The Carven brand name comes from the founder's first three letters - Carmen de Tommaso and the last three letters from her aunt, Beyriven. Soon the locals called Carmen - Madame Carven. She was the wife of industrialist Rene Grog, the family had a good income and did not need anything. Carven herself was a French woman of short stature, about five feet. Due to her height, it was not possible to find the right clothes and she started her own studio in 1945 to help all the 'non-standard' women in France. In the 1950s, the number of clients increased so much that she had to expand the studio to the entire first floor of the building and hire assistants. It is noteworthy that with the stuff of the designer Carven House started producing costume jewelry. The glory of the studio extended far beyond Paris. The princess of Egypt was a client of Carven. The studio's regulars also included the famous Michelle Morgan, Leslie Caron and Edith Piaf, who ordered both clothing and jewelry.