RELATED STORY: Madame Carven Dies at 105 >>
1909 – Carmen de Tommaso is born in France.
1945 – Founds Carven at 6, Rond-Point des Champs-Elysées.
1946 – Launches Ma Griffe perfume.
1947 – First swimwear and ski collections.
1948 – Collaborates with lingerie designer Marie-Rose Lebigot on the Sylvène brassiere for young girls. Presents collection in Switzerland, Finland, Sweden and Egypt. Introduces pink gingham.
1949 – Introduces African and Tahitian textiles into her collections. Presents collection in countries including Morocco. Designs costumes for Henri-Georges Clouzot’s film “Manon.”
1950 – Joins an initiative bringing together manufacturers with a group of couturiers that also included Jacques Fath, Robert Piguet, Jean Dessès and Jeanne Paquin, introducing the concept of ready-to-wear. Tours France to present a special collection designed to mark the release of “Gone With the Wind.”
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1951 – Opens the first Carven store in New York.
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1952 – Presents collection in the U.S., Cuba and Mexico. Creates the wedding dress for the future First Lady of France, Anne-Aymone Giscard d’Estaing.
1954 – Drops samples of Ma Griffe perfume tied to parachutes in the label’s signature green-and-white stripes to mark the 10th anniversary of the Liberation.
1955 – Launches Carven Junior. Creates first scarves. Trademarks the push-up bra. Creates costumes for Henri-Georges Clouzot’s film “Les Diaboliques.”
1956 – Launches luxury sweater lines for women and men.
1957 – Launches first men’s wear scent, Vétiver. Creates tie collection.
1961- Launches a fur department.
1963 – Presents a collection in Thailand under the auspices of Queen Sirikit.
1964 – Made a Knight of the Legion of Honor.
1965 – Launches Carven Uniforms with first flight attendant outfits for SAS.
1966 – Launches Eau Vive fragrance.
1968 – Launches costume jewelry. First men’s ready-to-wear collection.
1972 – Opens Carven stores in Hong Kong and Tokyo. Marries Swiss businessman René Grog.
1976 – Designs French athletes’ uniforms for the Summer Olympics in Montréal.
1978 – Named Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.
1993 – Retires.
1995 – Attends 50th anniversary show at the Musée Galliera. Worth Fine Fragrances Plc buys Carven.
1996 – Angelo Tarlazzi is named artistic director.
1997 – Culture Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy inaugurates the new Grog-Carven room at the Louvre museum.
1998 – Daniel Harlant group acquires Carven. Edward Achour succeeds Tarlazzi.
2000 – Creates not-for-profit Association Grog-Carven.
2001 – Donates archives to the Musée Galliera. Pascal Millet takes over as artistic director.
2002 – Retrospective at the Musée Galliera.
2005 – Carven is sold to Arco International.
2008 – Société Béranger buys Carven.
2009 – Guillaume Henry takes over as artistic director. Carven is named Commander of the Legion of Honor.
2009 – Celebrates 100th birthday.
2015 – Alexis Martial and Adrien Caillaudaud are named artistic directors for women’s collections. Barnabé Hardy takes over as designer for men’s collections.