Dolls in couture. An idea thought up by Robert Ricci, son of Nina Ricci to revive the idea of haute couture after the war ended in 1945. Naturally fabric was in short supply so instead of clothing models, 28 inch dolls were used. 172 dolls from 40 Paris couturiers including Lanvin, Balenciaga, Rochas, Schiaparelli, Hermès and Nina Ricci; they had real hair, styled by well-known coiffeurs, real fur coats, tiny powder compacts, dainty leather shoes, elegant hats, even miniature jewels by Cartier. They planned a unique fashion show – Théâtre de la Mode – that would showcase the dolls and of course haute couture.
30 years later, Robert Ricci asked Eliane Bonabel who made the original dolls to make a set of small mannequins to commemorate the couture dolls in the 40’s and will go on display in Harrods later this month.
Read more about these dolls.