In 2009, the Falic Fashion Group placed Christian Lacroix’s company into administration, effectively ending the house’s haute couture and prêt-à-porter operations. The proposed turnaround plan retained only licensing businesses such as accessories and perfume, while all but 12 employees were laid off. Lacroix’s autumn/winter 2009 haute couture collection became an unusually intimate final act: unable to rely on normal corporate financing, the designer personally financed the show and the models were paid just €50 each. Potential investors, reportedly including Saudi businessman Ali Al-Naimi, failed to provide financial guarantees before the courts could approve a takeover. Lacroix publicly resisted treating the finale as a funeral, saying he wanted to continue through a small atelier and emphasizing that he cared most about the women who carried out the labor. The episode became a stark illustration of couture’s economic fragility: a celebrated designer could still produce a visually important collection while the corporate structure supporting it collapsed around the staff.
Preparing the daily feature…
AI concept artworkArchive Record · 2000s
The 2009 Christian Lacroix Shutdown: Haute Couture Saved by Its Own Designer
Christian Lacroix fashion house / 2000s
In 2009, the Falic Fashion Group placed Christian Lacroix’s company into administration, effectively ending the house’s haute couture and prêt-à-porter operations. The proposed turnaround plan retained only licensing businesses such as accessories and perfume, while all but 12 employees were laid off. Lacroix’s autumn/winter 2009 haute couture collection became an unusually intimate final act: unable to rely on normal corporate financing, the designer personally financed the show and the models were paid just €50 each. Potential investors, reportedly including Saudi businessman Ali Al-Naimi, failed to provide financial guarantees before the courts could approve a takeover. Lacroix publicly resisted treating the finale as a funeral, saying he wanted to continue through a small atelier and emphasizing that he cared most about the women who carried out the labor. The episode became a stark illustration of couture’s economic fragility: a celebrated designer could still produce a visually important collection while the corporate structure supporting it collapsed around the staff.
The daily editorial is currently unavailable. There’s still an entire archive to explore.