Long before Manolo Blahnik, Christian Louboutin and Jimmy Choo defined the dressing of stylish feet worldwide, there was another couture cobbler whose designs were a must-have for the smart set. Impossibly chic, Hélène ARPELS was the Monte Carlo-born daughter of Russian parents, a former model, and the onetime wife of Louis ARPELS (of Van Cleef &). Hélène opened a small salon in midtown Manhattan in the late 1940s. There she sold contemporized versions of embroidered Arabian caftans, designed to be worn as bohemian eveningwear. But it was her exquisitely made shoes that eventually dominated the business. She became a friend and fashion advisor to Jacqueline KENNEDY for more than 20 years. "I’m not a designer," she was quoted as saying. "But I know exactly what I want to create." And so she did, traveling to Italy twice a year to work with the shoe factory that she owned near Bologna. Her collections weren’t groundbreaking, bordering on ever-so-slightly mumsy in silhouette, but the craftsmanship and materials were out of the ordinary. And then there was the fit. Her well-heeled clientele would have their feet measured and traced, and individual lasts were then made to insure a fit like no ready-made shoe could offer. Even the most expensive footwear manufacturers of the day, such as Ferragamo and Eugenia of Florence, came in a limited range of widths. While her married name was associated with some of the most extravagant jewelry in the world, Hélène sold enchanting "paste" pieces that were ideal for travel or other situations when "the good stuff" was best left in the vault. Her crystal and gold plated necklaces and citrine studded cuffs perfectly accessorized her embellished caftans, and became the epitome of "hostess chic." Her salons, first at 665 Madison Avenue and later at 470 Park Avenue, were deluxe, with plush carpeting, gilded Louis XVI chairs, and large sparkling crystal chandeliers. Andre AZRIA, a Tunisian émigré living in New York (and a relative of BCBG's Max AZRIA), opened the original store with ARPELS—and more. Not only did he manage the retail operation, he was her business partner in the Bologna factory and partner in life following her divorce from Louis ARPELS. Andre and Hélène spent their last years bouncing between New York and Paris, where they kept a small but exquisite townhouse in the 16th arrondissement. He died in 2001 at 83, she in 2006 at 97. Neither had any children and the business no longer exists.