Madame Carven Dies At Age 105

After studying interior design and architecture at Ecole de Beaux Arts, Carmen (pictured right) fulfilled her dream of becoming a fashion designer. In 1945, when Carven was established, couture designers only made garments for older, taller women. Being 5 ft 1, Carmen found a gap in the market for young petite girls who still wanted the glamour and luxury of couture but needed something that would fit their shape and accentuate their features. Instead of focusing on a trademark like other designers at the time, Carmen wanted to create pieces that lengthened the figures of the petite girls and show off their beauty.

People really liked the garments and as Carven grew, Carmen gained celebrity clients like Egyptian Princesses and award-winning French actress Leslie Caron. More and more clients came to Carmen for pieces and she was even chosen to design the uniforms for Air France stewards. As the fashion house expanded, Carven started to make jewellery, accessories and even perfume.

Taking inspiration from art, travelling and different places all over the world, Carmen designed beautiful garments with decorative detail, intricate embroidery and crisp, pristine white embellishments.

Carmen stopped designing at age 84 when Guillame Henry, having previously worked for Givenchy, took over as Creative Director for Carven.

Carmen de Tomasso devoted her life to fashion and will never be forgotten for her talents and abilities. RIP.

By Chandler Tregaskes