Cultured Story #14 D.Porthault’s Legendary History

Jun 27, 2025

∙ Paid

When one thinks of fine linens, the word “craftsmanship” may not immediately come to mind. But to dismiss it in this context is to overlook one of the great unsung art forms of the decorative world. For over a century, D. Porthault has stood at the intersection of textile artistry and refined living—bringing beauty to the most intimate corners of life: the bed, the bath, and the table. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, The Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, Catherine Deneuve, Babe Paley, and Lee Radziwill were just a few of the people who loved and adored D. Porthault.

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A Jazz Age Beginning

The origins of D. Porthault trace back to the glamorous world of 1920s Paris—a time of innovation, elegance, and social reinvention. The company was born from the shared vision of Daniel and Madeleine Porthault, a married couple whose combined backgrounds shaped the direction of their soon-to-be-iconic brand. Daniel was involved in the textile trade, while Madeleine had trained in the world of haute lingerie, working with esteemed couturier Maggy Rouff. She eventually launched her own line of delicate undergarments that echoed Parisian fashion sensibilities, using touches like colored bias trims, scalloped hems, and subtle embroidery—details that would later influence her approach to household linens.

The First Printed Bedsheets

At that time, household linens were strictly traditional. White or ivory, pressed and plain, they symbolized purity but not much else. Madeleine saw an opportunity to bring romance, personality, and beauty into an overlooked part of domestic life. Her bold experiment—introducing printed patterns to bedsheets—was inspired by the gardens of Giverny and the Impressionist artworks she adored.

But what truly launched the brand’s innovation into motion was a royal request. A princess—Marina of Greece—commissioned a bridal trousseau of fine lingerie. She was so taken with the hand-painted flowers on a peignoir that she asked if matching bed linens could be made to complete the set. That moment—simple, personal, and elegant—marked the birth of the printed bedsheet. It was a revolutionary idea at the time, and one that would reshape how beauty and bedding were intertwined.

Color, Pattern, and Personal Touch

From those first painted petals, D. Porthault became known for more than just sheets. Their aesthetic married softness with charm: tiny florals, painterly vines, dancing hearts, and breezy pastels. Their first table linens appeared in 1927, each piece a continuation of the house's signature look—romantic but restrained, fanciful yet refined.

Over the decades, their print inspirations would range from the classical to the whimsical: the romantic gardens of France, the shifting brushwork of Monet, the warm wit of Charlie Chaplin, and the effortless allure of French icons like Catherine Deneuve and Brigitte Bardot. And these weren’t just celebrity clients—they were muses. Designs were often shaped by the tastes and spirit of the women who wore them, slept in them, and lived with them.

Jackie Kennedy-Onassis

“Resting Up” is a charming watercolor by French artist Jacqueline Duhême, capturing Jacqueline Kennedy peacefully asleep in her favorite D. Porthault linens. The scene takes place at her sister Lee Radziwill’s London townhouse, where Jackie is shown resting beneath a canopied bed, wrapped in pink “Violettes” sheets following their 1962 trip to India and Pakistan. The painting was later acquired by Joan Carl, the owner of D. Porthault, during the Sotheby’s auction of Jackie’s estate in New York.

A devoted admirer of the brand, Jacqueline Kennedy helped introduce D. Porthault linens to the White House during her husband John F. Kennedy’s presidency. In fact, she even featured a Porthault tablecloth during her now-famous televised White House tour. Jackie’s childhood summers were spent at Hammersmith Farm in Newport, Rhode Island—her mother’s family estate and the setting for her wedding reception. Each bedroom at Hammersmith Farm was dressed with D. Porthault linens, many designed to reflect the wildflowers just beyond the windows.

FUN FACT: The now-iconic Les Violettes pattern was originally recolored in pink by Madeleine Porthault specifically for Jackie, making it one of the most personal and enduring prints in the brand’s history.

A Royal Seal of Approval

The Duchess of Windsor, a devoted client, famously commissioned a pattern of yellow carnations for her Paris bedroom. She explained that yellow reminded her of sunlight—she wanted to wake up and fall asleep wrapped in warmth and happiness. The motif came to represent not only her personal style, but also her belief that even practical items could carry emotional meaning. To enhance the effect, she planted yellow blooms outside her window, turning her view into an extension of her bed linens.

The Duke and Duchess of Windsor’s bathroom with D. Porthault bath mat.

FUN FACT: The Duke and Duchess of Windsor always stayed in the same suite whenever they traveled on the Queen Mary between Europe and America. Before their arrival, the ship’s chief steward would remove the regular Cunard Line linens and replace them with the Duchess’s personal D. Porthault sheets and towels.

Coeurs blue, originally commissioned for the Duke and Duchess of Windsor.

The Duke and Duchess were not only loyal customers of D. Porthault but also friends of the founders. Madeleine Porthault even teamed up with the Duchess to create one of the brand’s most beloved patterns—Hearts (Coeurs). Inspired by their desire to celebrate their enduring love, the design became a symbol of their famously romantic bond. The world was enchanted by their story, and for D. Porthault, the Hearts motif remains a timeless tribute to love. Today, it appears on a wide range of the brand’s offerings, from bed, bath, and table linens to handkerchiefs, guest towels, cocktail napkins, and sachets.

From Paris to the World

In the 1930s, D. Porthault took a decisive step toward self-sufficiency and artistry by purchasing a weaving and production facility in the flax-rich region of Rieux-en-Cambrésis in northern France. Surrounded by lavender fields and centuries of textile tradition, the location allowed them to oversee their materials from field to finish.

Their spirit of innovation continued into the postwar period. In 1948, they created the world’s first printed terry cloth towels—a natural extension of their flair for functional luxury. Soon after, their printing process expanded to include cotton percale and airy voile fabrics, further diversifying the textures they could offer.

A Growing Clientele of Icons

By the 1950s, D. Porthault had become a trusted name among royals and socialites alike. They opened a boutique on New York’s East 57th Street in 1956, bringing French refinement to an eager American audience. That same year, they debuted two now-iconic motifs: Les Cœurs (hearts), inspired by a drawing from the Duchess of Windsor, and Les Trèfles (clovers), based on a personal note from French poet Louise de Vilmorin. Both designs would become enduring classics.

D. Porthault’s client list read like a who’s who of mid-century glamour: Coco Chanel, Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, Jacqueline Kennedy, Sir Winston Churchill, and Charles de Gaulle all chose D. Porthault linens for their homes and residences. These weren’t mass-produced pieces; they were bespoke, often created in collaboration with the clients themselves.