#30. The Second Trigère at Trigère: Lucie Porges

Pauline Trigère designed by Lucie Porges

Lucie Porges Pauline Trigere

Lucie Porges. Pauline Trigere

Lucie Porges. PT Home

Lucie Porges PT Home

The valuable role of Lucie Porges, the quiet and trusted associate of Pauline Trigère, is often underestimated. Highly esteemed by Pauline herself, Lucie Porges was a skilled artist in her own right. Over a span of more than four decades collaborating with Pauline, she earned the title "Second Trigére at Trigére" from the former Vogue Editor Andre Leon Tally.

Lucie Porges began working alongside Pauline in 1951 and remained by her side until the closure of the atelier in 1993. In a previous blog post, I detailed Lucie's introduction to Pauline's showroom upon her arrival in New York from Paris in 1951 to reunite with her husband, Paul Peter Porges. Lucie not only sketched all of Pauline's designs, coordinated the all important sample room, she also accompanied Ms. Trigère on trips to Europe to source fabrics. She was frequently spotted on stage standing beside Pauline at the conclusion of the collection presentations.

Her name was also mentioned alongside Pauline's in a feature of the New York Times Style section. The credit for a dramatic double-faced orange coat paired with a black hooded dress was given as: "Designed by Lucie Porges for Pauline Trigère. Available at Bergdorf Goodman and Saks Fifth Avenue."

An article published in the Memphis Times in 1976 was titled "Trigère Sews One Expensive Label" by Audrey West. The piece covered a trunk show of the fall collection held at the boutique store Sara Fredericks. A photo featured Lucie fitting a luxurious wool cape on client Mrs. Bethel Hunt Jr.. During an interview, Lucie described Trigère's clientele as "The wealthy woman with a rich husband who enjoys taking his wife to social events." The article highlighted that the price of a particular fur coat reached $2,400, which is equivalent to over $13,000 in 2024. It was also mentioned that Lucie was representing Pauline in Memphis.

During her extensive tenure at the Trigère brand, Lucie also oversaw the licensing collections. An article in the New York Times by Suzanne Slesin titled "Designed for Sun and Sand" highlighted Lucie Porges' role in curating a new product range while serving as Ms. Trigère's right-hand in the design process. This included the Home Collection featuring bedsheets, umbrellas, tote bags, and quilted beach mats. The article featured photographs of Lucie showcasing the fabric patterns she had created. Another piece in the Palm Beach Daily News from 1980 depicted a model lounging by the poolside with items from the Beach collection.

The two women not only worked side by side professionally, Lucie's family was often invited to Pauline's country house and Lucie's two daughters remember spending their after-school moments at the Trigere showroom while waiting for their mother to finish work or around backstage during the fashion presentations.

Although we honor Pauline Trigère's name and accomplishments, it is essential to recognize Lucie's expertise and dedication to the Pauline Trigère brand. Her role was vital in the faciliating design backstage and contributed significantly to the smooth operation of the Trigère design room.