suit

Lanvin, Paris

Summary

Two piece day suit in black wool with close white windowpane check; long single breasted jacket, fastening with 7 black circular buttons; deep brown fox fur collar; lined black acetate; matching long skirt. Large woven label, cb neck 'Lanvin, 22 Faubg. St. Honore, Paris'. Unsold as lot 115 in Christie's 'Fashion through the ages' sale, 3.12.09. Belonged to Anne Moen Bullitt (1924-2007). Born in Paris but brought up in the States, she married 4 times. At first she bought clothes in New York, mostly from Hattie Carnegie, but her second husband, Nicholas Duke Biddle, who she married in 1947, was vice consul in the American Embassy in Madrid, giving Anne access to Balenciaga couture clothes with the Spanish name 'Eisa' operating in tandem with the Paris house. She later moved to Ireland and bought clothes by Sybil Connelly, Lanvin, YSL and others. Anne Bullitt was tiny, with an 18-20 inch waist, making her clothes virtually unwearable for anyone else.