Born into a poor family in Chilleurs-aux-Bois, Loiret, Vionnet began her apprenticeship as a seamstress at age 11. After a brief marriage at age 18, she left her husband and went to London to work making clothes in a hospital. While in London, Vionnet worked as a fitter for Kate Reily (or Reilly). Reily bought original French designer dresses and brought them to her London workshop. There she had them copied, and sold the copies to her London clients for half the price of the originals. Vionnet was head of her workshop ("atelier"), cutting, fitting and directing the seamstresses.