It seems that ever since the dawn of time, France has been seen as the it place for fashion. With Paris Fashion Week, Avenue Montaigne, and the country being the birthplace of iconic fashion inventions (think of the bikini and the little black dress) and of French designers such as Coco Chanel, Christian Dior and Yves Saint Laurent, France has established itself as the fashion capital of the world. But how come Paris, and not Madrid, or any other city? There’s a long history behind the fashion industry being tied to France, dating back to the 17th century.
The influence of the Sun King
The clothes we wear has always contributed to the representation of a person and their background, and this is especially true during the time of monarchy. The nobles have always worn lavish and elegant pieces that show their wealth and importance, but it was Louis XIV, also known as the Sun King, to take clothing and its way it forms an image to the next level. Louis XIV looked for a way to establish himself and be respected as a powerful monarch, and he knew how important image was to shape perception. His image was definitely iconic – characterized by powdered wigs, jeweled coats and high heeled shoes that was admired and copied. Louis XIV made France the leader in the arts, after seeing the economic potential they had if correctly handled. With the help of his finance minister Jean-Baptiste Colbert, the French fashion industry was developed into something much greater. Together they made sure foreign competition wouldn’t interrupt their efforts and protected the local textile industry. Anything produced in France wasn’t allowed to be imported, and the country soon became the hotspot of the best quality materials and style. With the calculated development of the industry fashion became one of the pillars of French economy and culture.
The birth of haute couture
When it came to what they wore, every French person either had a dressmaker or made their own clothing. These pieces were never something creative or new, but copies or inspirations of whatever the nobles wore. The royalty established the trends and what not to wear. They had their own ideas and these ideas would come to life thanks to their seamstresses and dressmakers. It had never been heard of for someone else to tell a king or queen what to wear – that is, until, the arrival of Charles Frederick Worth to Paris. Worth was essentially the first “designer” in France, the first to create new shapes and fresh ideas. It was seen as scandalous and incorrect. That was until Worth created a dress for Napoleon III’s wife, Empress Eugenie, paid Worth for a dress to attend a ball and he came with a piece that was completely different then what she had asked for. She was furious, but then caved in. The dress had a brocade from a republican city, and it would be a good political decision if the empress decided to wear it. From then on, Worth became an exclusive dressmaker for the court and would present a collection of designs to be fitted to them. This was the birth of haute couture, a designer offering a piece to a client and tailoring it to have a personalized fit. Worth also created the Chambre Syndicale, a regulating organization that decides which fashion houses can be considered true haute couture houses, which helped form and expand the fashion industry.
A modern woman needs a modern look
Some of the biggest changes and trends created in the fashion industry are thanks to French designers. The transition from the 19th to the 20th century marked a huge cultural change, fashion included. Womenswear went from uptight corsets and petticoats to flowing, loose-fitting dresses (the “flapper” style) One of the most iconic fashion houses was established in this era and contributed to this change was Chanel. Chanel was able to adapt masculine tailoring into the modern woman’s wardrobe, giving women more freedom and a looser yet iconic silhouette. The designer also provided pieces that are legendary to this day, like the little black dress or the tweed jacket.
Then came the late 40s and early 50s, which is considered the Golden Age for French fashion thanks to the cultural impact of designers like Hubert de Givenchy and Christian Dior. After WWII, Christian Dior represented optimism with his New Look, a cinched in waist and long A-line skirt that gave women a modern, feminine style. This was completely new and went against the loose-fitting dresses that were used, but quickly gained attention and was sought after. The New Look helped establish Paris as the center of the fashion world, after it lost attention from the war. It marked a renaissance for French couture and helped form the allure that surrounds France.
The rise of ready-to-wear
The 1960s is when fashion began to geographically expand with the arrival of new, non-French designers and Milan and Tokyo becoming major fashion centers. With ‘youth culture’ growing in London and designers like Mary Quant and the new miniskirt becoming the latest trend, French couture was seen as old fashioned. This was revolutionized by Yves Saint Laurent, the first haute couture house to release ready-to-wear collections. Fashion, couture specifically, had always been something elite and exclusive. Yves Saint Laurent helped fashion become more accessible and accepted there was cultural change instead of going against it. Laurent used his ready-to-wear collections as an opportunity to experiment more and create for a diverse clientele. Being young and a participant of the Studio 54-esque party culture, Laurent understood that he needed to attend to both young and mature audiences fashionwise. He created looks that represented the rebellion, by giving women androgyny and glamour with the iconic Le Smoking, incorporating sheer organza and fabrics that embraced the body instead of hiding it, and encouraging diversity in the industry. Laurent influenced other couture houses to follow his footsteps and create pieces for a younger audience.
Is France still so important?
Thanks to the historical importance, the impact of French designers, and the numerous fashion moments that happened in the country, France can be considered the fashion center of the world. But is this a modern statement? Now with more fashion shows and designers all over the world, is French couture considered classic or old fashioned? It can be debated, but at the end of day we can thank France for influencing so many trends and looks that shaped the fashion industry.