Named after Gabrielle-Charlotte Réju (dite Réjane) who was, along with Sarah
Bernhadt, the most illustrious French actress of the Belle Epoque (late nineteenth
and early twentieth centuries), the Réjane bag is Moynat’s celebration of its links
with the theatre. The first Moynat store was located across the street from the
Théâtre Français and Réjane herself was the muse of Moynat and a friend of Pauline
Moynat, from her days as “queen of the boulevard” in Paris to her success on the New
York stage with Madame Sans Gène. The actress even commissioned a Moynat
crocodile leather trunk, with a padded blue and mauve lining, that was used as a prop
in her play Viveurs.
The Rejane bag, then, is true to the spirit of the actress, renowned for her innovative and
modern acting, dubbed “Nerve art” by contemporaries. It is versatile and can be worn as a
handbag or with a shoulder sling. The delicate curves of the silhouette are highlighted by
the rounded metal closure that is a re-edition of the original Art Deco piece. The bag strikes
a perfect balance between femininity and the signature purity of line that characterises
Moynat. The Réjane is available in a variety of colours in Taurillon Gex leather.
Réjane and her Moynat bag in Décoré (1888)
1903 Ad showing the first Réjane bag published in The Theatre magazine
No comments:
Post a Comment