Percy Savage
Encyclopedia
Percy Savage was an Australian fashion publicist, designer, artist, raconteur and bon viveur
. He left Australia as a 20 year old, and spent the rest of his life living and working in Europe. He was the first person to be employed in a public relations capacity in Haute Couture
and is considered to be the original inspiration and instigator of celebrity fashion publicity. During the 1950’s and 1960’s, Savage was regarded as ‘the undisputed prince of public relations for the Paris fashion world.’
, Queensland
, Australia
on 12 October 1926. He was the son of Marjorie Hall, an accomplished musician, and Major Percival Savage, DSO
, an engineer in the First Australian Imperial Force in the First World War, serving as an ANZAC in Gallipoli
.
Savage grew up on a fruit farm named Purple Patch in Brookfield on the outskirts of Brisbane with two younger sisters, Mary (b. 1928) and Betty (b. 1930). During his youth, he sustained several injuries from horse riding including a broken shoulder. He was attacked by dingoes twice. When he was 15 years old, he was bitten by a death adder
and severed the little finger on his left hand with a hoe to save his own life. This incident would later be immortalised in a portrait of Savage by Jean Cocteau
with the words ‘the angel has three fingers’.
Savage attended Ipswich Grammar School. When he was 18, he moved to Sydney to study art.
Savage graduated in art history and began designing silk scarves for the fashion house Lanvin
, Cristóbal Balenciaga
, and his close friend, Christian Dior
. In 1951, he became the fashion industry’s first head of public relations when he took on the newly created role of ‘chef de publicité’ at Lanvin, a position he held for seven years.
In 1954, Savage took a Lanvin dress to Elizabeth Taylor
who was staying at Hotel Meurice, Paris. Savage informed the press that Taylor would be wearing it at her film premiere that evening. When asked about the dress, Taylor replied, ‘It's a Lanvin. Isn't it divine?’ The resultant front page publicity prompted Paris’s regulating fashion body, the Chambre Syndicale de la Couture
, to drop its ruling that a fashion house must not reveal details of its clothing to the press for one month after the unveiling of a collection. This flaunting of the long-held convention ‘catapulted Savage to the forefront of personality-driven PR’ and marked the beginning of celebrity fashion public relations, one of Savage’s major contributions to the fashion industry. It heralded the now common practice of red carpet arrivals and celebrity photo opportunities.
Savage recognised the potential of a young Yves Saint Laurent
at the International Wool Secretariat in 1954. Together with the editor of French Vogue
, Michel de Brunhoff, he introduced Saint Laurent to Dior. Following his stint at Lanvin, Savage was Head of Public Relations at Nina Ricci
for six years until the fashion industry went into decline in the late 1960’s.
From 1969 until 1973, Savage worked closely with Vogue fashion editor Lady Clare Rendlesham to establish London’s first YSL store in New Bond Street. In 1974, he settled permanently in London, living for many years in Camden Town
. He set up the public relations firm Fashion Promotions for the advancement of British fashion. Savage played a key role in the launch of the New Wave, the first group designer fashion show ever held in London, which paved the way for London Fashion Week
. In 1975, he launched The London Designer Collection Exhibition to tap into the US market for British fashion. He helped launch the careers of British fashion designers such as Zandra Rhodes
, Bruce Oldfield
, Katharine Hamnett
and Wendy Dagworthy as well as encouraging the ‘maverick talents’ of Vivienne Westwood
and John Galliano
”.
In 1981, Fashion Promotions went into receivership. Savage continued to mentor young designers and worked as Style and Fashion editor for Mayfair.
as an ‘exotic, outlandish creature’. He is said to have been the inspiration for the name of the Dior men’s fragrance ‘Eau Sauvage’. He rubbed shoulders with the likes of Maria Callas
, Nikita Khrushchev
, Ginger Rogers
and Rudolf Nureyev
. For a time he had an open reservation at Maxim’s on the Champs-Elysées, and was much in demand at ‘fashionable events, both high society and bohemian’. It is said that on his travels to source fur for the House of Dior, he was presented with a pair of cheetahs by the Emperor of Ethiopia, Haile Selassie, which he took for walks in the Bois de Boulogne.
Bon viveur
A bon viveur is a person who enjoys the good things of life, especially food. The phrase is derived from the French bon vivant, meaning good living, a bon viveur being a "good liver", or one who lives well. The phrase is not derogatory but conveys a sense of overindulgence...
. He left Australia as a 20 year old, and spent the rest of his life living and working in Europe. He was the first person to be employed in a public relations capacity in 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,...
and is considered to be the original inspiration and instigator of celebrity fashion publicity. During the 1950’s and 1960’s, Savage was regarded as ‘the undisputed prince of public relations for the Paris fashion world.’
