Peggy Roche

Peggy Roche: A Life in Shadow and Light

Peggy Roche (full name Peggy Andrée Yolande Roche) was a French fashion icon—a model, stylist, and fashion journalist whose life was intensely rich and dynamic, yet often discreet.

Born on February 1, 1929, in Paris’s prestigious 16th arrondissement, she passed away on September 7, 1991, in the 14th arrondissement after battling cancer.

Peggy was known not only for her work in the fashion world but also as the life partner of the famous writer Françoise Sagan. Her life was full of contrasts: from the glittering circles of Parisian fashion to intimate, carefully concealed relationships that profoundly affected both women.

It is unfair when biographies focus solely on her connection to Sagan, thereby overshadowing Peggy as an independent personality.

Biography

Peggy’s childhood was lonely and unstable. As an only child in a family with an often-absent father and a mother known for her erratic lifestyle (often described as “volage”—frivolous and unfaithful), she learned early to rely solely on herself. This likely shaped her strong personality, which later made her a highly respected figure in the fashion industry.

She began her career in the late 1950s as a model at the prestigious magazine Elle, where she was spotted and hired by the legendary editor Hélène Lazareff.

Soon Peggy became a fashion journalist, stylist, and even editor-in-chief, shaping trends and influencing the overall landscape of French fashion. She was renowned for her sharp style and ability to blend elegance with practicality. Later, with financial support from her partner Sagan, she opened her own boutique in Paris and launched a personal clothing line reflecting her vision of modern, accessible fashion.

Peggy’s life was closely tied to Paris’s intellectual and artistic elite. She was undeniably part of the French bohemian circles where literature, fashion, and vivid personal dramas intertwined.

Her death from cancer in 1991 was a devastating blow to those close to her, especially Françoise Sagan, who subsequently sank into deep depression and addiction.

Family and Relationships

Peggy’s family life was complicated and full of changes, without traditional stability.

Parents: She was an only child—the father often absent, possibly due to work or personal reasons, and the mother known for her loose, free, and unpredictable lifestyle, leaving Peggy in great neglect. Such a childhood likely influenced her later independence and ability to form deep but controlled relationships.

Husbands: Peggy’s first marriage was to photographer Jacques Curtis, a World War II hero—he joined General de Gaulle after the 1940 call and created the cinematographic service of Free France. This marriage was short but symbolized her link to the heritage of the French resistance movement.

The second marriage followed on March 27, 1961, with actor Claude Brasseur, a famous French comedian. They were married for several years, but Peggy left him in the early 1970s to begin a relationship with Sagan. This marriage was more public but ended without major scandals.

Partners: The most significant was her relationship with writer Françoise Sagan, lasting approximately 15–20 years (from the early 1970s until Peggy’s death). It was a deep, true love full of passion, tenderness, and mutual admiration, but secret—Sagan did not publicly acknowledge her bisexuality, so Peggy had to hide the relationship, leaving the house during guest visits. Both addressed each other formally (“vous”) even in the presence of Sagan’s son to maintain discretion.

Sagan said: “No one will hurt you anymore, everything will be alright.” Peggy was Sagan’s support, like a muse, sharing daily cares and promoting creativity.

Children: Peggy had no biological children of her own, but she raised Françoise Sagan’s son Denis Westhoff, born from Sagan’s short marriage to Bob Westhoff. Denis later gratefully wrote in the book Sagan et Fils that Peggy was like a second mother, and the relationship between the two women was a unique mix of love and friendship. He described how Peggy’s death “tore” Sagan to pieces.

Interesting Facts

Peggy was the “strong woman” of the fashion world—respected and highly regarded in circles, but unknown to the wider public because she lived in Sagan’s shadow. She helped Sagan become the “most visible celebrity writer” (la première écrivaine people), publishing articles in Elle magazine.

After her death, Peggy was buried in Seuzac cemetery (Lot department). Initially, the grave was anonymous, but Denis Westhoff confirmed that she rests in one grave with Sagan and Bob Westhoff. In 2024, Peggy’s name was officially added to the gravestone—a symbolic recognition of her memory and role.

In culture, Peggy appears in the film Sagan (2008, dir. Diane Kurys), where her role was played by Jeanne Balibar. In 2017, Canadian-French writer Marie-Ève Lacasse published the biographical novel Peggy dans les phares, focusing on her love for Sagan and life in the shadow.

She was a significant and visible part of the Parisian bohemia, where everything creative intertwined, including literature and fashion. It is known that Sagan helped her financially, allowing her to realize fashion dreams, while Peggy introduced system and stability into Sagan’s chaotic life.

Scandals and Controversial Moments

Peggy’s life was not full of public scandals, but her relationship with Sagan was shrouded in discretion and tension. Sagan insisted on absolute concealment of the relationship, fearing societal condemnation for bisexuality—this meant Peggy was assigned the role of “invisible” partner, long remaining outside biographies and media.

After Peggy’s death, Sagan fell into scandals: connections to tax fraud, to political affairs (including an OAS terrorist attack on her parents’ house), and addiction to drugs and gambling, leading to enormous debts and death in 2004. Peggy was Sagan’s stable “anchor,” and her departure triggered this “fall into the abyss.” Some sources mention that Peggy’s secret role was like a “love confusion” in Parisian literary circles when it became known in 2007.

Peggy Roche was a woman who lived fully, but unfairly often in the shadow of others—her story is about strength, love, and fashion heritage that deserves more recognition beyond the Sagan era.

