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[Ewelinka]

Who knows how Paris became the fashion center of the world?

[Fashionizer]

The European idea of fashion as a personal statement rather than a cultural expression begins in the 16th century: ten portraits of German or Italian gentlemen may show ten entirely different hats. But the local culture still set the bounds, as Albrecht Dürer recorded in his actual or composite contrast of Nuremberg and Venetian fashions at the close of the 15th century (illustration, right). Fashions among upper-class Europeans began to move in synchronicity in the 18th century; though colors and patterns of textiles changed from year to year, (Thornton), the cut of a gentleman's coat and the length of his waistcoat, or the pattern to which a lady's dress was cut changed more slowly. Men's fashions derived from military models, and changes in a European male silhouette are galvanized in theatres of European war, where gentleman officers had opportunities to make notes of foreign styles: an example is the "Steinkirk" cravat (see Cravat).

The pace of change picked up in the 1780s with the publication of French engravings that showed the latest Paris styles. By 1800, all Western Europeans were dressing alike: local variation became first a sign of provincial culture, and then a badge of the conservative peasant (James Laver; Fernand Braudel).

Fashion in clothes has allowed wearers to express emotion or solidarity with other people for millennia. Modern Westerners have a wide choice available in the selection of their clothes. What a person chooses to wear can reflect that person's personality or likes. When people who have cultural status start to wear new or different clothes a fashion trend may start; people who like or respect them may start to wear clothes of a similar style.

Fashions may vary significantly within a society according to age, social class, generation, occupation and geography as well as over time. If, for example, an older person dresses according to the fashion of young people, he or she may look ridiculous in the eyes of both young and older people. The term "fashion victim" refers to someone who slavishly follows the current fashions (implementations of fashion)..

One can regard the system of sporting various fashions as a fashion language incorporating various fashion statements using a grammar of fashion. (Compare some of the work of Roland Barthes.)

[wiki]

The ultimate world capital of fashion is Paris, which is home to the premier fashion houses of the world including Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, Givenchy and Louis Vuitton.

[Admin]

Here is a very interesting story about Paris and Fashion.
Taken from http://www.fashionjobreview.com/French_Fashion.html where you can read the whole story.

By the 13th Century, the silk trade was well developed and Venice became THE place to sell luxury items from the Mid and Far East. Its strategic position in Northern Italy could be reached by land or by sea, and goods traded there quickly found their way to surrounding areas like Austria, Switzerland, and France.

Between the influx of money and exquisite textiles, clothing began to take on new importance. Instead of being primarily a way to protect one’s self from the elements, it became a means to display wealth and status. A whole industry of craftsmen emerged to create and assemble beautiful clothing for the wealthy.

Thus, the fashion industry was born.

By the late 1400’s, the Italian economy was in such good shape that its citizens could spend their time in pursuits other than those required of daily living. Interest in the classics like art, sculpture, and music resumed, and The Renaissance was born, with Italy at its center.

With Michelangelo, Raphael, and da Vinci at their zeniths, these were heady times, indeed. But like all good things, the Eastern silk trade eventually came to an end. By the late 1500’s, Spain, with its newfound wealth from the New World, soon emerged as the fashion capital of the world.

While the Italians loved festive colors and flirtatious styles, the Spaniards preferred somber tones in stiff fabrics, to reflect the piety of their Catholic court. The Spanish ruff and farthingale dominated in the late 16th and early 17th centuries, spreading to both France and England. Queen Elizabeth I’s wardrobe strongly favored the Spanish style.

But something happened in the mid-1600’s that would forever change the course of fashion: Louis XIV was born.

Louis XIV was, by all accounts, a vain, arrogant man who was nonetheless endowed with an incredible sense of the aesthetic. He was also obsessed with elevating France’s status in the European community, and used all his available resources to that end. He ruled France with an iron hand from his palace at Versailles, and spent lavishly on beautiful objects like art, furniture, and clothing. Anyone who wished to be in his inner circle was required to do the same.

Thus, by the late 1600’s, a large portion of the French economy was derived from clothing and dressmaking goods. Anyone who was anyone kept up with French fashions, which could be a full time job since they changed frequently. It was said that men’s jacket styles changed 69 times during Louis’ 72-year reign, compared to just 4 times during his father’s 33-year reign. France was THE fashion center of the world, and remained so until the French Revolution began in 1789.

When Napoleon took control and started to rebuild in 1804, the French economy was in shambles after 15 years of war. Looking for ways to stabilize and rebuild, Napoleon turned to the fashion industry to stimulate the economy. He imposed a blockade on trade with Great Britain, who was the world’s leading textile manufacturer at the time, and insisted that all dressmaking goods be made in France. He then instated a rule that no one could come to the French court twice dressed in the same thing. Thus, frequent visitors to the court spent their days – and a lot of money – with their dressmakers, creating clothes that could be worn to court.

[Jacob Berry]

Paris has been the international capital of style for three hundred years. Although challenged by other fashion cities such as Milan, London and New York, Paris remains special. This fascinating book shows that the strength of the French fashion industry rests on the depth and sophistication of its fashion culture. Revised and updated, Paris Fashion is reprinted here in paperback for the first time. More than just a history of famous designers and changing styles, the book is about fashion as a cultural ideal and a social phenomenon. By focusing on a ‘case study’ of Paris, Steele provides brilliant insights into the significance of fashion in modern urban society.

[bonjour1802]

intereting topic

[lessar]

Between the influx of money and exquisite textiles, clothing began to take on new importance. Instead of being primarily a way to protect one’s self from the elements.