Jeanne Margaine-Lacroix: Biography and Background

Jeanne Victorine Margaine-Lacroix (3 December 1868–15 August 1930) was a French couturier of the early 20th-century. The House Margaine-Lacroix is mainly known today for having revolutionized the world of fashion by creating the so-called Sylphide or Tanagréenne dress, cut to be worn without a corset.

Born in Paris in 1868, she was the daughter of couturier Armandine Fresnais-Margaine (1835-1899) and watchmaker François Arsène Margaine. In 1889 she married Philippe Léonard Lacroix (1862-1924), a tailor. Their daughter, Yvonne Lacroix (1892-1944), became in 1909 the first woman crowned champion of France in figure skating.

Maison Margaine was founded in Paris in 1889 by Mme. Armandine Fresnais-Margaine.

At the Exposition Universelle in Paris in 1889, the Margaine house obtained a gold medal for its creations and the press already was commenting on the contribution of Jeanne Margaine-Lacroix, the designer's daughter, in particular for her flower designs.

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