As I was flicking through catwalk reports from a very old issue of i-D magazine, my memory was suddenly jogged about a dress I wanted SO badly back in 2004. The dress was designed by Martine Sitbon, the French designer who seems to have disappeared from the fashion scene. Her last show at Paris Fashion Week was AW04/05. She set up her label back in 1985 and has since had stints designing at Chloe and Byblos before resuming her own label in 2002. In August 2005, her husband Marc Ascoli, a prominent boutique/showroom designer, announced that Martine Sitbon was looking for an investor because the Korean firm Ssamzie, Sitbon’s largest shareholder made losses that year and thus Martine Sitbon has been facing financial difficulties since.
This relates to a question a reader asked a while ago which was if I had pots of money, what designer would I support. One would most certainly be Martine Sitbon. I loved the progression she was making towards the less severe, modern romantic look and I was highly anticipating her collections following the AW04/05 show. It’s a crying shame to see designers struggle like this especially an established one like Sitbon. I’ve seen countless London Fashion Week designers fold after one or two seasons because of lack of financial backing but Sitbon is a different kettle of fish altogether. If anyone has any information about what Martine is up to these days, myself and other Sitbon lovers would be most grateful!
AW04-05 – I loved the embellishments and detailing she was starting to incorporate.
SS04 – The dress on the left was my major lust object of 2004!
I absolutely loved that ss04 collection…
she is still much around. Although I dont think she has been showing, she has certainly been producing collections for boutiques. Infact I bought a Sitbon jacket last week. Anyhow she is still producing beautiful, interesting clothing. (Just a little correction, Susie, the name of the Korean investment company is Ssamzie with an “S”):-)
i used to do her shows in paris and tokyo. marc ascoli is a really funny person, very animated and always very nice to me. she always always wore sunglasses. i loved doing her shows. i remember a pair of thigh high lavender stretch satin low heeled boots i wore with one of the outfits. oh my god i was in love with those boots.
🙂 Thanks for updating me! I must find out where Martine is stocked in London or else go to Paris…. my apologies for mispelling – what you get for typing too fast at work.
SwanDiamond: I know which boots you mean – they are to die for! Wow… you must have SO many fashion stories to tell! Thanks for sharing!
Hi, Susie! Am in my ruin in the South of France, blogging against all odds – no broadband and a heatwave to boot! It’s great to see your blog again, always so varied & clever! Just so you know you’re not alone, I feel the way you feel about Sitbon about Italian designer Romeo Gigli. To me he deserves to be a household name! XXG
God.. Romeo Gigli!
Dont get me started on Romeo Gigli~
He was THE best!!!
Please Martine come back….the fashion industry needs you…..
Does anyone know where one might find Martine’s clothes in NYC? Available at all? Also. . . does anyone happen to know what her partner Marc is up to these days?