Christian Lacroix is your classic, small town French boy who escaped to Paris to become a couturier. From Arles, he draws vision from the region’s bright colors, lace, hats, and festivals. Lacroix’s tale is not a happy ending. After leaving the creative director post at Jean Patou in 1987, he started his own line. In 22 years, Lacroix has never turned a profit. Never. He is owed $1.7 million in salary & hasn’t taken home a paycheck in months. His company was purchased by American consortium Falic Group and last week they filed bankruptcy on his behalf. All his orders & licensing deals will end in 2010. One arena was good to the designer: transportation. He re-designed the uniforms for Air France & the TGV upholstery. If you fly first class today on Air France, they still give you Christian Lacroix pajamas with his signature.
