JOURDAN, CHARLES

(1883-1976)

Born in France, Jourdan trained as a shoemaker before opening a shop in 1919. He was the first shoe designer to advertise in magazines in the 1930s and was joined by his sons in 1947.Christian Diorgranted the company alicenseto design and manufacture Dior shoes in 1959, though the company is best known for its provocative advertising in the 1960s, using famous surrealist photographer Guy Bourdin. Jourdan's four famous shoe styles, the Maxim, the Ruby, the Line, and the Amazone, continue to be reissued. Today, designer Josephus Thimister is its director of design.

See alsoAccessories; Footwear.