Ted Lapidus

Ted Lapidus is a Paris fashion house founded in 1951 by designer Edmond Lapidus, who trained at Dior. It stopped producing haute couture in 2000 and is now mainly associated with licensed accessories, watches and fragrances.

What is Ted Lapidus?

Ted Lapidus is a French fashion house named after its founder, Edmond "Ted" Lapidus, born in Paris in 1929. He died in Cannes in December 2008.

History

Lapidus started his own label in 1951 after an apprenticeship with Dior. The house gained prominence in the 1960s, when French celebrities such as Brigitte Bardot and Alain Delon wore his designs, and he was admitted to the Chambre syndicale de la haute couture parisienne in 1963. His son Olivier Lapidus later took over the house; the English and French versions of Wikipedia give different dates, 1989 and 1982 respectively.

Products and positioning

In the late 1970s, as the haute couture market declined, the label moved into accessories. The house sponsored the Automobiles Gonfaronnaises Sportives Formula One team in 1990 and designed the home and away uniforms of Brazilian club Corinthians in 1996. Haute couture production stopped in 2000, and Wikipedia says the label is now primarily known for watches and fragrances, although this is undated.

Business model and distribution

French Wikipedia describes a licensing network across Europe, perfumes launched in 1970 with L'Oréal, and a ready-to-wear line called Tex sold through Carrefour. Neither source gives a current owner, so none is stated here.

Why it matters

Ted Lapidus is a historic example of a couture name that migrated to licensing and mass-market distribution as demand for haute couture fell.

Frequently asked questions

Who founded Ted Lapidus?

Edmond "Ted" Lapidus, a Paris designer who trained at Dior, founded the house in 1951.

Is Ted Lapidus still a couture house?

No. The house stopped producing haute couture in 2000 and is now mainly known for licensed products such as watches and fragrances.

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