A decade before Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein, Albert Goldberg was the originator of “sportwear chic”.
Albert's desire to move away from the classic tailoring created by his father in his “Jean Tailleur” boutique on Rue du Paradis in Nice revolutionized the structure and design of menswear.
Mister Albert Goldberg
It all began in the summer of 1961, on his return from Algeria. Albert knew he wanted to work in menswear; it was his destiny. He quickly realized that neither a classic suit nor a blazer would enable him to change codes and make his own revolution. He came up with the idea of adapting so-called “sportswear” to the city, using more flattering cuts and noble fabrics.
He inspired a veritable movement and became a pioneer of men's ready-to-wear. Other big names would later follow in his footsteps. Across the Atlantic, his name circulated, and designers such as Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger drew inspiration from his boutique without revealing his name.
Façonnable in Vogue Uomo - April 1982
"I had a grille that I lifted every morning on Rue du Paradis. One day, I came face to face with a note on which was written: I'm a tie manufacturer in New York, come and see me, here's my number, signed Ralph Lauren. I didn't know who he was, and wouldn't find out until later on my trip to New York in the 1980s” says Albert Goldberg.
His first creation, the “golf” jacket he developed above his father's workshop between 1961 and 1964, became the best-selling piece in Façonnable's history. This success enabled him to develop his brand and extend his vision to the entire men's wardrobe. Accompanied by his brother-in-law Jean-Pierre Benaïm, they built Façonnable into a colossal international brand.
French designers of his generation such as Daniel Hechter, Daniel Crémieux and Marcel Lassance were inspired by his aesthetic.
Façonnable advertising - 1985
Albert is inspired by his home town, Nice. He draws his inspiration from the promenade, the hinterland and the coast. In the 1990s, he launched a unique creation: flag shirts and the Façonnable Internationable collection. These would reveal an even more interesting dimension of his work, and also reveal the French Riviera aspect of the brand.
He was one of the only French designers of his time to seek out factories for their know-how and collaborate with them to create manufactured pieces. For footwear, he collaborated with Alden in the U.S.A., Church in England, and for many years was the sole French distributor of Sebago Docksides.
