Pauline Trigère was one of the leading U.S. designers of high-end women’s ready-to-wear fashion of the second half of the 20th century. Leaving France for the United States before World War II, Trigère started her own design label in 1942 and quickly found success. For the next 50 years, her work would be sold in department stores and boutiques across the country and worn by many of America’s most prestigious women.
Trigère donated her papers to Kent State University and the collection is made up of 120 cubic feet of material dating from 1942 to 1994. The papers include Trigère’s seasonal fashion collection illustrations and her press books. The fashion collection illustration books document the individual designs Trigère created for her seasonal collections. In addition to the original illustrations, fabric samples, notes, photographs, and fashion show programs are often contained in these books. The press books include newspaper, magazine and advertisement clippings, original photographs, fashion-event invitations and programs, and occasional business correspondence.
One note: Trigère did not draw these sketches, but hired artists to draw completed garments. She used a draping technique to design her garments directly on models and hired artists to draw the garments. Some sketchbooks include textile samples as well.
Student employees assisting with the digitization, metadata creation and post-production include: Paige Gaskins, Jo Wilson, Dorcus Johnson, Katie Gable, Eve Fenn, Dikshna Kathuri and Ava Ross.
