She owes her success to a complex: she was not very tall. Marie-Louise Carven, born
Carmen de Tommaso, launched her own fashion house in 1945 with the aim of dressing
petite women. The signature piece that marks her success is a full skirted, green and white
striped cotton summer dress with a generous neckline. The model is called «Ma Griffe» and
Carven green becomes the symbol colour of the maison. Carven abolishes the lining in suits,
increases the size of pleats in order to highlight the breast, and her tip to petite women is to
never wear black or giant prints.
