Emilie Louise Flöge
Encyclopedia
Emilie Louise Flöge was an Austrian designer, fashion designer and businesswoman. She was the life companion of the painter Gustav Klimt
.
and manufacturer of Meerschaum
pipes, Hermann Flöge (1837–1897). Emilie had an elder brother, Hermann, and two sisters, Pauline and Helene.
Her first job was as a seamstress, but she later became a couturière. In 1895, Pauline, her elder sister, opened a dressmaking school and Emilie worked here. In 1899 the two sisters won a dressmaking competition and were commissioned to make a batiste dress for an exhibition. After 1904 Emilie, in partnership with her sister Helene, established herself as a successful businesswoman, the owner of the haute couture
fashion salon known as Schwestern Flöge (Flöge Sisters) in one of the major Viennese thoroughfares, the Mariahilfer Strasse. In this salon, which had been designed in the Jugendstil by the architect Josef Hoffmann
, she presented designer clothing in the style of the Wiener Werkstätte
. During her trips to London and Paris she familiarised herself with the latest fashion trends from Coco Chanel
and Christian Dior
. However, after the Anschluss
with the German Third Reich in 1938, Flöge lost her most important customers and had to close her salon, which had become the leading fashion venue for Viennese society. After 1938 she worked from the top floor of her home at 39 Ungargasse.
) and Fin de siècle
circles and the life companion of the painter Gustav Klimt
. In 1891, Helene, the younger sister of Emilie, married Ernst Klimt, the brother of Gustav Klimt, but when Ernst died in December 1892, Gustav was made Helene's guardian. At that time Emilie was 18 years old and Gustav became a frequent guest at her parents’ home, spending the summers with the Flöge family at Lake Attersee
.
After 1891, Klimt portrayed her in many of his works. Experts believe that his most famous painting, The Kiss (Klimt painting)
, shows the artist and Emilie Flöge as lovers. Klimt also drew some garments in the rational dress style for the Flöge salon - a style promoted by the feminist movement
- and from 1898 other clothes designed by the Vienna Secession
; the latter were worn without a corset and hung loosely from the shoulders with comfortable, wide sleeves. However, the clientele for what was at that time a revolutionary fashion was too small to provide a living and she accordingly earned money through conventional styles. Klimt was painting many ladies from the upper echelons of Viennese society and thus able to introduce Emilie Flöge to a prosperous client base.
In the final days of the Second World War, her house in the Ungargasse caught fire, destroying not only her collection of garments but also valuable objects from the estate of Gustav Klimt. She had inherited half of Klimt's estate following his death in 1918, the other half going to the painter's family.
In the 2006 film Klimt
, Emilie Flöge was played by Veronica Ferres
and Gustav Klimt by the American actor, John Malkovich
.
Gustav Klimt
Gustav Klimt was an Austrian Symbolist painter and one of the most prominent members of the Vienna Secession movement. His major works include paintings, murals, sketches, and other art objects...
.
Life and business career
She was the fourth child of the master turnerTurner
Turner is a common surname of English 12th Century origin, meaning "one who works with a lathe". Turner is the 28th-most common surname in the United Kingdom.-List of people with surname Turner:...
and manufacturer of Meerschaum
Meerschaum
Meerschaum , also sepiolite, is a soft white mineral sometimes found floating on the Black Sea, and rather suggestive of sea-foam, whence the German origin of the name, as well as the French name for the same substance, écume de mer.-Overview:...
pipes, Hermann Flöge (1837–1897). Emilie had an elder brother, Hermann, and two sisters, Pauline and Helene.
Her first job was as a seamstress, but she later became a couturière. In 1895, Pauline, her elder sister, opened a dressmaking school and Emilie worked here. In 1899 the two sisters won a dressmaking competition and were commissioned to make a batiste dress for an exhibition. After 1904 Emilie, in partnership with her sister Helene, established herself as a successful businesswoman, the owner of the haute couture
Haute couture
Haute couture refers to the creation of exclusive custom-fitted clothing. Haute couture is made to order for a specific customer, and it is usually made from high-quality, expensive fabric and sewn with extreme attention to detail and finished by the most experienced and capable seamstresses,...
fashion salon known as Schwestern Flöge (Flöge Sisters) in one of the major Viennese thoroughfares, the Mariahilfer Strasse. In this salon, which had been designed in the Jugendstil by the architect Josef Hoffmann
Josef Hoffmann
Josef Hoffmann was an Austrian architect and designer of consumer goods.- Biography :...
, she presented designer clothing in the style of the Wiener Werkstätte
Wiener Werkstätte
Established in 1903, the Wiener Werkstätte was a production community of visual artists. The workshop brought together architects, artists and designers whose first commitment was to design art which would be accessible to everyone...
. During her trips to London and Paris she familiarised herself with the latest fashion trends from Coco Chanel
Coco Chanel
Gabrielle Bonheur "Coco" Chanel was a pioneering French fashion designer whose modernist thought, menswear-inspired fashions, and pursuit of expensive simplicity made her an important figure in 20th-century fashion. She was the founder of one of the most famous fashion brands, Chanel...
and Christian Dior
Christian Dior
Christian Dior , was a French fashion designer, best known as the founder of one of the world's top fashion houses, also called Christian Dior.-Life:...
