liv Tyler for example. Neglecting “grunge” and “minimal” designs and lines, the Carven collection introduces a “rodeo-meets-retro-teen-spirit” sentiment.

Prior years lacked the presence of cardigans, sweatshirts and shorts, but these comfortable and chic elements are front and center in this year’s 2014 spring/summer line. Party girls, all dressed up with somewhere to be, look best in party dresses – another main attraction and fashion throwback.

Legacy

According to Voguepedia “you can spot a Carven girl straight away”. Couture fashion fuses art with wearable materials. Carven remains at the forefront of fashion, challenging what is modernly fashionable while adhering to strict rules of design and legacy.

Carmen de Tommaso, the label founder, studied architecture as well as interior design. Ignoring vogue styles at the time and adhering to the long lines of taller women, Carmen used expertise and eye for detail to offer couture outfits that flattered petite women equally as well as major designers would on much taller women. Starting out in a small studio in Champs-Elysees, Carmen legacy’s serves as the epitome of original haute couture.

Future

The label continues to carve its name in enduring fashion with evening dresses, artful scarves, and accessories. The future of Carven appears as diversified and interesting as its small but passionate beginnings. Perhaps the label’s greatest achievement is its ability to continue charming women of all ages, especially those younger, despite prevailing influences.

The editorial unit
Photo: Courtesy of Carven