Chapter 1: Our Founder
In 1952, Gaby Aghion, an Egyptian-born Parisian, launched the French fashion Maison #Chloé. Gaby wanted to offer women an alternative to the formal and restrictive haute couture fashions in post-war Paris. With Chloé, she established a fresh new dress code, dubbed luxury prêt-à-porter, and her youthful, feminine silhouettes captured a new optimistic mood.
Gabriella Aghion, née Hanoka, was born on the 3rd of March, 1921, in Alexandria, Egypt. This Mediterranean city was a thriving cosmopolis with a long history of being open to all civilizations, and customs. Gaby’s parents were among its well-educated residents, inspired by the European way of life, and French, Italian and English were all spoken at home. They embraced a western lifestyle, influenced no doubt by the history of colonial rule, and family photographs from her youth show Gaby and her friends, girls and boys altogether, riding bikes or at the beach under the sun-drenched skies of Egypt. Her freedom, spontaneity and joy informed the spirit of Chloé and became integral to the identity of the Maison.
Image Credits:
Gaby in Alexandria, Egypt, circa 1940
Aghion family archive