. However, after the Anschluss
Anschluss
The Anschluss , also known as the ', was the occupation and annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany in 1938....
with the German Third Reich in 1938, Flöge lost her most important customers and had to close her salon, which had become the leading fashion venue for Viennese society. After 1938 she worked from the top floor of her home at 39 Ungargasse.
Association with Gustav Klimt
Emilie Flöge was a fascinating member of the Viennese bohemian (BohemianismBohemianism
Bohemianism is the practice of an unconventional lifestyle, often in the company of like-minded people, with few permanent ties, involving musical, artistic or literary pursuits...
) and Fin de siècle
Fin de siècle
Fin de siècle is French for "end of the century". The term sometimes encompasses both the closing and onset of an era, as it was felt to be a period of degeneration, but at the same time a period of hope for a new beginning...
circles and the life companion of the painter Gustav Klimt
Gustav Klimt
Gustav Klimt was an Austrian Symbolist painter and one of the most prominent members of the Vienna Secession movement. His major works include paintings, murals, sketches, and other art objects...
. In 1891, Helene, the younger sister of Emilie, married Ernst Klimt, the brother of Gustav Klimt, but when Ernst died in December 1892, Gustav was made Helene's guardian. At that time Emilie was 18 years old and Gustav became a frequent guest at her parents’ home, spending the summers with the Flöge family at Lake Attersee
Attersee (lake)
Attersee is the largest lake of the Salzkammergut area of Austria. It extends for about 20 km from north to south and 4 km from east to west. Its water comes from the Seeache, which flows out of another lake, the Mondsee...
.
After 1891, Klimt portrayed her in many of his works. Experts believe that his most famous painting, The Kiss (Klimt painting)
The Kiss (Klimt painting)
The Kiss was painted by Gustav Klimt, and is probably his most famous work. He began work on it in 1907 and it is the highpoint of his so-called 'Golden Period', when he painted a number of works in a similar style...
, shows the artist and Emilie Flöge as lovers. Klimt also drew some garments in the rational dress style for the Flöge salon - a style promoted by the feminist movement
Feminist movement
The feminist movement refers to a series of campaigns for reforms on issues such as reproductive rights, domestic violence, maternity leave, equal pay, women's suffrage, sexual harassment and sexual violence...
- and from 1898 other clothes designed by the Vienna Secession
Vienna Secession
The Vienna Secession was formed in 1897 by a group of Austrian artists who had resigned from the Association of Austrian Artists, housed in the Vienna Künstlerhaus. This movement included painters, sculptors, and architects...
; the latter were worn without a corset and hung loosely from the shoulders with comfortable, wide sleeves. However, the clientele for what was at that time a revolutionary fashion was too small to provide a living and she accordingly earned money through conventional styles. Klimt was painting many ladies from the upper echelons of Viennese society and thus able to introduce Emilie Flöge to a prosperous client base.
In the final days of the Second World War, her house in the Ungargasse caught fire, destroying not only her collection of garments but also valuable objects from the estate of Gustav Klimt. She had inherited half of Klimt's estate following his death in 1918, the other half going to the painter's family.
In the 2006 film Klimt
Klimt (film)
Klimt is a 2006 Austrian art-house biographical film about the life of the Austrian Symbolist painter Gustav Klimt . It was written and directed by Raoul Ruiz, with an English screenplay adaptation by Gilbert Adair. The director of photography was Ricardo Aronovich, and the music was composed by...
, Emilie Flöge was played by Veronica Ferres
Veronica Ferres
Veronica Maria Cäcilia Ferres is a German actress who gained fame as Pierre Richard's co-star in the French TV-movie Sans famille and as the horrible Mme. Thénardier in the 2000 French TV miniseries Les Misérables...
and Gustav Klimt by the American actor, John Malkovich
John Malkovich
John Gavin Malkovich is an American actor, producer, director and fashion designer with his label Technobohemian. Over the last 25 years of his career, Malkovich has appeared in more than 70 motion pictures. For his roles in Places in the Heart and In the Line of Fire, he received Academy Award...
.
Further reading
- Wolfgang Georg Fischer: Gustav Klimt und Emilie Flöge. Genie und Talent, Freundschaft und Besessenheit. 2. Auflage. Brandstätter Verlag, Wien 1988, ISBN 3-85447-227-7.
- Elizabeth Hickey: Der gemalte Kuss. Bloomsbury, Berlin 2005, ISBN 3-8270-0627-9.
- Christoph Hölz (Red.): Gegenwelten. Gustav Klimt – Künstlerleben im Fin de Siècle. Bayerische Vereinsbank, München 1996, ISBN 3-930184-09-5. (Nebeneintrag)
Sources
The above is mainly a translation of the article in the German Wikipedia at :de: Emilie Flöge with additional information from the French Wikipedia at :fr: Emilie FlögeExternal links
- Kurzbiografie mit Foto
- Literaturliste im Online-Katalog der Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin