Jean Louis Scherrer

Jean Louise Scherrer was born in Paris in 1935, became a dancer at the world-renowned Conservatoire de Paris until a back injury ended his career. In 1956, he became an assistant designer at Christian Dior, working with Yves Saint Laurent. After Dior's death in 1957, he worked under Saint Laurent and later Louis Feraud. In 1962, he launched his own fashion house with the support of millionaire Jacques Chabrol. Sherrer had an agreement allowing Bergdorf Goodman to sell his goods exclusively in the United States in the 1960s. The French couturier had a list of famous clients including Jacqueline Kennedy, Sophia Loren and the wife of French President Valery Giscard d'Estaing. In the 1980s, his designs were noted for their luxurious opulence with their lavish hand embroidering and beading. The wives of wealthy Middle East oilmen were some of Sherrer's biggest clients. However, after the start of the Gulf War in 1990, that market disappeared. Sherrer's partners, Hermes and Ilona Gestion, owned 90 percent of his brand and in 1992 ousted him. His firing was publicly criticized, but nothing could be done. Other designers replaced him until the business closed permanently in 2008.

As of 2014, the brand continues as licensed products, including its fragrance line. His first fragrance, Jean Louis Sherrer, was released in 1979. The fragrance base has nine perfumes. Miss Sherrer is launched in 2008.