Nina Ricci

Maria 'Nina' Nielli was born in Turin, Italy in 1883. She moved to Florence with her family at age 5 and then to France in 1895 at age 12. At the age of 13, she began an apprenticeship at a dressmaker. She continued to pursue her love of fashion throughout her teenage years. She married jeweler Luigi Ricci in 1904, and then became Maria Ricci. They had a child named Robert. In 1908 Nina joined the house of Raffin as a designer and remained there for 20 years. She became his partner, and then moved on to create her own design house in 1932.

The House of Nina Ricci

The house of Nina Ricci was founded by Maria Ricci and her son Robert in Paris in 1932. Maria was 50, and after working at Raffin for so many years was itching to design her own creations. Madame Ricci designed gowns while Robert managed the business and finances. She worked with the fabrics directly on the mannequin to ensure they had shape once they were finished. Nina Ricci designs soon became known for the refined, romantic, always feminine feeling Maria adds to all of her collections.

In 1945, with the war over, designers were casting about for a way to revive the infatuation women had formerly had with haute couture, while raising money for war relief. Robert Ricci had an idea which Lucien Lelong, President of the Chambre, put into action. Over 150 mannequins from 40 Paris couturiers, including Balenciaga and Madame Gres, were dressed in the labels' best fashions and were placed in an exhibition held at the Louvre, in Paris. After a huge success in Paris it toured Europe and then the USA.

In 1946 Robert created his first fragrance, Coeur Jolie. In 1948 Robert came up with another fragrance, L’Air du Temps, the brand's most popular fragrance, which continues to be a top seller today.

By the early 50s Nina Ricci was nearing 70 and she slowly she ceased to take an active role in design, choosing to just keep an eye on the house. Her son chose the new head designer in 1954, the Belgian Jules-Francois Crahay.

Crahay left Ricci in 1963 to go to Lanvin, and was immediately replaced by Gerard Pipart, who had worked at Balmain, Fath and Jean Patou prior to his new job. He continued to carry on the name of Ricci with beautiful and elegant dresses.

Maria Ricci died on November 30, 1970 at the age of 88. After her death Crahay was appointed head of the house, while Robert continued to excel in perfumery and business. Robert Ricci died in 1988 at the age of 83.

Massimo Guissain's family purchased the house of Nina Ricci in 1998 from Crahay. Massimo Guissain worked as a designer, but Nathalie Gervais had been the chief designer for the house for several years. She presented her last collection in Fall 2001. In May 2002 American designer James Aguiar took over as chief designer and designed for the House of Ricci for two seasons.

In 2003 Lars Nilsson took over the house of Ricci with shaky reviews from critics. He made a sudden redesign in early 2006, and then in September announced that Brussels-born designer Olivier Theyskens of Rochas would take over the role as head of the label.

Perfumes

L'Air du Temps, created in France in 1949, means "mood of the times." It truly was the mood of the times, capturing the passion and elegance of an emerging generation Maria and Robert Ricci headed. Robert worked with master perfumer Francis Fabron to create a scent with as much elegance as Madame Maria Ricci's clothes. Marc Lalique created the graceful twin-dove crystal bottle.