Parisian designer Marcel Rochas founded the Rochas fashion house in 1925 at the age of 22. Rochas came to be known as a designer who favored hourglass silhouettes (think padded shoulders, narrow hips, and high, cinched waistlines), dressing the biggest stars of the day, including Mae West, Jean Harlow, and Joan Crawford. His wife, Hélène, took over following his death in 1955, shifting the focus to fragrances before selling the company in 1970. Since 1990, the house has resurrected ready-to-wear under a number of designers including Peter O'Brien, Olivier Theyskens, and Marco Zanini.
