His mother was German, his father Catalan and a former soldier.
Like Paco Rabanne before him, Montanas career started with jewelry.
Claude arrives looking like Little Lord Fauntleroy, the makeup artist toldVanity Fairin 2013 of those early days.
Claude Montana, 1995.
He had curly blond hair and was wearing a velvet suit and a shirt with ruffles.
He was nothing like the biker that he became.
Returning to Paris, Montana started working with leather and for a time shared an apartment with Thierry Mugler.
Kim Williams in Claude Montana.
(The two would later form opposing fashion camps a la Lagerfeld and Saint Laurent before them.)
Per Russell: Claude Montanas life hasnt changed in all the years he has been working.
His fabrics are natural wools and silks and special tweeds that he has made up in Ireland.
Christy Turlington, Jo Kelley, and Kristen McMenamy in Claude Montana.
Leather is his big love, and his sense of color is extraordinary.
Montanas rise was meteoric, but his fall was just as precipitous.
Tatjana Patitz wears a long vest, shirt and jacket over pants by Claude Montana.
Montana, fall 1979 ready-to-wear
Montana, fall 1979 ready-to-wear
Montana, fall 1980 ready-to-wear
Montana, fall 1980 ready-to-wear
Models at a Montana show in New York, 1981
Models at a Montana show in New York, 1981
Montana, fall 1982 ready-to-wear
Montana, fall 1982 ready-to-wear
Montana, fall 1982 ready-to-wear
Montana, spring 1983 ready-to-wear
Montana, spring 1983 ready-to-wear
Montana, spring 1983 ready-to-wear
Montana, spring 1983 ready-to-wear
Montana, fall 1983 ready-to-wear
Montana, fall 1983 ready-to-wear
Montana, fall 1983 ready-to-wear
Montana, spring 1984 ready-to-wear
Montana, spring 1985 ready-to-wear
Montana, spring 1985 ready-to-wear
Montana, spring 1985 ready-to-wear
Claude Montana and Cher, 1986
Montana, spring 1990 ready-to-wear
Lanvin, fall 1990 couture
Lanvin, spring 1991 couture
Lanvin, fall 1991 couture
Montana, spring 1993 ready-to-wear
Montana, spring 1993 ready-to-wear
Wallis Franken and Claude Monatana on their wedding day
Montana, fall 1993 ready-to-wear
Montana, spring 1995 ready-to-wear
Montana, spring 1998 ready-to-wear
