In 2009, the Falic Fashion Group placed Christian Lacroix’s company into administration, a formal insolvency process, and dismissed all but 12 employees. The proposed rescue plan abandoned the house’s haute couture and prêt-à-porter operations, preserving only licensing agreements for accessories and perfume. Lacroix nevertheless refused to let the couture tradition disappear without a final gesture. He privately financed the Autumn/Winter 2009 haute couture collection, while each model reportedly received only €50 for appearing in the show—an extraordinarily stark contrast to the glamour and expense normally associated with Paris couture. Lacroix said he did not want to cry and hoped to continue through a smaller atelier, emphasizing that what mattered most to him was “the women who do this work.” Potential investors, including reports of interest from Ali Al-Naimi, failed to provide financial guarantees before the courts could approve a takeover. The episode marked the effective end of Lacroix’s original couture and ready-to-wear business and exposed the precarious financial machinery beneath one of fashion’s most lavish visual fantasies.
Preparing the daily feature…
AI concept artworkArchive Record · 2000s
The Last Pouf: Lacroix’s 2009 Couture Collection Staged on Personal Sacrifice
Christian Lacroix fashion house / 2000s
In 2009, the Falic Fashion Group placed Christian Lacroix’s company into administration, a formal insolvency process, and dismissed all but 12 employees. The proposed rescue plan abandoned the house’s haute couture and prêt-à-porter operations, preserving only licensing agreements for accessories and perfume. Lacroix nevertheless refused to let the couture tradition disappear without a final gesture. He privately financed the Autumn/Winter 2009 haute couture collection, while each model reportedly received only €50 for appearing in the show—an extraordinarily stark contrast to the glamour and expense normally associated with Paris couture. Lacroix said he did not want to cry and hoped to continue through a smaller atelier, emphasizing that what mattered most to him was “the women who do this work.” Potential investors, including reports of interest from Ali Al-Naimi, failed to provide financial guarantees before the courts could approve a takeover. The episode marked the effective end of Lacroix’s original couture and ready-to-wear business and exposed the precarious financial machinery beneath one of fashion’s most lavish visual fantasies.
The daily editorial is currently unavailable. There’s still an entire archive to explore.