House of Maria Carine was founded by Maria MOUTET-CHENU at the end of the 1950s in Paris. She wore haute couture as a young woman. When her fortunes changed in the late 1950s, Maria went to work for Jacques HEIM in his Boutique. She worked with HEIM to find a way his designs could reach a wider market and her business was born. She worked with four couturiers: HEIM, DESSES, LAROCHE, and LANVIN. After the couture showings, each couturier would give her sketches based upon the garments they had just shown. MOUTET-CHENU made the toiles which were approved by the designers. Then each ready-to-wear garment was cut individually by hand in the Maria Carine workrooms in Paris using the same fabrics that were used for the couture garment. Maria employed hundreds of seamstresses, many of whom worked in their own homes. They sewed each garment individually to exacting standards. This was the highest of high-end ready-to-wear.