Claude Montana, celebrated French designer and couturier, has died at the age of 76

Claude Montana, the visionary French designer and couturier best known for his big-shouldered silhouette and mastery of leather, has died at the age of 76.

Born in Paris in 1947 to a Catalan father and German mother, Montana began his career in London as a jewellery designer in the 1960s, creating papier-mâché designs covered with rhinestones. He returned to the French capital in the latter part of that decade to join the team at Mac Douglas, where he learned leatherwork, which would be a feature of his later work.

In 1975 he showed his first collection to great acclaim and then in 1979, aided by his sister Jacqueline, he established his own fashion house officially joining the Paris Fashion Week calendar in 1981. During the 1980s, Montana and his contemporary Thierry Mugler (who died in 2022 at the age of 73) championed bold shoulders and leather designs, with Montana favouring a colour palette of strong shades of blue, red and metallic as well as neutral tones. As the decade wore on, he softened his shoulders to a more natural look.

Claude Montana wins the Dé D'Or or Golden Thimble Award for the best 1990-91 Autumn-Winter Haute Couture collection (AP Photo/Remy de la Mauviniere)

In 1989, he became artistic director of Lanvin, where he successfully entered the world of Haute Couture. He received two "Dés d'Or" or Golden Thimble awards for his Autumn-Winter 1990-1991 and Spring-Summer 1991 collections for Lanvin. After leaving the storied house, he established his established a ready-to-wear line called Odysée and was awarded Commandeur dans l'Ordre des Arts et Lettres in July 2014.

The Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode announced that Montana had passed away today (23 February) and said Montana had left "an indelible legacy in the fashion industry".

Bruno Pavlovsky, President, Fédération de la Haute couture et de la Mode said: “The work of Claude Montana embodied exceptional craftsmanship. His daring creations influenced a whole generation of designers. His distinctive style, blending sophistication and modernity, remains firmly rooted in the imagination of contemporary fashion, testifying to his indelible impact on the industry and on generations to come.”

Pascal Morand, Executive President, Fédération de Haute Couture et de la Mode, added: "A visionary, Claude Montana constantly pushed the boundaries of fashion, reaching beyond his time to redefine standards of style and design. He challenged expectations and opened new paths for creative expression.”

Main image. Claude Montana presents at Paris Fashion Week in 1981 (AP Photo/Alamy).