From left: Jeanne Lanvin draping a tissue on a model; Alber Elbaz on the runway after his Lanvin fall 2008 show at the Espace Eiffel in Paris.
Jeanne Lanvin found her greatest inspiration at home. Several years after opening her first boutique in Paris, the French couturiere began designing pleated dresses with intricate trim for her daughter Marguerite. Soon Paris' wealthiest women wanted the clothes for their own children, transforming Lanvin into a household name. Her signature robe de style — better known as the flapper dress — was marked by a full skirt, a tight bodice and intricate beading and became the definitive look of the 1920s. One of the first designers who could claim a true empire, she also launched interior-design and fragrance divisions. Her legacy has proven timeless. Now headed by creative director Alber Elbaz, Lanvin is the oldest surviving couture house.