Louis Dewis

Louis Dewis (1872–1946) was the pseudonym of Belgian Post-Impressionist painter Louis DeWachter, who was also an innovative and highly successful businessman. He helped organize and managed the first department store chain.

He was born Isidore Louis DeWachter in Leuze, Belgium, the eldest son among the seven children of Isidore Louis DeWachter and Eloise Desmaret DeWachter. The father went by Isidore, while the future Dewis was called Louis. The name "DeWachter" has Flemish roots, however Louis DeWachter always considered himself a Walloon.

Isidore and his two brothers (Benjamin and Modeste) originated the idea of the chain department store when they formed Maisons Dewachter (Houses of Dewachter) in 1868, which they formally incorporated as the Belgian firm Dewachter frères (Dewachter Brothers) on 1 January 1875. For business purposes, they had decided not to use the capital "W" in the family name and because the chain became so famous, published references to the family would also be spelled "Dewachter". By the time of Dewis's death, the family had adopted the spelling "Dewachter" as well.

Maisons Dewachter introduced the idea of ready-made – or ready-to-fit – clothing for men and children, and specialty clothing such as riding apparel and beachwear. Isidore owned 51% of the company, while his brothers split the remaining 49%. They started with four locations: the Walloon city of Leuze (where Louis was born), La Louvière and two at Mons. Under Isidore's (and later Louis') leadership, Maisons Dewachter would become one of the most recognized names in Belgium and France.

Soon after the company was formed, Isidore and his family moved to Liège to open another branch. It was in that industrial city that Louis established a lifelong friendship with Richard Heintz (fr:Richard Heintz) (1871–1929), who also became an internationally known landscape artist. Heintz is considered the outstanding representative of the Liège school of landscape painting, a movement that greatly influenced Dewis's early work.

When Louis was 14, the family moved to Bordeaux, France, where Isidore established what would be the chain's flagship store. Louis, who had begun his studies at the Athénée Royal Liège, continued lycée (high school) at Bordeaux. For the rest of his life, he would remain an étranger – a Belgian citizen living in France.

Louis DeWachter married Bordeaux socialite Elisabeth Marie Florigni (12 August 1873 - 25 August 1952) on 16 July 1896. Elisabeth was the daughter of Joseph-Jules Florigni (1842 - 14 April 1919) and Rose Lesfargues Florigni (1843 - 11 September 1917).

There was a feeling among some members of the Florigni family, which traced its roots back to the court of Catherine de' Medici, that "Babeth" had "married down."