ENTREPRENEURIAL CHARACTER
The eldest daughter of Princess Stephanie of Monaco is about to turn 30 years old
Pauline Ducruet is focused on her career as a designer, with the firm Alter Designs
Of the three sons of princes Rainier of Monaco and Grace Kellythe minor, the Princess Stephanie, was always considered the most atypical. Passionate about the circus and music, the sister of the current head of the State of Monaco has been characterized by having a somewhat ‘rebellious’ character and by leading a lifestyle that, to a certain extent, has little to do with what is expected. of a princess, especially in the love sphere. For example, she fell in love with circus entrepreneur Franco Knie and she spent time living in a circus with her children, but, in addition, she also tried her luck in the world of entertainment as a singer or even in the fashion industry. One of her many adventures that, now, when she is over half a century old, she has been able to see how her eldest daughter has turned into a dream come true.
At almost 30 years old – she turns on May 4 – Pauline Ducruet has managed to continue her mother’s role as designer, but in a different way. The young woman founded Alter Designs in 2018, a brand that is committed to sustainable fashion, with a genderless character and that promotes, among other things, local production, environmental protection and comfortable and wearable designs. The young woman has all the support of her family, especially her mother, who does not hesitate to wear many of the brand’s looks, and even has Prince Albert’s eldest son, Alexandre Grimaldi, as a model.
Fashion and the Grimaldis
The relationship between the fashion sphere and the Grimaldis dates back several decades, specifically, from the time of Grace Kelly. The mother of princesses Estefania and Carolina is considered a style icon and she found the perfect fit for her shoe in the Dior brand. As time went by, she became Carolina, led by Chanel and Karl Lagerfeld which continued this legacy and, today, both Charlotte Casiraghi, the daughters-in-law of the Princess of Hannover, and even Princess Alexandra herself perfectly embody the glamor of Monaco and that inseparable connection with Haute Couture and the important brands in the world of fashion.
However, there was a time when Princess Estefanía wanted to distance herself from this trend and put themselves, instead of in the foreground, in another sphere of the industry. After the death of her mother in a tragic car accident, Estefanía decided to study fashion design in Paris, although she left after just a year. She herself confessed in an interview that studying fashion design in a classroom is a waste of time, so she looked for a different alternative and, for that reason, she put herself in the hands of Marc Bohan, who was then creative director of Dior. Carolina de Monaco’s sister did an internship as a jewelry and fabric designer between 1983 and 1984. A time in which she also worked as a model, although it was something she did not like, because it meant being too exposed.
The princess even dared to launch her own sports fashion brand, with the help of Alix de la Comble, a Dior intern whom he met during his internship and with whom he established a very close friendship, despite the fact that there was a certain age difference between them. Together they launched a brand with the name Pool Position and her first project was a swimsuit collection. An initiative in which the princess had a lot to do, as she stated that, even though she had always lived near the sea, it was difficult for her to find swimwear that she liked. What’s more, she even confessed that she hated her first swimsuit, inherited from her older sister, Princess Caroline. She was the French company Nautic the one that produced the swimsuits designed by Estefanía, who did not, at any time, have financial support from her father.
In 1985 the collection was presented in Monaco, in a private fashion show in which a select group of guests participated, such as the photographer Helmut Newton or Karl Lagerfeld, who said it was a great collection. A year later, in Los Angeles, the collection was presented and was a complete success. In fact, 20 swimsuits were sold in less than 24 hours, with prices that could exceed $100.
However, in 1987, Princess Stephanie of Monaco’s business adventure ended. It was not for lack of success, but because the daughter of Rainier and Grace Kelly already had another topic in mind and she never returned to her role as a designer. In 1986, the producer Yves Rouze had proposed to her to sing and she did not hesitate. Carolina de Monaco’s sister took to the stage to make her debut with Ouragan. Now, her youngest daughter has not only inherited her design skills, but could follow in her footsteps in the world of swimwear, even advised by herself.
