Founded by Augusta Bernard in 1919
‘The new silhouette slides in like a fish’, observed Vogue in its ‘Turning Points towards a New Mode’ in 1933. ‘Augustabernard was the magician who first called it to life. This silhouette is vertical, but well formed; it makes a woman look extremely tall, but at the same time rounded. No extreme bulk, but the natural, normal curves of the figure.’
Augustabernard opened in 1919 – its founder linking her Christian and surname together to form the name. She became famous for her bias cutting, slim silhouettes and ability to excel in flattery. Her designs were spare and intricate in construction; like Madeleine Vionnet, Augustabernard was a technical wizard. Unfortunately, during the depression of the 1930s, her clients started to tighten their belts and Augustabernard, sadly, slid out of business as a result.
