Svetlana Lloyd
Svetlana E. Lloyd | |
|---|---|
| Born | Svetlana Kassessinova or Kassessinoff 1930s Egypt |
| Occupation(s) | Model, ballet dancer, journalist, lecturer |
| Years active | 1950s (modeling) |
| Known for | Modeling for Dior, "Trapèze Line girl" |
Svetlana E. Lloyd (born Kassessinova or Kassessinoff) is a former Egyptian-born house model, known as a "mannequin," who worked for the prestigious Dior fashion house in Paris during the 1950s. She modeled under the guidance of designers Christian Dior and Yves Saint Laurent. Lloyd became widely recognized as the "Trapèze Line girl" after showcasing Saint Laurent's iconic Trapeze dress in a 1958 runway presentation, an event that led to her featuring on international magazine covers.
Upon concluding her modeling career, she transitioned into journalism and academia as a lecturer.
Early life
Svetlana Kassessinova (or Kassessinoff) was born in Egypt to Russian émigré parents who had escaped the turmoil of the Russian Revolution. Her father was an artist specializing in miniatures and served as a painter for King Farouk, while her mother worked as a seamstress.
Ballet dancer
She received ballet training at Legat's School of Ballet located in Tunbridge Wells, England, studying under Nadine Legat. Lloyd became part of the Sadler's Wells Ballet company but her dance career ended prematurely due to a knee injury sustained during ice skating on a U.S. tour of A Midsummer Night's Dream. An alternative explanation cites her growing too tall for ballet roles.
Model for Dior
At twenty years old and fluent in French, Lloyd initially sought employment as a receptionist in Paris but was instead recruited by Christian Dior as a house model after trying on one of his dresses at his boutique. Her ballet background contributed to her graceful movement on the catwalk, despite lacking formal modeling experience.
She had the distinction of being the first to present Yves Saint Laurent’s Trapèze line dress during Dior's January 1958 fashion show, which earned her the nickname "Trapèze Line girl." The dress is celebrated more for its groundbreaking shape than its grey wool fabric and is now housed in New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art. Throughout her tenure with Dior, Lloyd noted his emphasis on elegance rather than mere physical beauty.
Following Christian Dior’s passing, she joined fellow models in attending his funeral, dressed in black haute couture coats seated in the front rows.
Later life
After participating in two seasons under Christian Dior and two collections with Yves Saint Laurent, Lloyd relocated to the United States. In 1959, she married American investment banker Roger H. Lloyd in South Kensington, London. The couple lived in New York for four years and had two children named Alexander and Marina. Currently, she resides in South Kensington with her second husband.
Lloyd dedicated fifty years to working as an assistant editor at Mademoiselle magazine. She experienced firsthand the industry's gradual shift from exclusive haute couture to mass-produced ready-to-wear fashion. Later, she pursued competitive samba dancing, earning a silver medal. In 2004, she auctioned two Dior corsets at Christie's for £300 despite their age and condition.