How France has expanded its outstanding reputation in the clothing industry?
French fashion worldwide reputation can be tracked as early as the 17th century starting during the reign of Louis XIVth where fashion was initiated by the court. At that time the French already exported their style and created an industry out of fashion, with Paris becoming the centre of it all since the luxury goods industry became a royal commodity.
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| The Sun King, Louis the XIVth |
In the 18th century Paris was given an even bigger fashion boost with the opening of departement stores like "Le Bon Marché".
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| Le Bon Marché |
At time the bourgeoisie became the the economy driving force & shopping in then new stores like the department ones enabled fashion to find its way to French society & saw the bloom of desqigners emerged.
In the late 19th and 20th century the French fashion industry exploded with houses such as Madeleine Vionnet house founded.
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| Madeleine Vionnet fashion |
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| Madeleine Vionnet fashion |
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| Madeleine Vionnet fashion |
Designers from the late 1800/early 1900s wanted to liberate women from corsets, offering them flowing bias-cut designs. They were mostly influenced by the Art Nouveau and the Orientalist trends.
Below creations from designer Paul Poiret
In the mid 19th Paris attracted more attention with the post-war Dior "New Look" & its clinched waist, majestic bust & full skirt.
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| New Look |
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| New Look |
However in the early 1960's Paris was neglected by its youth who wanted to favor the London casual style.
Paris came back on the spot in the mid 60's with the ready to wear, prêt à porter, installed by designer Yves Saint Laurent, making fashion more accessible to masses and pioneered the androgynous style with the tuxedo for women.
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| Catherine Deneuve wearing Yves Saint Laurent tuxedo |
Nowadays even if Paris is sharing its spotlight fashion wise with the likes of New York, London or Milan its reputation of the Fashion Capital never died.
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