DALLAS, Dec 27, 2004/ FW/ --- One of the hardest working couturier, Christian Lacroix designs a minimum of 5 collections every season – haute couture, menswear, womenswear and a diffusion line for his eponymous label plus a Pucci collection wherein he is also the Artistic Director.

And then he has his extra-curricular design work; this year he illustrated the centennial edition of Petit Larousse Dictionary. In prior years, he designed the uniforms for the 35,000 employees of Air France and recreated the interior of 183 cars of the High Speed TGV (Très Grande Vitesse) train under the auspices of the French National Railway.

A quintessential French designer, Christian Lacroix was born Christian Marie Marc Lacroix in Arles France on May 16, 1951. He studied Art History at Paul Valery University and Museum Studies at the Sorbonne, Paris. In 1974, he married Francoise Rosenthiel.

He started as a fashion sketcher and worked as an assistant at Hermes. He was a designer and Artistic Director for the House of Patou before he opened his own couture and ready-to-wear business in 1987.

During the past 17 years, Christian Lacroix remains one of the most highly respected French designers, winning an award from the Alliance Francaise in 2002.

He has also been a Hollywood favorite, with tinsel town finding a home in a Paris couture house. With Lacroix’s love for “period” collections, usually with references to Hollywood greats like Marlene Dietrich or real life personalities, it was a match made in heaven from the word hello.

A great colorist, Christian Lacroix is well known for his "Technicolor" collections and a penchant for interior decorating.

And while others are bowing out from haute couture, Christian Lacroix continues to be one of the stalwarts of the made-to-order craft, showing sumptuous collections every January and July as he presents to the crème de la crème of the fashion world.

If haute couture is the crown jewel of French fashion, Christian Lacroix is one of the precious gems in it!

Christian Lacroix

Christian Lacroix

Christian Lacroix

Christian Lacroix