Boutique Internationale vs. Gene Shelley

[Maddalena]

Hello everyone!
I have a dress that has a very similar label to Gene Shelley dresses but which doesn't appear to be Gene Shelley. The label reads "Boutique Internationale" and appears to be identical to the "Gene Shelley's Boutique Internationale". The only difference is it doesn't have the words "Gene Shelley" and "California".

Does anyone have any information about this? I found one dress on Etsy with YNt same label as mine and the seller listed it as "Boutique Internationale (Gene Shelley)" but I want to be sure there is a connection before I make any such similar claims.

Thanks in advance for your help!
Maddie

 

[lkranieri]

The earliest references I found to Boutique Internationale were to the Boutique Internationale sections of department stores. The couple of ads were dated ca. 1953 and showed products such as gloves, billfolds, sweaters, umbrellas, etc., so I am not at all sure that was the same as your Boutique Internationale. By 1961, however, ads began to appear that were clearly the same company as on your dress labels. The name Gene Shelly was usually, but not always mentioned in the ads, however a 1965 article about a designer who joined Boutique Internationale stated "Boutique Internationale, founded by Mr. Shelly, is a division of Russeks, Inc. public stock company."

Gene Shelly died in 1982.

 

[Maddalena]

Hello Lynne,
I'm so sorry I only just now noticed your response. I wanted to thank you for the time you spent looking into this. It's much appreciated!