Maison Lejaby celebrate 130 years with dazzling cabaret show at The Lido, Paris

French lingerie leader Maison Lejaby celebrated a landmark event this week at The Lido, Paris to mark 130 years in business.

Set at the heart of the Champs Elysees, The Lido has been the decadent setting for some of the finest shows since 1946 and encompasses a message at the heart of the Maison Lejaby brand: French elegance, couture and savoir-fair.

“The Lido is known around the globe as a French institution, it surmises the French couture spirit, so it was a fitting setting for Maison Lejaby’s celebration and biggest spectacle to date” commented Stephen Morrow, UK Sales Director.

Working with The Lido’s infamous cast, which includes musicians, prima ballerinas, burlesque dancers and opera singers, the performance showcased Maison Lejaby’s extensive collections including the premium Couture range and designs crafted especially for the event. Highlights included a show stopping boned corset and tutu, which opened the show and a fluid white silk gown worn by Louis Fuller during an enchanted solo performance.

With a heritage dating back to 1884, the show took guests through the decades of the brand’s history, crafting each section around key moments including Art Deco, Art Nouveau and the pin up era of the 1950’s. The Maison Lejaby design team worked tirelessly to design and craft creations for each of the 70 performers over the hour-long show and featured lace detailed lingerie sets, Swarovski encrusted corsets, shape-wear, silk gowns and full-length chiffon robes

Guests from across Europe, which included key journalists, VIP guests, clients and friends, were hosted by Maison Lejaby’s CEO Alain Prost, who was appointed in 2012 and who spearheaded the event and the brands return to the French couture spirit.

“This event marks a new chapter for Maison Lejaby and gives us more strength and even more energy for our project Esprit Couture à la Française. This day will remain an unforgettable moment for our company and for the whole team for years to come” Alain Prost, CEO Maison Lejaby

Maison Lejaby has a heritage dating back to 1884 which encompasses Lejaby and its predecessor Rasurel. The company was one of the first lingerie brands to launch and by 1900 over 1 million garments had sold. At this time the collection expanded to include petticoats, corsets and briefs and continued to be a great success right through the 1920s, when a swimwear range was added to the collection. In the 1930s their designer Gaby Blanchard developed the first bra, named ‘La Gaby’ which was a huge success and remains as a core style today. By the 1950s, new technologies such as Nylon were available and the demand for feminine elegance continued to grow. Lejaby opened their office in Paris, and a high profile advertising campaign followed. The brand secured the exclusive rights to Lycra in 1965 and the first Lycra bra which went onto sell over 3 million units. Throughout the remaining decades of the 1990s, Lejaby continued to be at the forefront of innovation in terms of design and fabrics.

2012 saw Lejaby re-branded as Maison Lejaby, drawing on the French couture spirit which is at the heart of its heritage. The brand now has a salon on the Rue Royale in Paris and offers Haute Couture, which represents the very essence of French luxury.