Madame Grès

Madame Grès (1903–1993) was the French couturier Germaine Krebs, whose work treated fabric as a sculptural material. Her designs became known through the house of Alix in the 1930s; in 1942 she opened the house of Grès, which she directed until 1988.

She is particularly associated with finely pleated and draped dresses that follow the body, often recalling ancient sculpture. She also worked with more structured fabrics to create volume. Her approach favoured sustained exploration of line and form over rapid changes of seasonal style. Palais Galliera's collections include garments and an extensive archive of drawings documenting her career.