Early Life
Percy Savage was born in BrisbaneBrisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
on 12 October 1926. He was the son of Marjorie Hall, an accomplished musician, and Major Percival Savage, DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
, an engineer in the First Australian Imperial Force in the First World War, serving as an ANZAC in Gallipoli
Gallipoli
The Gallipoli peninsula is located in Turkish Thrace , the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles straits to the east. Gallipoli derives its name from the Greek "Καλλίπολις" , meaning "Beautiful City"...
.
Savage grew up on a fruit farm named Purple Patch in Brookfield on the outskirts of Brisbane with two younger sisters, Mary (b. 1928) and Betty (b. 1930). During his youth, he sustained several injuries from horse riding including a broken shoulder. He was attacked by dingoes twice. When he was 15 years old, he was bitten by a death adder
Acanthophis
Acanthophis is a genus of elapid snakes. Commonly called death adders, they are native to Australia, New Guinea and nearby islands, and are among the most venomous snakes in the world...
and severed the little finger on his left hand with a hoe to save his own life. This incident would later be immortalised in a portrait of Savage by Jean Cocteau
Jean Cocteau
Jean Maurice Eugène Clément Cocteau was a French poet, novelist, dramatist, designer, playwright, artist and filmmaker. His circle of associates, friends and lovers included Kenneth Anger, Pablo Picasso, Jean Hugo, Jean Marais, Henri Bernstein, Marlene Dietrich, Coco Chanel, Erik Satie, María...
with the words ‘the angel has three fingers’.
Savage attended Ipswich Grammar School. When he was 18, he moved to Sydney to study art.
His Career
In 1947, he left Australia to attend London’s Slade School of Art on a Commonwealth scholarship. Upon his arrival, Savage was uninspired by post-war London and headed to Paris within two weeks. He enrolled in l’Ecole des Beaux-Arts and worked part-time as a newspaper proofreader.Savage graduated in art history and began designing silk scarves for the fashion house Lanvin
Lanvin
Lanvin may refer to:* Gérard Lanvin , French actor* Jeanne Lanvin , French fashion designer* Lanvin , French fashion house founded by Jeanne Lanvin...
, Cristóbal Balenciaga
Cristóbal Balenciaga
Cristóbal Balenciaga Eizaguirre was a Spanish Basque fashion designer and the founder of the Balenciaga fashion house....
, and his close friend, 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:...
. In 1951, he became the fashion industry’s first head of public relations when he took on the newly created role of ‘chef de publicité’ at Lanvin, a position he held for seven years.
In 1954, Savage took a Lanvin dress to Elizabeth Taylor
Elizabeth Taylor
Dame Elizabeth Rosemond "Liz" Taylor, DBE was a British-American actress. From her early years as a child star with MGM, she became one of the great screen actresses of Hollywood's Golden Age...
who was staying at Hotel Meurice, Paris. Savage informed the press that Taylor would be wearing it at her film premiere that evening. When asked about the dress, Taylor replied, ‘It's a Lanvin. Isn't it divine?’ The resultant front page publicity prompted Paris’s regulating fashion body, the Chambre Syndicale de la Couture
Fédération française de la couture
The Fédération française de la couture, du prêt-à-porter des couturiers et des créateurs de mode is the French fashion industry governing clothing. The Federation was created in 1973, growing out of an older trade union , the Chambre syndicale de la haute couture parisienne which was created in...
, to drop its ruling that a fashion house must not reveal details of its clothing to the press for one month after the unveiling of a collection. This flaunting of the long-held convention ‘catapulted Savage to the forefront of personality-driven PR’ and marked the beginning of celebrity fashion public relations, one of Savage’s major contributions to the fashion industry. It heralded the now common practice of red carpet arrivals and celebrity photo opportunities.
Savage recognised the potential of a young Yves Saint Laurent
Yves Saint Laurent
Yves Saint Laurent may refer to:* Yves Saint Laurent , French fashion designer* Yves Saint Laurent , a luxury fashion house founded by Yves Saint Laurent and his partner, Pierre Bergé...
at the International Wool Secretariat in 1954. Together with the editor of French Vogue
Vogue Paris
The French edition of Vogue magazine, Vogue Paris, is a fashion magazine that has been published since 1920.-1920–1954:The French edition of Vogue was first issued on June 15, 1920. More information about French Vogue in the 1920s is available in Mary E. Davis's book Classic Chic: Music, Fashion,...
