125 years of High Fantasy Creation, that’s worth celebrating! Truly crossing the threshold, this society of boutique-workshops is marked by a certain je-ne-sais-quoi that’s hard to ignore. Without a doubt, a certain allure is linked to the history of these rare establishments- born years ago, lost in time, yet all the while holding same purpose, in the same space, maintaining values passed down through family ties.

 

This strong cultural enterprise, as one would say today, is fed by the vision of Fried Brothers, providing beads, buttons, glitter, sequins, rhinestones, braids, buttons, and gems to embroiders, tailors, and seamstresses. Since 1960, this creative house has successfully supplied gems to the grand couturiers: Louis Féraud, Givenchy, Kenzo Jungle Jap, Paco Rabanne, Jean-Louise Scherrer, and Per Spook.

The motto of the family business? “To Imagine, dream and propose the components allowing you to express your Creative Talent”. Apart from supplying pieces to designers, the house has devoted itself, since 1910, to a “visionary artistic creation” in order to orient the manufacture of goods- the reason for the company’s success, writes Bertrand Fried. Born in 1884 with his two brothers Gustave and Otto, this adventure continues thanks to the benevolence of Bertrand Fried, grandson of the founder who, since 2005, has ceded control of the enterprise to the Jablonex Group with Ladislac Kalous as CEO. In 2010, Fanjova and the Padragosa family became majority shareholders in Fried Brothers and a new director, Olivier Saland, took control.

Today, the Parisian store continues to welcome embroiders, tailors, dressmakers, and since the 50’s has catered to couture and ready-to-wear stylists, bag, glove, shoe, and jewelry makers. Recently, on the occasion of Fried Frère’s partnership with The Daily Couture at Ethical Fashion Show, a superbly unique model, built according to a forested theme and designed by Fried Brothers’ stylist Catherine, was presented at the inaugural fashion show of the salon of ethical fashion. Above, a photo of the mannequin wearing the unique necklace, and below- Catherine at work!

Fried FRERES COMPANY Celebrates 125 Years OF SERVING HIGH FASHION IN PARIS !

Well known among style professionals, Fried Brothers organized an evening celebrating 125 years of fashion in 2011. Historically themed walls depicted company salaries, friends, and creations of designers and artisans of couture. The night of the celebration saw a universe of eclectic couture and good feelings, enhanced by harmoniously played harp music. Yes, there was a harpist! When it comes to descriptions, one can’t deny- a picture is truly worth a thousand words!

 

From left to right, top to bottom :

Régis Lièvre (embroiderer) et François Lesage (embroiderer) / Claire Fried / Emmanuelle Khanh (designer) / Bertrand Fried / Daphné Derieux (harpist) / Gérard et Bertrand Fried / François Lesage et Bertrand Fried / Françoise Huon (beads department manager at Fried Frères) / Muriel Simon de Arnuptia et Jacques Boutault, (Mayor of Paris 2nd disctrict) / Corinne Lepage (president of  the  Cap21 Party and candidate to the French Presidency in 2012 and  Bertrand Fried’s cousin as well) / André Guillerme Guilson ( made to measure tailoring for men) with Bertrand Fried et François Lesage / Claire Fried and Olivier Saland, director of Fried Frères / employees and  Fried Frères’ friends / Barazandeh Dauzincourt (designer of Barazandeh couture stocking)

© Photos  by The Daily Couture and Jean-Pierre Aragones

Creativity in Business!

With commercialism traversing the globe since 1923, and Max Albou running the company for 50 years, Fried Brothers took measures to ensure both the replenishment and distribution of beads, sequins, buttons, and gems on both small-scale and international levels. With partners in New York since 1940, in Tyrol since 1946, and all of Europe, Asia, and America since 1946, Gérard Fried successfully expanded and diversified the purchases of society.

Rebound. When others would have noted the decline in their turnover, Fried Brothers have always bounced back and found ways to diversify their business.

A few key dates in the history of Fried Frères and Parisian couture

(taken from the book published on the anniversary of the fashion house)

♦ 1886-1922 : Paris Haute Couture Couture thrives, everybody from all over Europe comes to be dressed in Paris, Monsieur Charles Frederick Worth, an Englishman, reigns over the Parisian Haute Couture and his son Gaston founds the “Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture Parisienne”.  Worth was the first tailor to have the idea of using models and create collections. He created the notion of modern designer as it is practiced today.

After Prince Albert dies Queen Victoria dresses in black, a fashion of jet pervades until the end of the nineteenth century;  Gustave and Otto Fried together successfully run the business until their sons join them in 1922, giving Fried Freres impetus to create jewelry for the “Haute Couture” and the Parisian department stores market.

♦ 1925 : Exposition des Arts Décoratifs in Paris : Fried Frères is awarded the ” Grand Prix des Fantaisies pour Mode”.

♦ 1925-1930 : Joséphine Baker launches the Charleston. A fashion for embroidered dresses and beaded bags begins. Fried Frères supplies impressive amounts of beads, paillettes, sequins, rhinestones, cabochons to the embroiderers seamstresses and the “Haute Couture”. At that time ready-to-wear had not been established so women would visit their couturier or a seamstress and had their dresses hand made.

♦ 1922 -1940 : Fried Frères  is one of the first to exhibit at the Salon Bijhorca, a professional trade show that still exists today.

♦ 1928 : Exposition de France in Athens :  Fried Frères received a Gold Medal.

♦ 1945 : Paris will soon be liberated, Fried Frères staff secretly starts to manufacture Victory broches, hiding them in the basement of the building; on August the 25th, Paris is liberated, they joyfully distribute them to the soldiers and to the crowd.

♦ Since 1960 :  Fried Frères has successfully created or distributed Haute Couture jewelry with the following names :  Louis Féraud, Givenchy, Kenzo Jungle Jap, Paco Rabanne, Jean-Louis Scherrer, and Per Spook.

♦ 1977 : Fried Frères supplies beads and trimmings for the launch of Opium by Yves Saint Laurent (thanks to Louis Blin).

♦ 1980 : The Palais de Versailles is restaured, Fantivor, a Fried Frères  subsidiary is selected to supply chandeliers parts for the Hall of Mirrors. Fantivor reproduces the old huge pendants in Bohemia.

♦ 1983 : Jean Bertrand Fried joins the company; he computerizes the company, and creates “Kits perles” and “Kits bijoux”. He also develops the hobby leisure business.

♦ 1984 :  Galeries Lafayette honours « La société Fried » for their success at the exhibition « la France a du talent ».

♦ 1991 : Gérard Fried leaves the  presidency to his cousin Bertrand Fried who for the next fifteen years develops Couture business from Paris to Beverly Hills to Leningrad. He invigorates the mail order business, the show business supply and the hobby leisure market; he attends new professional exhibitions; he undertakes the necessary and uneasy staff cuts.

♦ 1995 :  Claire Fried puts her talent to serve Fried Frères.  She created new jewelry pieces for show business with Jablonex, she extends the hobby leisure collection adding decorative objects, she designs a Miss Crown in 1998!

Translation by Parker Chambers

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