A minaudière is a women's fashion accessory

Fashion accessory

Fashion accessories are decorative items that supplement and complement clothes, such as jewelery, gloves, handbags, hats, belts, scarves, wigs, watches, sunglasses, pins, stockings, bow ties, hand fans, leg warmers, leggings, neckties, suspenders, and tights....

, generally considered a jewelry piece, intended to substitute for an evening bag. A case with compartments, it allows storage for several items in a small space, such as a makeup compact, lipstick, watch, reading glasses, or keys.

The minaudière appeared during the 1930s. Its invention is attributed to Charles Arpels, of Van Cleef & Arpels

Van Cleef & Arpels

Van Cleef & Arpels is a French jewellery, watch, and perfume company that was founded in 1896 by Charles Arpels and Alfred Van Cleef. They opened their first boutique in 1906 at 22 place Vendôme, Paris...

, but many jewellers and Haute Couture

Haute couture

Haute couture refers to the creation of exclusive custom-fitted clothing. Haute couture is made to order for a specific customer, and it is usually made from high-quality, expensive fabric and sewn with extreme attention to detail and finished by the most experienced and capable seamstresses,...

 designers have created their own models.

Description

Generally metal plated and in an oblong shape, sized small enough to be held within the hand, a minaudière is a dainty accessory. The materials used to make it are most frequently rigid, with a metallic finish such as gold or silver. The exterior may be detailed with precious or semi-precious stones, or decorated with laquer or mother of pearl. However, designs also exist in textile versions, with cloth overlaying a frame or flexible and supple, using velour, silk or brocade fabric, embroidered or not.

Some minaudières include a lanyard

Lanyard

A lanyard is a rope or cord exclusively worn around the neck or wrist to carry something. Usually it is used where there is a risk of losing the object or to ensure it is visible at all times. Aboard a ship, it may refer to a piece of rigging used to secure objects...

 or chain that the owner places over their wrist. Other designs have a satin or velour pouch to hold the minaudière..

The interior can reveal the ingenuity of the designer. A minaudière contains several small compartments, carefully designed to organize the owner's personal items for maximum utility.

According to fashion journalist Lloyd Boston, a minaudière constitutes an "essential" part of an evening wardrobe, a small object with no limit to its usefulness, and a "fabulous character". ».

Invention

According to press articles of the time the minaudière was invented by Van Cleef & Arpels

Van Cleef & Arpels

Van Cleef & Arpels is a French jewellery, watch, and perfume company that was founded in 1896 by Charles Arpels and Alfred Van Cleef. They opened their first boutique in 1906 at 22 place Vendôme, Paris...

 in 1934. Charles Arpels was inspired by watching Florence Gould, third wife of philanthropist Frank Jay Gould

Frank Jay Gould

Frank Jay Gould was a philanthropist and the son of financier Jay Gould. He was the owner of a string of French Riviera casinos and hotels.-Biography:...

, toss several small, loose makeup items into a tin box..