with the following accolade: "Charles James is not only the most eminent American couturier, but also the best, and the only one who has raised Haute Couture from applied art form to pure art form". Praise indeed.
Charles James was actually of British origin. He was born on the 18th of July in Sandhurst, England, the son of an English father and an American mother. Attending one of Britain's most famous public schools, Harrow, he came into contact with other great luminaries such as Evelyn Waugh, Francis Rose, and most importantly Cecil Beaton, who became a longstanding friend (see the above portrait of James at work, by Beaton). Expelled under the dubious premise of committing a "sexual escapade", he moved to America to find fame and fortune. His foray into the world of fashion came via the art of millinery. In 1926, at the age of nineteen, he opened his first hat shop in Chicago under the name of "Charles Boucheron". However, James' sights and aspirations were set on something far grander, and in 1928 he moved to New York where he began creating his first dress designs.
From 1930 to 1940, James began to make his mark as a fashion designer of note. In this period, he divided his time between London, Paris and New York, where he sold his designs to department stores including the new Fortnum and Masons. In 1934 he received his first commision for theatre costumes, whilst 1937 saw the debut of his first Paris collection, which resulted in his designs being bought by Harrods in London and Bergdorf Goodman in New York. As a result of these successes, James made New York his permanent home in 1940. Between 1943 and 1945 he designed for the Elizabeth Arden fashion department, and when her new store opened in 1945 with a benefit for the Red Cross, 25 of Charles James' creations were shown. In 1947 he made an all too brief but nonetheless triumphant return to Parisian Haute Couture. This was followed in 1948 with a retrospective exhibition entitled "Decade of Design" held at the Brooklyn Museum in New York which highlighted dresses created for his greatest American patron, Millicent Rogers. James was awarded a "Winnie" - the Coty American Fashion Critics Award - in 1950 for his "Magical use of colour and artistic mastery of drapery".
Charles James' love for the grand and magnificent, which he expressed through his formal eveningwear, was highlighted by Harper's Bazaar in October 1946. They noted that even before the House of Dior was founded, James was promoting a renewed magnificence in the world of couture. One of his clients referred to wearing a James gown thus: "I will always remember the magic of wearing one of Charles James' ravishing, romantic ballgowns, remember being transformed by him like Cinderella into a radiant princess." A famous Cecil Beaton photograph of 1948 shows nine women in various ballgowns posed in a room displaying 18th Century architecture. This theme seems to be reflected in the dresses, with their icy and pastel hues. Although each dress is different, they are aimed at a similar ideal, the story being varied through asymmetrical necklines, strapless and contrast bodices, and deep decolletages, all constructed from the most luxurious and beautiful fabrics. Designer Marc Jacobs has noted that James "Understood human nature, how people want to adorn themselves and be spectacular".
The realisation of a Charles James ballgown from sketch to three dimensional model was a complex operation that required the skill of many. Whilst the outward design of the garment may have been delicate, romantic, even whimsical, it was built on a solid construction and sound principals of engineering. As with all couture garments, the insides had to be developed and supported with |
