Madame Grès born Germaine Émilie Krebs, also known as Alix Barton and Alix, was a leading French couturier of her generation and costume designer. She founded the former haute couture fashion house "Grès" as well as the associated perfume house "Parfums Grès" which still exists today in Switzerland. Remembered as the "Sphinx of Fashion", Grès was notoriously secretive about her personal life and was seen as a workaholic with a furious attention to detail, therefore she preferred to let her work do the talking. Called the "master of the wrapped and draped dress" and "queen of drapery", Grès is best known for her floor-length draped Grecian goddess gowns. Grès's minimalistic draping techniques and her attention and respect for the female body have had a lasting effect on the haute couture and fashion industry and she is credited for inspiring a number of recent designers.