, Michel de Brunhoff, he introduced Saint Laurent to Dior. Following his stint at Lanvin, Savage was Head of Public Relations at Nina Ricci
Nina Ricci
Nina Ricci may refer to: * Maria Ricci, French designer of Italian origin* Nina Ricci...
for six years until the fashion industry went into decline in the late 1960’s.
From 1969 until 1973, Savage worked closely with Vogue fashion editor Lady Clare Rendlesham to establish London’s first YSL store in New Bond Street. In 1974, he settled permanently in London, living for many years in Camden Town
Camden Town
-Economy:In recent years, entertainment-related businesses and a Holiday Inn have moved into the area. A number of retail and food chain outlets have replaced independent shops driven out by high rents and redevelopment. Restaurants have thrived, with the variety of culinary traditions found in...
. He set up the public relations firm Fashion Promotions for the advancement of British fashion. Savage played a key role in the launch of the New Wave, the first group designer fashion show ever held in London, which paved the way for London Fashion Week
London Fashion Week
London Fashion Week is an apparel trade show held in London, England twice each year, in February and September. It is one of the "Big Four" fashion weeks, along with New York Fashion Week, Milan Fashion Week and Paris Fashion Week.-Organization:...
. In 1975, he launched The London Designer Collection Exhibition to tap into the US market for British fashion. He helped launch the careers of British fashion designers such as Zandra Rhodes
Zandra Rhodes
Zandra Rhodes, CBE, RDI, is an English fashion designer.Zandra Rhodes was introduced to the world of fashion by her mother, who was a fitter in a Paris fashion house and a teacher at Medway College of Art, now the University for the Creative Arts. Rhodes studied first at Medway and then at the...
, Bruce Oldfield
Bruce Oldfield
Bruce Oldfield OBE is a British fashion designer, best known for his couture occasionwear. He dresses Hollywood actresses, British and International royalty and European aristocracy; famous clients have included Sienna Miller, Barbra Streisand, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Diana Ross, Emmanuelle...
, Katharine Hamnett
Katharine Hamnett
Katharine E. Hamnett CBE is an English fashion designer best known for her political t-shirts and her ethical business philosophy. She graduated from the Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design....
and Wendy Dagworthy as well as encouraging the ‘maverick talents’ of Vivienne Westwood
Vivienne Westwood
Dame Vivienne Westwood, DBE, RDI is a British fashion designer and businesswoman, largely responsible for bringing modern punk and new wave fashions into the mainstream.-Early life:...
and John Galliano
John Galliano
John Charles Galliano CBE, RDI is a Gibraltan-born British fashion designer who was best known as head designer of French haute couture houses Givenchy and Christian Dior , and his own self titled fashion house.-Family:He was born in Gibraltar to a Gibraltarian father, Juan Galliano, and a...
”.
In 1981, Fashion Promotions went into receivership. Savage continued to mentor young designers and worked as Style and Fashion editor for Mayfair.
The Man
Percy Savage had a ‘striking presence’ with a lanky 1.9 m (6.2 ft) frame, a trademark Gauliose cigarette and black Fedora hat. He was described by Suzy MenkesSuzy Menkes
Suzy Menkes, OBE has been head fashion reporter and Editor for the International Herald Tribune since 1988. In that time she has written over 1.7 million words in the paper....
as an ‘exotic, outlandish creature’. He is said to have been the inspiration for the name of the Dior men’s fragrance ‘Eau Sauvage’. He rubbed shoulders with the likes of Maria Callas
Maria Callas
Maria Callas was an American-born Greek soprano and one of the most renowned opera singers of the 20th century. She combined an impressive bel canto technique, a wide-ranging voice and great dramatic gifts...
, Nikita Khrushchev
Nikita Khrushchev
Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev led the Soviet Union during part of the Cold War. He served as First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1953 to 1964, and as Chairman of the Council of Ministers, or Premier, from 1958 to 1964...
, Ginger Rogers
Ginger Rogers
Ginger Rogers was an American actress, dancer, and singer who appeared in film, and on stage, radio, and television throughout much of the 20th century....
and Rudolf Nureyev
Rudolf Nureyev
Rudolf Khametovich Nureyev was a Russian dancer, considered one of the most celebrated ballet dancers of the 20th century. Nureyev's artistic skills explored expressive areas of the dance, providing a new role to the male ballet dancer who once served only as support to the women.In 1961 he...
. For a time he had an open reservation at Maxim’s on the Champs-Elysées, and was much in demand at ‘fashionable events, both high society and bohemian’. It is said that on his travels to source fur for the House of Dior, he was presented with a pair of cheetahs by the Emperor of Ethiopia, Haile Selassie, which he took for walks in the Bois de Boulogne.