Jeanne Souvère

**Jeanne Marie-Rachelle Souvère** (28 July 1923 – 13 December 1997) was a Maronan businesswoman and former model and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Marone 1943. She had previously been crowned Miss Côte Turquoise 1942, and became the second woman from Côte Turquoise to win Miss Marone.

Souvère worked professionally as a model, and after retiring from her modeling career in 1955, she founded the modeling agency Souvère Models, which she owned and managed until her death in 1997.

## Early life and education

Souvère was born on 28 July 1923 in Carcatou to parents Christophe (1896–1985) and Jeanne-Marie Souvère (née *Razza*; 1898–1983). Her father worked as a civil servant for the municipal government of Carcatou, while her mother was a homemaker. Souvère was raised in a middle-class family as the second of three children; her siblings included François (1922–2004) and Micheline (1930–2019).

Souvère began her education in 1928, attending public schooling in Carcatou, where she was both popular and intelligent. She graduated from primary school in 1935, and later completed *collège* in 1938. Souvère afterwards enrolled in a *lycée académique*, studying literature and languages, and graduated in 1941. After completing her education, Souvère aspired to attend a university, but was discouraged by her parents. She ultimately began working as a commercial model.

## Miss Marone 1943

In July 1942, Souvère registered for Miss Carcatou 1942, and went on to win the title. She later won the Miss Côte Turquoise 1942 pageant as well two weeks later.

Souvère later competed in Miss Marone 1943 in Carcatou in December 1942. Souvère went on to advance into the Top 7, and was ultimately crowned by outgoing titleholder Clothilde Sauvignien as Miss Marone 1943. During her reign, Souvère resided in Carcatou and was utilized as the face of Chérie Beauté cosmetics products, traveling throughout Marone and abroad to promote their products and appear in their advertising campaigns. She completed her reign as Miss Marone the following, after crowning her successor at Miss Marone 1944.

## Career

Souvère began her career as a professional model in 1941, aged 17, after completing her secondary education. Signing with Carcatou Models, an independent agency in Carcatou, Souvère primarily appeared in print work, posing for magazines and catalogs in advertisement campaigns from local businesses. After winning Miss Marone 1943, Souvère continued modeling, transitioning primarily into beauty and fashion modeling, working for cosmetics companies and fashion brands. She also continued appearing in print work for Chérie Beauté, which owned Miss Marone.

Souvère retired from her modeling career in 1955, claiming that she was "too old" for the profession. She founded her own independent modeling agency, Souvère Models, later that year. The agency expanded into both a modeling agency and management company by the 1970s. Souvère continued to own and manage the agency until her death in 1997. Following her death, former model Cassandre Staupin, who was signed to Souvère Models, criticized Souvère for her "harmful" practices, such as encouraging disordered eating and dangerous dieting for her models, in order for them to not gain weight. As she had no children, after her death, Souvère left her agency to close friend Martin Lebruc, who sold the agency to international modeling agency Delmas Model Management in 1999.

## Death

Souvère died in the night of 13 December 1997, aged 74, after falling down a flight of stairs in her home in Chançon. Her body was discovered the following morning by her housekeeper.

Investigators believed that Souvère had woken up in the middle of the night, began going downstairs in a disoriented state, and tripped and fell, resulting in blunt impact injuries that led to her death. Souvère had no children and never married.