Historical & Contextual Studies in Fashion - Essay Example

Paris was considered the Centre for Fashion but is this Still the Case? Seren Gaygusuz Regents London Joanne Harris (05/05 Paris is has been nicknamed the capital of fashion due to its well-known contribution to fashion design and the evolution of fashion institutions. The term Haute Couture was a French term commonly used in 1930s to mean high or elegant dressmaking (Yarwood, 2011). By that time, Paris was still the center of world fashion. However, the term has its roots in the 17th century, showing that Paris has a long history of being the centre for fashion although few fashion designers were French. During the First World War, the concept for Haute Couture defined the cultural identity of France at home and abroad, and Paris was at the centre of it. Currently, Paris is still one of the leading fashion centres alongside London, Milan and New York. Fashion around the world is still evolving, but the shopping centres of Paris are still the same, with a lot of shoppers from around the world and the famous High End Couture still receiving a lot of attention. Summer shopping is specifically becoming a common practice in Paris as people move around browsing boutiques along the arcades of historic Palais-Royal and the spectacular Canal of St. Martin. Fashion shopping is like a hobby for many people visiting the town, and fashion is like a tourist attraction in the entire Paris. This essay argues that Paris was once a centre for fashion and this is still the case until today considering the continuous fashion shopping practice that has dominated and evolved for centuries. Arguments for the proposition that Paris is still the centre of fashion in the world are far and wide. These arguments are basically about the history of Paris and its fashion institutions, and the factors that have influenced it throughout history. Paris is known throughout history as culturally fashioned city. Fashion has been considered as the cornerstone of national identity in Paris and France since the 19th century. By the second half of the century, fashion had become a booming business in France, with its base in Paris. Fashion developed alongside wider changes of the society in the nineteenth century, including capitalism, consumerism, gender politics and democratization. It was taken as both a domestic and international economic activity that boosted the economy of France. It also aligned the culture of the country towards fashion, as young women started embracing certain dimensions of fashion that described their cultural inclination towards beauty and elegance (Steele, 1998). This culture was also adopted across the Western world leading to the birth of fashion all over the world because Paris produced fashions that were later adopted by many countries of the world (Hoey and Lillie, 1882). The French High/elegant culture also known as Haute Couture shaped the development of fashion throughout the world. This culture has become the basis of fashion adopted in many countries of the world. The growth of Paris as a world’s centre for fashion can be attributed t o French fortunes as a nation which linked fashion press with the fashion industry. By the nineteenth century, magazines and French media in general had accelerated the rate of fashion discourse in Paris. The fashion media was first encouraged by the dolls sent by French shops from Rue St. Honore to European courts to support burgeons of tailors and embroiderers. The bourgeois culture emerged in the nineteenth century as a result of rapid growth of textile industry, development of department stores, the increase in personal wealth, railway expansion, and an increase in ready-to-wear clothing (Perrot, 1981). The French nation also supported fashion since the seventeenth century when the court of Sun King was decorated with fashion and culture. France was the first nation to create a fashion industry when the rest of the world just majored on dressmaking, and Paris was at the centre of it. The city has been exporting fashion style since 17th century before the rest of the world realized that fashion even existed. Until today, people do not just wear clothes for beauty in Paris; it is a booming business. The relationship between art and consumerism is at a constant evolution, and Paris has experienced such evolution at a more pronounced manner than any other city of the world. Fashion is shaped by people’s desires, attitudes and bodies. This has shaped the views of fashion which has moved from being merely an art to a serious business. Consumerism has made the Parisian fashion to grow not just for beauty but also as a business. Going back to history, fashion and style started in Louis XIV’s court in the 17th century. The success of fashion during the reign of Louis XIV was promoted by the pleasure and plenty experienced in the court. In 1662, there was a lot of money in the court. There were also regular dances, entertainments and feasts. The Courtiers or nobles of the court were given a lot of dress-stuff by the king. Court ladies were also offered costumes and laces. With luxury and pleasure in the court, people lived in plenty and enjoyed magnificent materials. This luxurious life led them to develop luxurious clothing, leading to improved fashion. They used the resources they had and the available talented artisans to produce elegant clothes. Jewellery was also in abundance at this period. Those manufactured by a talented artisan at the temple were referred to as temple jewellery. Supported by Louis XIV the lawgiver, fashion was now becoming a question of etiquette in Paris. Everyone obeyed and followed the new direction of fashion, even beyond what was reasonable. People invested in dresses, others even running into debts. Tailors benefited significantly. Hoey and Lillie (1982) suggested that tailors made up to 300,000 francs, which was a very large amount of money at the time. Although women benefited more than men in terms of fashion in the 17th century, both men and women tried to appear elegant with their dresses. The royal residence made dresses available for every woman who entered there. Princesses appeared in striking costume and ladies of different ranks imitated the royal women, or even trying to outshine them with their fashion. Fashion therefore became an extravagant business for the consumers and a good source of income for artisans, making the business a booming one and shaping the economy of Paris. Sun King made what used to be a decoration of his court to become a personal business. He made everything beautiful to become part of his business, and exported fashion throughout the world as a royal commodity. The fact that fashion originated from the King’s court in Paris made fashion from Paris even more attractive in the world market. As noted earlier, the fashion press which was created in 1670 boosted French fashion and took Paris to greater heights of fame in terms of fashion. The fashion press educated people on different fashion seasons and the evolution of styles and fashion institutions, making the industry to gain more attention all over the world. Although fashion has improved and has become part of consumerism, it did not start for business sake. It started for beauty as Louis XIV intended to improve his body and his court. For instance, he started the trend of curled hair wigs because he was becoming bald and he wanted something to cover his head. When it appeared good, the rest of the members of the court followed in that direction of fashion. Sooner, the whole court was fashioned and later it became a business idea for the king. In these early days of fashion, people in the court competed on the basis of how big their fashion was. Later, people came up with simpler fashion. Hygiene improved and the whole fashion institution changed. People started to buy more clothes to replace the others while they are being cleaned. In 1800s, stores started to open as demand for more clothes increased. Under the reign of Napoleon III, Paris continued to become the centre of fashion and experienced significant changes in the fashion industry because Napoleon III was also fascinated about fashion and was committed to take it to a higher level. In 1840s and 1860s, jewellery advanced. Necklaces, gold crosses, lockets and gold chains were worn around the neck as a way of fashion and beauty. Wealthy people also wore necklaces with stars made of precious stones. The jewellery worn around the neck was also modified to reflect new models of fashion. The hair were also modified to represent large rolls and berries. The courtier design which changed the fashion industry significantly in the 19th century was developed by Charles Frederick Worth, a British from England. Although he was not a Frenchman, he was accepted in Paris as a fashion designer rather than a dressmaker. He then came up with fashion label and fashion shows – all these happening in Paris. All these developments happening in Paris show how the city has evolved and became the centre of everything about fashion. Although Frederick was from England, his success as a designer started in Paris. The city gave him the opportunity to exploit his talents and abilities due to its growth in fashion. Several fashion houses emerged towards the end of 19th century and the beginning of 20th century, founded by Jacques Doucet and Madeline Vionnet. These fashion houses were motivated by new orientalist and Art Nouveau trends, which led to the change of women fashion from corsets and heavy petticoats to whimsical designs and bias-cut dresses. The Great Exhibitions of 1867 and 1878 also showed the increased image of fashion institutions. The fashion press popularized the Great Exhibitions and fashion became the determinant factor in enhancing the superiority of Paris in the world economy. The fashion media in France helped the fashion industry to grow. The French press represented the fashion magazine in the world, and influenced the demand of French women’s fashion across the world. This led to the growth of export market for women’s French fashion. The fashion media and fashion industry was also influenced by political factors. For example, Napoleon III’s political career was significantly dependent on the fashion industry because his stability was linked to the industry (Roberts, 1993). Therefore, he protected the fashion media from the draconian press laws of 1852. The industry was an important source of employment for disruptive workers in this era; 761,000 people were employed in the fashion industry in 1850. The fashion was at the forefront in promoting fashion in order to promote artisans and manufacturers in the fashion industry. Paris was also at the centre of industrial and Cultural Revolution of France. The city was a famous capitalist city that signified the rise of democratization and consumerism. This revolution also signified the bourgeois ideology that shaped fashion industry in Paris. The government used this ideology as a basis for its power in the democratized society. This shows that fashion played a crucial role in the wider society in France because it was seen to be a good basis of articulating consumerism, democracy and industrialization during Napoleon’s regime. Fashion in Paris also signified French creativity and acted as a symbol of modernity. Rocamora (2001) suggests that fashion was a significant way of conveying contemporary reality in the society. Paris was also promoted by the fashion press in the 19th century as a centre for fashionable culture. Several fashion periodicals in France had the title of Paris and expressed feminine fashion that was increasingly becoming desirable in Paris. Women and Craftsmen in Paris were made to be at the centre of commoditised fashion in the 19th century, and luxury and elegance became part of women feminine consumerism (Baudot, 1999). The artistic element of the luxury fashion in Paris also signified French national identity as the country advanced from the industrialization era into the wartimes of the 20th century. Hoey and Lillie (1982) suggest that by 1880s feminine dresses originated from Paris and spread to other areas of France, and then into other parts of the world including the Americas, Asia and the rest of Europe. Fashion books and magazines infiltrated into those distant areas alongside the fashion itself, circulating throughout the world. As a result of prestige in fashion, Paris became the source of sumptuous laws and culture for many nations. Hoey and Lillie (1982) argue that the fashion of Paris was and will always be the desired fashions all over the world. The writers say, “Whatever Paris approves endures, and whatever Paris disapproves disappears” (p.5).The Parisians are considered to be people of good taste, inventive geniuses, and dexterous artisans. Articles of fashion were exported in large numbers from Paris while imported goods on the other hand were quite insignificant. The First and Second World Wars affected fashion significantly in Paris because France was actively involved in the wars. However, Post-war era came with new fashion that further encouraged the evolution of fashion. Christian Dior came up with new fashion called “New Look” in 1947 (Wilcox, 2007). This brought focus to Paris fashion once again after the war. The “New Look” was characterised by clinched waists, full skirts and majestic busts. This design demonstrated a high level of femininity, drawing more attention on female design for beauty and encourages post-war female clientele. More fashion stores followed with the enterprising ideas of Pierre Balmain and Hubert de Givenchy. The fashion stores and houses were therefore increasing in Paris, making the city the centre of focus in the world of fashion. Unlike the casual style of clothes that developed in other cities like London after the war, the type of fashion experienced in Paris was elegant and elaborate (Ribeiro, 1995). The casual styles elsewhere in the world caused a competitive threat to the elegant Parisian fashion but Paris remained favourable as it evolved to new designs. For instance, Yves Saint Laurent developed a “ready to wear” fashion style in 1966 which boosted the image of Parisian fashion and made fashion more accessible to people. It was through the works of Saint Laurent that the tuxedo suit for women was developed. During World War I and after World War II institutionalization of fashion was imminently on discourse (Yarwood, 2011). Haute Couture fashion defined the cultural identity of the French nation, and the French High Culture became a part of every course of life in Paris and France in general. It prescribed the conditions for nationhood and created a brand image of Parisian fashion throughout the world as globalisation peaked. According to the Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau (2012), fashion in Paris is still commonplace, and haute couture fashion is still exhibited in the Fashion Week shows held twice every year in Paris. January and July are the common months of these great events, and leads to numerous sales and booming fashion business not only in Paris but also throughout the world as people come from all around the globe to experience Parisian fashion. Paris hosts a lot of exemplary and exceptional designers who design fashion in the Parisian style. Nowadays, designers create trends that last and boost the image of Paris (Parris Convention and Visitors Bureau, 2012). These trends are accessed by consumers through department stores and boutiques throughout France and other countries of the world. No matter where such trendy fashions are sold, the origin is always Paris, and this makes the city a centre for world fashion. Fashion is still growing even today. There are still stores being opened, including all-new flagship stores in the town of Germain-des Pres and Marais district (Parris Convention and Visitors Bureau, 2012). Young designs are also emerging and competing with established brands in upcoming districts such as Northern Marais, South Pigalle and Saint Martin Canal. This ongoing development in fashion industry in Paris and France shows that the city is still a centre for fashion. Fashion has also developed modern institutions and land marks that promote the reputation of Paris in the field of Fashion. For instance, libraries with fashion books, and fashion archives can now be found in several places in Paris. There are various fashion archives through which visitors can learn and experience Parisian fashion. Fans can go through iconographic collections and borrow bedtime reading of the historical Paris Fashion from libraries (Parris Convention and Visitors Bureau, 2012). Drawings, prints, fashion magazines and engravings motivated by fashion are also located in fashion archives. Visitors from around the world come into these fashion archives the amazing fashion products. The events are organised by Cultival, an institution which also sells tickets, offbeat tours and gift vouchers. This is another special indication that institutionalization of fashion has gained prominence in Paris. This research paper has shown that fashion and fashion institutions in Paris have evolved significantly since the 17th century. The major driving factor of the growth of fashion in Paris was that it was developed and supported at the king’s court. During the time of Louis XIV courtiers were given fashion clothes. There was a lot of money which were spent extravagantly on fashion. Special designers emerged and developed the industry by developing fashion and selling them for money. Things changed over time and institutions rose. The Fashion press existed for a long time and made the fashion industry to grow and become famous throughout the world. France exported a lot of fashion from Paris, developed fashion archives and institutions based on fashion. The art and business of fashion in Paris also led to the national identity of France and attracted visitors from all over the world. Working along these constellations of fashion, politics, business and tourism gave rise to fashion and fashion-related institutions throughout France. Until today, fashion stores, new artists, visitors and new institutions are still emerging in Paris as a result of fashion which has a long history. Therefore, Paris is still a centre for fashion as it used to be in the past. References List Baudot, F., 1999. A century of fashion. New York, NY: Universe. Heller, S.G., 2007. Fashion in medieval France. Cambridge: D.S. Brewer. Hoey, C. and Lillie, J., 1982. The History of Fashion in France. New York: Scribner and Welford. Jones, C., 2005. Paris: Biography of a city. New York: Viking. Parris Convention and Visitors Bureau, 2012. “Paris Fashion: Press file “Paris art and culture”. Paris: Parris Convention and Visitors Bureau Perrot, P., 1981. The top and bottom of the bourgeoisie: A history of clothing in the nineteenth century. Paris: Fayard. Ribeiro, A., 1995. The art of dress: Fashion in England and France 1750 to 1820. New Haven: Yale University Press. Roberts, M.L., 1993. “Samson and Delilah Revisited: The Politics of Womens Fashion in 1920s France”, The American Historical Review, Vol. 98, No. 3, pp. 657-684. Rocamora, A., 2001. “High Fashion and Pop Fashion: The Symbolic Production of Fashion in Le Monde and The Guardian”, Fashion Theory, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 123-142. Steele, V., 1998. Paris Fashion: A Cultural History. Oxford and New York: Berg. Wilcox, C., 2007. The Golden Age of Couture, London: V&A Publications. Yarwood, D. 2011. Illustrated encyclopedia of world costume, Dover Publications, In, Mineola, N.Y. Read More