Alexis Lavigne created his own school in 1841 and published his first tailoring method. While the Industrial Revolution of the 19th century was transforming Paris, he revolutionized fashion, inventing the tapemeasure and the dress form.

Soon, his working methods, published in 1847 in French and Eglish, spread all over the world while his daughter began working with him.

Also reknown as "Fashion Théorie" journal's news editor, his reputation led him to become Empress Eugénie's taillor and create the first french tailoring federation.

In the mean time, his daughter, Alice, convinced him to launch his second designer house specialized in women's garments. 

When she finally inherited a school, a publishing company, several patents and two designer house that she tried to managed with the same motivation, she concentrated on teaching.

Along with Jules Ferry, she worked in favor of women's right to get educated and published her working methods around the world, from New York City to Odessa.

She managed five different fashion magasines: L’art dans le costume, le journal de couturières, les nouveautés parisiennes, la mode élégante and la femme et la mode.