Peggy’s Fashion Project was a short but personal and elegant phase of her career, closely linked to the 1970s–1980s Parisian bohemia and her relationship with Françoise Sagan. It was not a large commercial brand like Chanel or Yves Saint Laurent, but a small, intimate enterprise reflecting Peggy’s own style—minimalist, timeless, and refined. The brand, unfortunately, did not survive.

How the Line and Boutique Came About

In the mid or late 1970s, thanks to financial support from Françoise Sagan (the writer was sufficiently wealthy from bestseller income), Peggy opened a small boutique in Paris on rue du Pré-aux-Clercs (in the Saint-Germain-des-Prés district—a trendy, intellectual quarter with cafes and galleries). There she launched her clothing line—prêt-à-porter (ready-to-wear), not haute couture.

Peggy’s style was the opposite of the then-popular opulence: she herself always dressed in black and white, without flashy accessories, consistently focusing on elegance rather than fashion as such. She created clothes that were practical, comfortable, but refined—for women who want to look chic without effort.

Production and Characteristic Items

From available descriptions (mainly from biographies, the novel Peggy dans les phares, and fashion history sources), the line included:

• Pantalons à pont (bridge-style pants—classic sailor pants with high waist and side buttons, very typical French chic).

• Chandails (wool sweaters or jumpers—soft, high-quality, in neutral tones).

• Blazers (classic jackets—straight lines, ideal over jeans or pants).

• Pyjamas de satin gris (gray satin pyjamas—luxurious but comfortable homewear, then fashionable as loungewear).

Overall: neutral tones (black, white, gray, beige), high-quality fabrics (wool, satin, cotton), timeless cuts—“hors du temps” (outside of time), as described in the novel about her. Peggy was an avant-gardist in her simplicity: clothes that did not go out of fashion but emphasized the wearer’s personality.

Peggy Roche’s Personal Style and Similarity to Coco Chanel

Peggy Roche’s personal style and her fashion line show clear similarities to Coco Chanel. Both women embodied French elegance in its purest form: minimalism, comfort, timeless quality, and rejection of excess opulence. Peggy was not a direct “follower” of Chanel, but her approach to fashion was like a modern, 1970s–80s refresh of the Chanel revolution that began in the 1920s.

Main Similarities

• Minimalism and “less is more”—Coco Chanel freed women from corsets, abundant ruffles, and complex silhouettes, introducing simple straight lines, jersey fabrics, and practical cuts. Peggy continued this philosophy: she herself dressed almost only in black and white (no colors, consistently without a bra, as contemporaries wrote), consistently focusing on elegance rather than fleeting trends. Her line’s clothes were “hors du temps, timeless”—outside of time, without unnecessary ornaments.

• Neutral tones and classic elements—Both characterized by the dominance of black, white, gray, and beige. Chanel made the little black dress an icon; Peggy—the gray satin pyjamas, black blazers, and sailor-style pants (pantalons à pont). Both loved inspiration from men’s clothing: Chanel borrowed from riders and sailors (tweed jackets, pants), Peggy—bridge pants, sweaters, and jackets, comfortable and chic at once.

• Comfort and freedom—Chanel said: “Luxury is the necessity of comfort.” Peggy lived by a similar principle—her clothes were for the active, independent woman (like herself), not for a static doll.

• Personal style as brand—Both were the best advertisement for their fashion themselves: Chanel wore her tweed suits and pearl necklaces, Peggy—her minimalist ensembles (often beige cashmere coats or black-and-white sets). They influenced the Parisian bohemia—Peggy even “remade” Françoise Sagan’s style into a more elegant one.

Differences

However, Peggy was a 1970s woman: her style was somewhat more everyday, grounded with lounge elements (pyjamas as home/fashion wear), while Chanel focused more on haute couture icons (tweed suits, LBD). Peggy’s line was smaller, more intimate, and unfortunately shorter-lived, not becoming a global fashion empire.

Today, Peggy’s aesthetic inspires “quiet luxury” brands (The Row, Loro Piana, Totême), which are direct heirs to Chanel’s minimalism. In some vintage descriptions, Peggy is even photographed “en Chanel”—wearing Chanel clothes, showing respect for the legend.

Some sources mention that in 1986 she even organized a small defilé with models she drew with friends (perhaps some designer Jacques), but it was more personal than public.

Why the Brand “Has Not Disappeared Until Now”?

Unfortunately, the boutique and line were not commercially sustainable—they “périclitée” (bankrupted or closed) already during Peggy’s lifetime, possibly in the late 1980s. Sagan did not grieve over the “lost money,” as Peggy’s happiness was the priority. After Peggy’s death in 1991, everything ended—there were no heirs to continue, and it did not become a large, enduring brand.

Today (2025), the Peggy Roche brand does not exist as active—there are no stores, websites, or collections. Her clothes sometimes appear in the vintage market or auctions as rarities from the 1970s–80s, but that is more a matter for collectors. Possibly someone confuses it with other “Peggy” brands (e.g., Peggy Gou’s Kirin line or other independent designers), but that is in no way related.

However, Peggy’s influence lives on: her minimalist style inspired many (e.g., The Row or Loro Piana in today’s “quiet luxury”), and in the book Peggy dans les phares (2017) she is described as a woman whose created clothes were “belles lignes dans des tissus et des tons hors du temps”—beautiful lines in fabrics and tones outside of time.