Photos By Gail

In 1963, Gaby Aghion (House of Chloe) hired the young, then-unknown Karl Lagerfeld to join her team of stylists. Together they established Chloe’s unique position between haute couture and the everyday accessibility of ready-to-wear, a niche that she called “pret-a-porter de luxe.”

Encouraged by Aghion (the modernist), Lagerfeld (the historicist) embraced light, easygoing structures whiteout heavy linings and with simple hems. The result was a series of weightless dresses that embody Aghion’s concept of luxury ready-to-wear, combining exquisite handiwork, lush materials, and uncomplicated silhouettes. The ABC Dress (1967), fashioned of silk crepe with a hand-painted design by Le Besnerais, is a perfect example of the collection.

These unstuffy shapes were the perfect canvas for the colorful patterns that Lagerfeld developed from a range of artistic sources, including Cubism, Russian Constructivism, Art Deco, Art Nouveau, and 1960s psychedelic posters. Always attuned to the mood of the moment, Lagerfeld’s designs evolved in the 1970s, swapping colorful hippie dresses for minimalist garments inspired by popular sports culture. By 1975, he was the sole designer at Chloe, where he and Aghion worked closely together for ore than two decades.

Photographed in the Jewish Museum in New York City as Part of the Exhibit, Mood of the Moment: Gaby Aghion and the House of Chloé.