ABOUT

VICKY TIEL

Born in Washington DC and trained at Parsons School of Design, Vicky Tiel has defined Parisian couture for over five decades. Her journey began in 1962 when she met fellow designer Mia Fonssagrives at Parsons, sparking a partnership that would revolutionize fashion.

At just 21, while still a student, Tiel created the iconic one-piece zip-front jumpsuit for Woody Allen's What's New Pussycat? In 1964, she and Fonssagrives moved to Paris and introduced the Mia-Vicky mini dress, earning international acclaim with a five-page Life magazine feature titled "Two American Girls Show Paris."

While working as a costume designer on film sets in Paris, Tiel met Elizabeth Taylor, who became both her muse and business partner. In 1968, they opened the Mia-Vicky boutique at 21 Rue Bonaparte in Paris—still operating today. When Fonssagrives left Paris in 1970, the label became simply Vicky Tiel.

Beyond couture, Tiel has created celebrated fragrances including "Sirene" and "Ulysse" since 1989, authored two books—It's All About the Dress (2011) and The Absolute Woman (2018)—and designed costumes for numerous films. Her dresses have graced leading actresses in Saturday Night Fever, Black Rain, and Pretty Woman.