André Laug

André Laug was born in the North of France in 1931. He first worked as an army teacher and then at an import house. In 1958 a journalist, Lucien Francois, encouraged him to move to Paris, cultivate his natural talent, and begin work as an apprentice designer in the newly launched Raphael House of Fashion which had just granted the old house building to Givenchy.

At Raphael, Laug learnt all there was to know about the organisation and the creative process of a House of High Fashion. He left Maison Raphael after two and half years of precious training and went to Nina Ricci Haute Couture where he worked with Monsieur Crahay at the first "Mademoiselle Ricci" collection for the United States and the "Spring-Summer" collection of 1961.

Amongst the many important things Monsieur Crahay taught André Laug, the most important was certainly sensibility in choosing fabrics. He then went solo and sold his drawings to Philip Venet who introduced him to Courreges for whom André Laug also had manufacturing experience in Place Vendome. He was invited to go to Rome and work for the Antonelli Fashion House where for five years, he designed all its High Fashion collections and created six seasons of "Ready to Wear".

During all those years however, André Laug had never abbandoned his true wish to open his own house of high fashion, and with that dream in mind, he prepared his boutique collection for the Milan and Paris catwalks. It was July 1968 when André Laug managed finally to open his own fashion house in Rome's exclusive Piazza di Spagna. For that occasion he showed his first couture winter line which recved high praise from both buyers and press.

This success was repeated for each following collection bringing him interesting offers and prestigious contracts with the most important stores all over the world. Amongst them are Elizabeth Arden, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bergdorf Goodman, Nan Duskin and many others.

Today André Laug's creations are to be found in all the most sophisticated boutiques in Europe and worldwide. Some of the best known personalities of the international jet set are amongst his private clients.

André Laug died in December 1984.