Trigere, Pauline

(1908-2002)

   Born in Paris to Russian Jewish parents, she learned the trade as a child; her mother was a dressmaker and her father owned his own tailoring shop and manufactured military uniforms. In 1937, as Adolf Hitler rose to power, Trigere, her two children and husband, Lazar Radley, moved to New York City. She went to work for her brother's tailoring business and, after divorcing her husband in the mid-1940s, began building a name for herself with the launch of a line of beautifully tailored dresses. However, Trigere is best known for her impeccably tailored coats and suits, which she achieved by actually draping them in cloth rather than designing them from a sketch. She has often been quoted as saying "you can't wear a sketch" and would frequently demonstrate her draping technique to students throughout the years. Her accomplishments include three Coty Awards (beginning in 1949), a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Council of Fashion Designers of America, and France's Legion d' Honneur. Her list of clients included the Duchess of Windsor, Josephine Baker, Claudette Colbert, Bette Davis, Lena Horne, Grace Kelley, Angela Lansbury, and Audrey Meadows. In addition to her clothing, Trigere designed scarves, jewelry, men's ties, and a perfume. Before she died, she worked with a website and catalog company creating styles for fashion-savvy senior citizens.