The House of Paquin was opened on the 3. Rue de la Paix in Paris in 1891 by Jeanne Paquin (1869-1936). The establishment was very successful and grew to be one of the largest fashion houses in Paris, with branches in London, Madrid, and Buenos Aires. By 1915 Mme. Paquin’s brother and sister-in-law, M. and Mme, Henri Joire, were partnered with Mme. Paquin. Paquin retired in 1920 and during the 1920s the designs were executed by a Mlle. Madeleine. After Mme. Paquin’s death in 1936, the designer was Antonio del Castillo, who remained with the business until 1944. In 1953 the House of Paquin merged with Worth. Paquin-Worth was closed in 1956. Mme. Paquin was famous for her use of vivid colors and extravagant furs. Her clothes were romantic with a touch of the exotic. Leon Bakst and Paul Iribe designed dresses which were made by Mme Paquin’s house. She was also famous for her luxurious lingerie and for dresses suited for the latest dance craze, the Tango.