Caroline Reboux

Caroline Reboux was born in Paris France in 1837. In the 1860's, her work came to the attention of Princess Metternich and by 1870, she was installed in a shop in Paris at the rue de la Paix, where she worked all her life. She had the opportunity to create hats for the French Empress Eugenie.

For more than 50 years, she was one of Paris' leading milliners. Many leading hat makers of the 20th century trained in her workshops in London and Paris.

This hat was created in 1919 and is trimmed with broderie anglaise.

She is closely associated with the Cloche hat of the 20's. She has worked with many leading fashion designers, making hats for their collections.

Later in her life, she developed a friendship with the fashion designer Madeleine Vionnet, whose classicism matched her own.

Caroline Reboux died in 1927.

However the millinery team whom she had trained continued her house, and many Parisian women could get hats with the Caroline Reboux label up until World World II. One of the most famous was Wallis Warfield Simpson who married the Duke of Windsor in 1937 and became the Duchess of Windsor. For her wedding, she wore a light blue gown made by designer Mainbocher, with the light blue Caroline Reboux hat shown on the right. The circlet of flowers was covered by a removable lace brim.