Creator · Jeweler · Embroiderer
1907 — 1982
Grandson of Carl Fabergé, Igor Carl was born in Levashovo, near Saint Petersburg. Forced into exile in 1918, he settled in Switzerland, where he developed a singular artistic body of work, combining haute couture embroidery, jewelry, and dreamlike objects. Long unknown, his work would not truly be rediscovered until the foundation dedicated to him was established.
1918
Exile from Russia, Gulf of Finland
50+
Employees after 1910
1982
Died in Geneva, buried in Cannes
Biography
Igor Carl Agathonovich Fabergé was born in 1907 in Levashovo, near Saint Petersburg, in the direct line of the great Imperial House. Son of Agathon Carlovich Fabergé and Lydia Treuberg, he grew up in the refined world of a workshop at the height of its glory.
In December 1918, fleeing the Bolshevik Revolution, Igor Carl crossed the frozen Gulf of Finland with his mother and brothers. The family found refuge in Switzerland, where he forged his own artistic language, far from the yoke of Imperial goldsmithing.
A talented embroiderer, he created evening gowns of remarkable originality, as well as fantastic jewelry and objects. Many of these pieces now form part of the Foundation’s permanent collection; others are held in private collections around the world.
Contacted by the Franklin Mint company, he produced the designs for some fifty objects sold under his signature. He then founded his own company in Switzerland, producing around fifty pieces in five years. Having no descendants, he decided to create a foundation that would bear his name and receive his shares after his death.
Chronology
Naissance à Levashovo
Igor Carl Agathonovich Fabergé voit le jour près de Saint-Pétersbourg, fils d'Agathon Carlovich Fabergé et de Lydia Treuberg.
L'exil vers la Suisse
La famille traverse le golfe de Finlande gelé en décembre. Refuge en Suisse, où Igor Carl commence une nouvelle vie artistique.
Haute couture et broderie
Installé en Suisse, il s'affirme comme brodeur de talent, créant des robes de soirée très originales et des bijoux fantastiques.
Collaboration avec Franklin Mint
Il réalise les dessins d'une cinquantaine de petits objets vendus sous sa signature, puis fonde sa propre entreprise produisant des pièces en cinq ans.
Décès à Genève
Igor Carl s'éteint à Genève. Il repose à Cannes aux côtés de Carl Fabergé et d'Augusta Fabergé.
A legacy now preserved
The creativity of Igor Carl Fabergé long remained in the shadows. Today, the foundation aims to preserve and promote this unique artistic legacy, distinct from that of the Imperial House yet just as remarkable, in order to pass it on to future generations.