Swiss Fashion Designer ~ Fred Affolter

Fred and Rose Affolter

As a young man, Fred was drawn towards music, acting and sewing. He trained as a fashion designer in Lausanne, Switzerland and in Paris, where he gradually turned to women's fashions. Rose studied to be a teacher in home economics and later changed to fashion design. Fred and Rose married in 1943; they opened their own couture establishment in Granges, Switzerland in 1950.

The Affolters' customers were fashionable wealthy women who like exclusive evening designs made of expensive imported material. Fred became well known for his original designs using lace and St. Ball embroideries. Many of his designs were double face, made of silk and wool and entirely reversible. Fred also designed elegant flexible garments, were sleeves could be removed or coats shortened. Partner suits, with matching dress and suit for the lady and gentleman, were also very popular.

Fred and Rose held fashion shows throughout Switzerland to showcase their exclusive designs. Fred became known as the 'Singing Dior', for he would often present his models with a rose and sing a suitable song as a finale. The highlight of their career was a fashion show held in Cairo during Expo '76, where they were able to work with luxurious expensive materials and original designs to showcase embroideries from Switzerland. Many of the garments and photographs in this exhibit are from this show.

Fred and Rose retired in 1980 and moved to Trinity Valley near Enderby to be with their children. Fred has been making unique, original quilts and wall hangings for the last 20 years, using samples and scraps of the luxurious materials, lace and embroidery collected during his years as a couturier.

Thank you, Fred and Rose,

for sharing your life's work

with our community.

Enderby and District Museum and the Enderby and District Arts Council

"A SWISS FASHION SHOW"

November 24, 1976
Sheraton Hotel, Cairo
Reviewed by Jean-Louis Bernier, La Tribune
Translation by Reginald Bigras

"As we had previously announced, a Swiss fashion show took place in the salons of a great hotel in Cairo during the Swiss-Expo '76, a Swiss industrial and technological exposition in Egypt, starring Fred Affolter, 59 years old, one of the best renowned Swiss couturiers.


"Fred Affolter, one of Switzerland's most famous leading couturiers, was born in 1917. Although interest in couture from a very early age, he hesitated whether to go in for acting or take up fashion designing, finally opting to become a tailor. He trained in Lausanne and in Paris where he gradually turned to designing women's fashions. In 1950, in cooperation with his wife, also a couturiere, he opened up his own couture establishment at Granges.

"The whole of Cairo, including representatives of the Embassies and Ministries, and fashion designers represented by the fashion editors of the great Egyptian newspapers, hurried on the evening of November twenty-fourth to attend this fashion show honoured by the presence of Madame Brugger, wife of the head of the Department of Public Economy.

"Forty exclusive designs constituted Fred Affolter's original collection. The beauty and richness of the embroideries of St. Gall inspired Fred Affolter in the creation of this original collection with its distinctly oriental appear. Out of these forty designs, thirty-five were made of lace and five were double face, silk and wool, entirely reversible. The luxurious tissues, richly embroidered(sometimes worth two hundred francs per metre), were greatly admired, and the four fashion models (two Swiss ladies and two Egyptian ladies) were not only applauded for the beauty of their ensembles, but also for the footwear and the Swiss watches they were wearing...

"Tunic dresses, afternoon and evening dresses, two-piece outfits, empire-style dresses, long shirtwaist dresses, caftans, coats, gala evening ensembles of all styles and bridal gowns: the Swiss choice in Cairo was varied. This Egyptian Premiere, by its attendance and the interest it created, has been a real success.

The Swiss Fashion Show Featuring original designs by Swiss couturier Fred Affolter

"April 25-May17 2003 Sponsored by the Enderby and District museum and the Enderby and District Arts council"

Notes from Fred, with translations by Gila:

The pink suit with a lining that matches the blouse is a design by Coco Chanel. Designs were owned by the couturier. If another couturier wanted to use the design, he was required to purchase it. In exchange, he would receive a signed drawing, and a half-pattern made of cloth.

Many of the black and white photographs shown are from the fashion show in Cairo. Some of the models for fashion shows or photograph shoot could be quite difficult. They were often particular about what they wore and extremely picky about the fit.

Several dress in the exhibit are made with St.Gallen embroideries, using silk and gold threads.One coat and a dress are made of velour, where the material is hand cut to create the design.

Some materials have two layers which can be teased apart. I(Fred) would stitch a double seam about 1 inch from the edge, separate the two layers to this point, fold it back, machine stitch it on one side and hand stitch on the other. Thus the garment would be reversible. The gentleman's coat and vest were made in this manner.

I began to make quilts and wall hangings when we came to this country(Canada) We brought with us samples of material given to us by sales people, as well as remnants from the garments.

We would often send a sample of material from garment to Bali Show Company to have matching shoes made for our clients. Matching purses could also be made.