Most famous for his eighteenth-century-inspired pouf dress, Lacroix made the most inflated version of the dress only when he was the designer for Patou. There and at his own house, Lacroix combined luxury and insouciance, enamored as he is of all the artisanal trades, fringe, bead, embroidery, etcetera. The opulence of Lacroix's designs is attained by his strong sense of vibrant color and pattern mix exacerbated by his willingness to summon all the possibilities of couture technique.

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