Trigère, Pauline (1912–2002)
Trigère, Pauline (1912–2002)
French-born American couturiere. Name variations: Pauline Trigere. Pronunciation: Tree-JAIR. Born Nov 4, 1912, in Paris, France; died Feb 13, 2002, in New York, NY; dau. of Alexandre Trigère (tailor) and Cécile (Coriene) Trigère (seamstress); Collège Victor Hugo, BA; m. Lazar Radley (Russian-born tailor), 1929 (sep. 1941, eventually div.); children: Jean-Pierre and Philippe.
Worked in the Place Vendôme salon of Martial et Armand; moved to US (1937); worked for local fashion houses, including those of Hattie Carnegie and Ben Gershel (1937–42); with brother, launched clothing-design business in a New York City loft, Trigère Inc. (1942); though noted especially for the reserved elegance of her clothes, is credited with the development of such fashion innovations as the sleeveless coat, reversible coat, mobile collar, and spiral jacket; became US citizen (1944); was at the forefront of American fashion, releasing some 80 outfits a year in 4 seasonal collections (1950s–60s); remained a significant presence on American fashion scene (1970s–80s); kept her design firm in business for over 50 years. Received 3 Coty Awards (1949, 1951, 1959) and inducted into Coty Fashion Hall of Fame (1959); received Silver Medal of the City of Paris (1972) and Lifetime Achievement Award from Council of Fashion Designers of America (1993); named chevalier of Legion of Honor (2001).
See also Women in World History.