From My Shelf: The 2002 Chloé Book

Taking a look at my latest zsa-zsa-zsu-giving vintage find.

“Chloé” by Hélène Schoumann, New York 2002, Assouline.

When I very randomly found that little Chloé book on Vinted (for my non-European readers: the best reselling platform without all the crazy Vestiaire fees and “luxury vintage” halo) a couple of weeks ago, I had, to cite Carrie Bradshaw, the craziest zsa zsa zsu.

It comes from an Assouline series (I’ve got Azzedine Alaïa and Gianni Versace editions, and desperately need the hyper-rare Marc Jacobs one… saw it at Ofr in Paris at the beginning of the month, but it cost over 100 euro) and is written and edited by Hélène Schoumann - who grew up with Chloé (her mother carried the brand in her boutique in the 1960s). While reading her poignant texts and browsing her imepeccable selection of Chloé visuals, spanning from Gaby Aghion days to Phoebe Philo’s era, you just really feel the deep connection the author has with this brand.

Chloé remains a symbol femininity with a Left Bank spirit. Gaby Aghion, the Alexandria-born founder of the maison, presented her debut collection at Café de Flore in 1956 with a few stunningly simple, yet elegant outfits (mostly dresses made from the finest Egyptian cotton poplin). This female designer consciously created for the “streets” (Yves Saint Laurent wasn’t the first as he loved to proclaim), as an act of rebellion against ageing haute couture and its elitism. She made high fashion that was both accessible and touched the hearts of women. Maybe it was her beloved colour palette of the desert, sandy, pink, powdered hues; maybe the magic lied in full taffeta chiffon skirts with large gussets that held the waist. Whatever it was, women not only adored Gaby’s Chloé, but they felt seen by the designer and her easy-going, well-made, frivolous, but never vulgar clothes. Schoumann sums up Chloé as indestructibly feminine, serene, generous - and enthusiastic. Chloé is a pearl, Gaby used to say. I give it to you, it is pure, spotless, so, please, don’t spoil it!

Ahead of its time, Chloé went on to give young designers the opportunity to become stars - think Karl Lagerfeld and Martine Sitbon, to name just a few. There was of course Stella McCartney, a late 1990s choice that was a risky gamble - that paid off. An heiress to Carnaby Street and Mary Quant, Stella is English to her fingertips and discovered in fashion the call to the 1970s clothing worn by her mother, Linda, who had plenty of Chloé in her own wardrobe. Charming nudity is now the style, old-time lingerie or the sexy tomboy, it is all in the trousers’ cut: Chloé invented those low-waisted pants which make the hips swing, while showing off the belly button. According to Hélène, Stella’s Chloé was pure Chloé, because it had the aforementioned street energy that was so important to Aghion in the first place - alive in airy muslins and audacious prints, perfectly fitted to contemporary times.

Chloé by Stella McCartney spring-summer 2001 , collage by Edward Kanarecki.

I especially love the part about Philo’s contribution to Chloé. This is obviously my favourite era, and one that seems to be the least studied. Maybe for good, I love that it feels so niche. Here’s an excerpt:

The girl generation has arrived… girls who grew up in their mothers’ clothing now have their own collection. Also a graduate of the famous St. Martin School of Art and Design in London, Phoebe Philo worked with Stella at Chloé before taking up the flame as artistic director. No showing off for this young English girl with a contemporary physique and an enigmatic smile. Chloé’s fashion, as depicted by Phoebe Philo, belongs to no style, no trend, no school. It is an entirely personal fashion casting its gaze on today’s woman: a free and new spirit. Without spelling it out, the young designer renewed the dialogue with Chloé, embodying it once again, making its image readable: sensuality, fluidity, energy. Phoebe Philo loves… the softness of fabrics, the way they hang, embroideries on blouses (I actually have one for sale, from her 2002 collection!) or wound around the neck. With her pure lines, Phoebe delivers us unclassifiable feminity, far away from extravagance.

Chloé by Phoebe Philo spring-summer 2002 , collage by Edward Kanarecki.

The 2002 book, a collection of photographs by everyone from Helmut Newton to Inez & Vinoodh, starring Chloé clothes and accessories, as well as Aghion and Lagerfeld’s original sketches, embodies what makes this Parisian maison just so charming and forever relevant. I even have a guess that this tiny, but mighty book is Chemena Kamali’s go-to compass for navigating the brand today.

Here are some of my favourite pages from the book, featuring catalogue, press kit and editorial images I’ve never seen before (and this comes from a huge brand fan!) as well various gems from Chloé’s archives: