Revival of Parisian Haute Couture after WWII - Essay Example

? Revival of Parisian Haute Couture after WWII Discuss in relation to America’s fashion profile in 1950s Your How didParis regain its position as the world centre for haute couture fashion after World War II? Discuss this in relation to the rising profile of art and fashion in America in the 1950s. World War II is considered to be the dark years of otherwise richest fashion industry, Paris. Before the war, the whole world looked towards Paris for fashion, accessories, fabrics, and inspiration. On the other hand, Pre-WWII America was merely a Parisian fashion admirer and consumer (Murgia 2013).It is quite interesting to explore how Paris made such remarkable comeback on international scene, despite the unparallel decline in prominence, social life differences between US and Europe, and most significant of all, momentous progress of American fashion industry during the 1940s. No doubt, WWII marked the end of European supremacy in the visual arts, and increasing momentum of New York art scene, however, equivalent enhancement of fashion scene couldn’t take place. Rather, United States’ magazines published articles like “How to buy a Dior Original” that presumed French couture as every American woman’s dream. Despite the time-consuming and expensive process of dressmaking by a French designer, American women found it priceless (Steele 1998). In addition to state efforts, and clever marketing strategies of French couturiers, “the sheer prestige of Pars fashion contributed to its post-war revival,” as Steele (1998) puts it. I’ve two main foci here: how Paris regained its position as the centre of haute couture fashion after WWII and its relation to the rising profile of art and fashion in America during 1950s. During WWII, German occupation led to limited production of fashion items due to rationing of textiles and trim. Despite Germans attempts to re-establish haute couture in Berlin, Lucien Lelong, president of couturiers association successfully negotiated to keep the institution in Paris 1(quoted in Murgia 2013). On French front, thousands of people associated with couture industry, and specialized in their own craft, were scattered throughout Europe and United States during WWII. Due to limited supplies and rationed material, creative designs and unique materials were used utilized. Hats made their ways into an otherwise politically correct dress. They found a creative outlet in the use of feathers, raffia, and different leftover items (Peterson et al. 2008). America was nearly disconnected with Paris during War years, therefore, most American couture houses and ready-to-wear manufacturers incorporated American designers in their teams. It provided Americans with freedom to create new styles without getting influences by Paris. In that period, American designers like Gilbert Adrian secured the leading position one fashion scene2 (quoted in Murgia 2013). After liberation from German occupation, French designers who showed association with Nazis were ignored. Even though Channel closed her Paris fashion one year before the war, her love affair with a high official of Nazis created unfavourable situations that made it difficult for her to open salon in Paris for many years after the war. Unlike Americans, French designers rejected the war related non-French frugality (due to rationing) and made luxurious use of materials. Such attitudes and emerging American designers’ popularity triggered a shift from Paris as the arbiter of all fashion (Peterson et al. 2008). During 1945, in their efforts to revive French fashion and regain the lost status of Fashion capital, fifty-three French couturiers joined hands to organize a travelling exhibition, called Theatre de la Mode. Some of the prominent names of this group included Cristobal Balenciaga, Jean Patou, Robert Ricci, Jacques Fath, and Elsa Schiaparelli. They revived an old-age exhibitions style of dressing up 200 dolls with complete dress, undergarments, hats, shoes, gloves, jewellery, handbags, and umbrellas (Peterson et al. 2008). Christian Dior is the one who stimulated the revival of Parisian haute couture. During 1947, Dior came up with his collection “Corolle” that invoked a new vibrancy in French haute couture. The silhouette form “Corolle” was in sharp contrast to the fashion from war days. In contrast to wartime broad and padded shoulders, Dior featured feminine and slender shoulders. Continuing with rejection of war, Dior exchanged natural waist and bust with a corseted, nipped waist, and uplifted breasts. Furthermore, continuing with contrasting wartime fashion, his wide and crinoline-stuffed skirts replaced narrow skirts. The collection sparked criticism since it completely rejected the popular trend of the time (Peterson et al. 2008). Christian Dior, “Bar” suit 1947.Drawing Renee Gruilleau3 Dior set the direction for the 1950s fashion when he showcased his first collection, the “New Look” during February 1947. The “New Look” endorsed a nostalgic and elegant style. Main elements of this style were rounded shoulders, a tiny cinched waist, accentuated bust, gloves, hat, long and bouffant skirt, and high-heeled shoes. A “New Look” dress was prepared with dozens of meters of fabric. During war, women were forced to dress in an austere manner, therefore, such elaborate details and luxurious use of fabric invigorated women with the feelings that the War is over. Furthermore, Dior’s presentation of consecutive collections of new designs in every season during 1950s proved to be tremendously influential in the fashion world (Koga n.d.). Dior with his models, 1948.4 Dior 19555 One of the most prominent 1950s designers was Spanish-born Cristobal Balenciaga. He was one of the few who had hands-on experience in dress making and who sought perfection in his work. Characterized by creativity, a unique, extra space between garment and body, exquisite colours, and designs resembled some work of art, therefore, he was also known as a “The Master” of haute couture. Moreover, his dresses became a symbol of comfort as they didn’t require undergarments to shape the body. From 1950s collections, his slightly fitted, beltless tunic dresses and round-collared suits laid the foundation of female dresses of the second half of twentieth century (Koga n.d.). Cristobal Balenciaga, 1950s.6 In 1954, Gabrielle (Coco) Chanel made a huge comeback after six year. By that time, women started seeking comfort as a break from nostalgia ridden fashion of 1950s. Coco introduced perfected version of her 1920’s cardigan ensemble as the “Chanel suit”. Due to their simplicity and comfort, Chanel suits claimed acceptance of women throughout the world, later this style was incorporated into the international market of pret-a-porter clothing (Koga n.d.). Even though Parisian haute couture was considered to be isolated from the increasing influence of mass consumer market, it still nurtured talented designers during 1950s and 1960s. The traditional power of haute couture reinvigorated since Paris became the fashion capital once again, and thousands of journalists and fashion consumers gathered in Paris for huge collection displays twice a year. Economics infrastructure of Parisian fashion was supported by licensing business to grant copyrights of griffe, or “brand label” clothing. Here started the long standing obsession of women with brand names that still holds in today’s world. Furthermore, synchronized sales of legally sanctioned clothing pattern (toile) and a powerful industry of perfumes boosted the growth of Parisian fashion market again (Koga n.d.). Contrary to French, American designers did more than creating for an elite segment of population; they worked towards stimulating a positive response to rigid clothing regulations and boosting morale in America (Peterson et al. 2008).In the backdrop of a fragmented fashion world and Paris’s lost status, the career of Antonio Canovas del Castillo unfolded. Castillo was an infamous designer from 1930s through the 1970s in both Paris and New York. International press gave him significant coverage since he emerged as most promising of the young Parisian designers (Murgia 2013). Additionally, Adrian, Clare Potter, Norman Norell, and Pauline Trigere also earned fame in ready-to-wear market. Canadian became buyers of American designs in order to replace Parisian imports and continued their manufacturing as well. After liberation, French haute couture industry struggled to recapture North American market in order to restore France’s position as international centre of prestigious and unique fashion production. With achievement of this goal would bring the foreign buyers who wanted Parisian fashion. Post-WWII years are considered one of the highest points of couture production, however, this period was fraught with transformations on social, cultural, and industrial levels. Haute couture houses of Paris were facing seemingly incompatible task to provide for merchants, manufacturers, and clients (Palmer 2001). Bernard Roshco rightly puts this condition by saying that, “the couturier is...serving two distinctly different groups of clients” (quoted in Palmer 2001). Diminishing economic standing of private clients during post-war period, primarily in comparison to the commercial buyers, was evident in the schedule of exhibitions organized by Chambre syndicale. Collections were displayed to private clients only after exhibiting to North American and European commercial buyers and taking their order (Palmer 2001). One of the major issues that Chambre syndicale faced was how to maintain exclusivity over production and distribution of haute couture as houses were involved in opening boutique lines and working out licensing agreements with expanding markets, and selling the rights to foreign buyers to make Parisian couture copies. The Chambre syndicale faced hard time in order to ensure profits from couture houses while preserving its image of exclusivity, stature, and technical superiority. By the early 1950s, continuous closure of some of the old couture houses and associated loss of thousands of skilled workers posed major threat to the future of haute couture industry. In order to keep the situation from worsening, French government offered subsidies to couture houses and textile industry (quoted in Palmer 2001). Government assistance proved to be a backbone for otherwise a fragile industry. The idea of the Chambre syndicale proved so magnetic for attracting press, prestige, and sales for couturiers that it was widely emulated in Britain, Spain, Italy, and Canada through different associations of couturiers. However, none of these had an infrastructure for luxury fabric manufacturing that can compete with that in France, nor the auxiliary industries of beading, embroidery, milliners, furriers, shoemaking, buttons, belts, buckles, umbrella, leather merchants, ribbon and lace suppliers, classy faces, hairstylists, and most importantly, national support to aim for anything like the Chambre syndicale (quoted in Palmer 2001).Consequently, Paris recaptured the imaginations of fashion lovers and reclaimed its position in world fashion industry. German occupation and WWII left French haute couture in a very fragile state. Despite the entire social, economic, and moral downfall during WWII years, Paris emerged as a fashion capital after liberation in 1944. This reoccurrence wasn’t easy as War left Parisians confused and unable to enjoy the peace to its fullest (Koga n.d.) Paris haute couture was a paradox, its existence was associated with craft-based manufacturing, and however, there were pressures to produce huge volumes during the 1950s. Due to interruption in European imports and establishment of American designers, it was a hard question whether North American buyers and international fashion press would return to Europe for fashion, particularly when profits are seen in mass production rather than haute couture. However, uncertain haute couture situation, post-war issues, and its future remained important for international fashion world. After WWII, Chambre syndicale worked to reposition Paris as world fashion capital. Such vigorous attempts to restoration were not surprising since luxury clothing and accessory exports were nearly 2,000 million francs before war. One of the major marketing strategies was the Theatre de la mode, a lavish international exhibition of dolls dressed by Parisian couturiers, this dramatic and luxurious display ranked Parisian designers at top(Palmer 2001). Other strategies were showing collections to press and buyers first and then to boutiques and salons twice a day. Dior worked as master of marketing by expanding to perfume market and inspired consumers to identify with the designer. Dior’s media endeavours made great contributions to keep haute couture alive and saved it in the face of rising profile of ready-to-wear market (quoted in Sheridan 2010). After liberation, it took three years of continuous struggle by French state, designers, and fashion lovers to take Parisian haute couture on the same height again. 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