Fashion career profile
Gaby Aghion
Gaby Aghion (1921–2014), born Gabriella Hanoka in Alexandria, Egypt, was a fashion entrepreneur who founded Chloé in Paris in 1952. She moved to Paris in 1945 and wanted to offer women modern, well-made clothes with greater ease than the formal conventions of haute couture. Aghion sourced fabrics and buttons, hired experienced seamstresses and built an early ready-to-wear business around small collections in quality materials. In 1957 she organized Chloé’s first fashion show for the Spring–Summer 1958 collection at Café de Flore, placing the presentation in the artistic cafés of the Left Bank rather than a traditional couture salon. As the house grew, she recruited a generation of designers, including Gérard Pipart and Karl Lagerfeld, and guided their work under her artistic direction. Chloé’s official history and its archive document a founder who developed both a product idea and a platform for new creative talent. Later house leadership is distinct from Aghion’s founding chapter.
- Role
- Founder, Chloé
- Nationality
- French
- Career appointments
- 1
- Fashion houses
- 1
- Alexandria and Paris: Born Gabriella Hanoka in Alexandria in 1921; moved to Paris in 1945The Jewish Museum documents her birth name, birthplace, family background and move to Paris. · The Jewish Museum
- Luxury ready-to-wear: Founded Chloé in 1952 as an alternative to formal coutureThe house describes Chloé as one of the first luxury ready-to-wear houses and records the relaxed, high-quality wardrobe Aghion proposed. · Chloé
- First Chloé show: Organized in 1957 for the Spring–Summer 1958 collection at Café de FloreThe house timeline distinguishes the 1957 organization date from the season presented. · Chloé
- Creative team: Recruited a generation of designers including Gérard Pipart and Karl LagerfeldAghion’s enduring role included selecting and guiding designers who developed their own careers at Chloé. · Chloé
- Founder legacy: Built a house whose creative leadership was shared with successive designersThe house history records Aghion’s artistic direction and later designer appointments; it does not reduce Chloé to a single designer’s tenure. · Chloé
- 1945 — Moves to ParisAghion and her husband settle in Paris, where she later founds Chloé.
- 1952 — Founds ChloéAghion launches a luxury ready-to-wear house built around relaxed, high-quality clothing.
- 1957 — Organizes Chloé’s first fashion showThe Spring–Summer 1958 collection is shown at Café de Flore.
- 1958 — Recruits Gérard PipartThe appointment begins a tradition of bringing emerging designers into Chloé.
- 2014 — Founder dies in ParisAghion’s archive and the house’s subsequent design history preserve her founding legacy.
- 1952–1985 — Founder and Creative Director — ChloéHistorical appointment · Chloé