For 300 years, designers have considered Paris to be one of the great fashion capitals of the world. Perhaps it is the Eiffel Tower gracing its skyline, or the rich tenor of the French accent, and its romantic allure, which has made it the ideal place for designers. However, Paris’ fame in the fashion sphere is not just down to its aesthetics. It is built upon a history, a history which has defined and shaped France’s landscape in the fashion industry.

Louis XIV

In the eighteenth century, Spain was revelling in its successes in its empire. It had established itself as being the predominant exporter of fashionable goods such as textiles, leather and embroideries. However, when Louis XIV came to power in France, he set out to bring France to the forefront of design. In France’s ‘fashion revolution’, he formed multiple fashion companies, advocating the importance of luxury items for a person’s social status. He also proposed seasonal clothing, which meant people had to keep continually buying new clothes. While it bankrupted his clients and royal subjects, it fuelled France’s economy and increased their influence in fashion. Already, other countries found themselves following suit…

Haute Couture

As France moved into the nineteenth century, it began to reinvent itself in the fashion scene, and it did so with the aid of Charles-Frédéric Worth. Haute couture, the tailoring of custom-fitted clothing, had been briefly explored in the past. However, nobody had realised quite how lucrative it could be until Worth came along. Worth set up in Paris in 1846, where he founded his own department store: ‘The House of Worth’. He endeavoured to produce high quality, fitting clothing for his fellow Parisians. Worth allowed his client to customise their clothing with a collection of rich textiles, which he presented to them using a live mannequin, usually taking the form of his wife. Over the years, Worth has become the figurehead of haute couture fashion. The Met has an impressive collection of his designs, which can be found here.

Paul Poiret

The corset used to be an essential in a woman’s wardrobe, especially during the Victorian era. Paul Poiret sought to change that. He liberated women from this tight fitting clothing in ‘The Paul Poiret Fashion House’ in Paris which became known for its loose-fitting designs, such as the kimono coat. When Poiret released this to the public, it was controversial. However, with the endorsement of celebrity figures, including the wife of the Prime Minister at the time, Lady Duff Gordon, and strategic marketing, Poiret’s popularity began to grow. Poiret is also known for staging the first fashion shoot for a magazine. He showed that clothes could not only be for wearing, but could be seen as an art in themselves.

Christian Dior

The vicissitudes of the Second World War sent France into disarray, and it was the priority of Christian Dior to resurrect the fashion industry from its ashes. Just as Chanel had made progress in women’s fashion, so Dior felt the urge to remodel the feminine image. ‘The New Look’, a phrase coined by a Harper’s Bazaar journalist at one of his fashion shows, became the pivotal slogan in Dior’s marketing campaigns, and generated him international recognition. This ‘New Look’ primarily took the form of the bar jacket. It was unique in the way that it emphasised the wearer’s bust and hips, both key feminine corporeal parts. As Dior released more and more clothes, the new look evolved and France plunged into a new wave of fashion.

Yves Saint Laurent

Christian Dior spotted Laurent’s talent early on who took him on as an apprentice in the 1950s, and he later succeeded him as the head designer. After the Algerian War, Laurent decided to increase his influence by setting up his own company, the titular ‘Yves Saint Laurent’ with his partner at the time, Pierre Bergé. Laurent modernised the designs of his sartorial predecessors, and did so with a flair. While he was more concerned with female fashion, ultimately he aimed for his clothing to be ambisexual. Laurent also found himself at the helm of ‘prêt-à-porter’ fashion, ready-to-wear designs, which had not been fitted. His imaginative clothing took influence from a variety of cultural sources, such as Pop art, Ballets Russes and Picasso.

The Fashion Week

Finally, one of France’s key successes was the Paris fashion week. This evolved from the Battle of Versailles fashion show in 1973 to raise money for the restoration of the Palace of Versailles. Parisian and New York designers went head-to-head to try to outdo one another with their vestiary skill. More and more designers decided to unite with Parisian companies: Alexander McQueen became the artistic designer of Givenchy and Rei Kawakubo founded ‘Comme des Garçons’. This led to many people hosting fashion shows in Paris. Today, Paris fashion week is more popular than ever, and attracts thousands every year.

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