Emanuel Ungaro began his career as an assistant to Cristóbal Balenciaga and André Courrèges before founding his eponymous fashion house in 1965. His early collections were distinctly modern, drawing heavily on Courrèges and embracing the futuristic, space-age aesthetic of the 1960s. In the early 1970s, Ungaro turned to bold graphic patterns, while his affinity for colour and florals remained a recurring element of his work. This love of colour and pattern came fully into its own during the 1980s and early 1990s, when Ungaro developed his signature style of joyful opulence and pronounced femininity. Luxurious fabrics, vibrant floral prints, ruffles, and sensual draping became characteristic elements of his work and established his distinctive place in French fashion.