Etienne Aigner
Étienne Aigner (November 8, 1904 – November 5, 2000) was the founder of Etienne Aigner US and Etienne Aigner AG, two independent luxury fashion companies based in New York and Munich. Both companies produce high‑end items such as handbags, shoes, wallets, and leather accessories.
History
Étienne Aigner was born in Érsekújvár in 1904. He began his career in bookbinding, and shortly after World War II he started crafting leather goods for Parisian haute couture boutiques. He quickly became a supplier of handbags and belts to Europe’s fashion elite. In 1950, after apprenticeships with Christian Dior and Cristóbal Balenciaga, he moved to New York to launch his own label. His older brother Lucien was a noted journalist and photographer.
That same year, he released the Antic Red leather handbag, featuring an open pocket and angular design—Antic Red became the brand’s signature hue. He also designed the company’s logo, transforming the letter “a” into a stylized horseshoe.[1] In 1959, he opened his first showroom in Manhattan.
In the 1980s, Aigner expanded through licensing deals for watches, jewelry, and eyewear. By 1990, clothing lines for men and women were also under license.
Aigner passed away in New York on November 5, 2000, at age 95.
Equestrian Involvement
In 1974, he inaugurated the “Royal Ascot in Munich,” known as the Etienne Aigner Race Day.
Patents
Aigner secured several U.S. design patents for his products, including:
- Design Patent D218,007 for a buckle[2]
- Design Patent D211,847 for a shoe ornament[3]
- Design Patent D211,310 for a handbag closure[4]
- Design Patent D214,156 for a handbag closure[5]
- Design Patent D214,156 for a chain element[6]
References
- ↑ Martin M. Pegler, Store Fronts & Facades, Retail Reporting Corp., 1986, ISBN 0-934590-14-1, 175 pp.
- ↑ https://www.google.com/patents?hl=en&lr=&vid=USPATD218007&id=n2J1AAAAEBAJ&oi=fnd&dq=etienne+aigner
- ↑ https://www.google.com/patents?hl=en&lr=&vid=USPATD211847&id=qON0AAAAEBAJ&oi=fnd&dq=etienne+aigner
- ↑ https://www.google.com/patents?hl=en&lr=&vid=USPATD211310&id=_Np0AAAAEBAJ&oi=fnd&dq=etienne+aigner
- ↑ https://www.google.com/patents?hl=en&lr=&vid=USPATD214156&id=g6lqAAAAEBAJ&oi=fnd&dq=etienne+aigner
- ↑ http://www.freepatentsonline.com/EP0156249.html