Paul Poiret label to be revived by Korea's Shinsegae

The couture house of legendary fashion designer Paul Poiret has been acquired by Shinsegae International after being inoperative for 80 years. The label was sold by Luvanis SA, which, headed by Arnaud de Lummen, had initially intended to lead the revival plan.

The trademarks for the fashion house now belong to Shinsegae International, a Korean company that distributes more than 30 luxury brands, among them Givenchy, Dolce & Gabbana and Celine in approximately 260 stores throughout the country.

Paul Poiret established his label in 1903 in France after working for Jacques Doucet and at the House of Worth. His kimono coats and loose-fitting dresses made the fashion designer famous and he expanded his business into interior decoration and fragrances. The house saw a decline after World War I and failed to gain momentum against new designers like Coco Chanel.

The house of Paul Poiret, which was honored in 2007 at the Met Gala, was expected to be revived by Luvanis SA - the company that was responsible for the resurrection of Vionnet in 2006. The restoral, however, didn't take place as Arnaud de Lummen, Luvanis' CEO, announced in October the auction of the label.