Khanh

Emmanuelle Khanh (1937). French designer. An example of female eclecticism who turned from a model into a designer, and became one of the pioneers of prêt-à-porter during the 1960s. Her style was unmistakably young and crisp, well in tune with the fashions of that time. Famous details were the long collars on her coats, the rounded ones on jackets and blouses, the low-waist skirts and the minis with frills, lace decorations on linen fabrics and embroideries, transparent umbrellas, skiing outfits, and inexpensive furs. Everything started in the Balenciaga atelier, where she was working in 1956. For a while she modeled for great tailors like Givenchy and had no idea that manufacturing her own dresses would make her fortune. She got good reviews and became the leading character in a photographic service for Elle. Her approach was a new and alternative way to make fashion compared to haute couture, and was rewarded with the opportunity to design for some Parisian griffes. She started with Dorothée Bis and, from 1962 to 1967, for Cacharel, but also for Missoni, Krizia, and Max Mara. In 1972 she launched her own label, signing a contract with the company Troisa for production and commercialization. However, this contract was cancelled legally after a decade. In 1987 she got back possession of her company and production of her line and started over, establishing Emmanuelle Khanh International to develop the business and license contracts.
At the beginning of 2000, Emmanuelle Khanh International and other brands, such as Scherrer and Jacques Fath, were acquired by France Luxury Group, a company established in 2002 by Moufarrige and Franµois Barthes.
The label massively shifted its attention towards eyewear, with a special attention paid to children’s glasses.