Paul Poiret Labels: History and How to Date Them
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Paul Poiret (1879 to 1944) was the Paris couturier who straightened the Edwardian silhouette and brought Orientalist colour and draping into fashion. His house ran from the early 1900s until 1929, which bounds any genuine Poiret label.
Company history
The Vintage Fashion Guild (VFG) records that Poiret sold designs to Chéruit and then Jacques Doucet from 1898, worked as Doucet's assistant and briefly at the House of Worth. Sources differ on when he opened his own house: our Edwardian hub gives 1903 (citing The Met), while the VFG gives 1904. The Met, as cited in that hub, says he freed clients first from the petticoat (1903) and then the corset (1906). Our 1910s hub notes he introduced "harem" pantaloons in 1911 and is credited with the hobble skirt. His career was interrupted by the First World War; he lost control of his business in 1924 and it closed in 1929.
Label timeline
| Label or clue | Approximate dates | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| Designs sold to Chéruit and Doucet | From 1898 | Before his own label |
| Paul Poiret house | 1903 or 1904 to 1929 | Any genuine Poiret label falls here |
| Harem pantaloons, hobble skirts, lampshade tunic | About 1908 to 1914 | His best-known pre-war shapes |
| Business out of his control | 1924 to 1929 | Late period |
The VFG advises always looking at the back of a couture label for information about the garment, and shows a 1920s Poiret label with details on the reverse.
What it helps date
- Strong colour, Orientalist motifs and lamé point to Poiret's influence after 1910: see the 1910s hub.
- His column silhouette and the end of the S-bend are covered in the Edwardian hub.
- Check famous labels against dated examples: designer label fakes.
Sources
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Guides that mention Paul Poiret
- 1910s Clothing: How to Date and Value ItDate 1910s clothing by Empire waists, hobble skirts, tunics and wartime hemlines, check fibres and fasteners, and see realistic 2026 auction values.
- Edwardian Clothing (1901-1910): How to Date and Value ItDate Edwardian clothing by the S-bend silhouette, lingerie dresses, lace, tailor-mades and construction, with realistic 2026 auction values.
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