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THE HISTORY OF THE ERAS OF FRENCH FASHION

GOING THROUGH THE HISTORY AND HOW THE SURROUNDING HISTORY HAS IMPACTED AND SHAPED THE TIMELINE AND THE FORMATION OF THE ERAS OF FASHION IN FRANCE. THE INFLUENCE OF ROYALTY, THE CITIES AND LATER PEOPLE MAKING THEIR NAME IN THE WORLD OF FASHION, THIS BOOK TAKES YOU THROUGH THE EXTRAVAGANT WORLD OF CLOTHING AND ART.

THE HISTORY OF THE ERAS OF FRENCH FASHION

“Fashion is more art than art is.”

- Andy Warhol

ONTENTS CONTENTSCO

BAROQUE

ROCOÃ&#x2021;O

NEOCLASSISM

CONTENTSCONTENTSCO

BELLE

ÉPOQUE

ANNÉES

FOLLES

TRENTE

GLORIEUSES

THE

BAROQUE

Portrait Of Louis XIV 1701 Hyacinthe Rigaud

The association of France with fashion and style is widely credited as beginning during the reign of Louis XIV when the luxury goods industries in France came increasingly under royal control and the French royal court became, arguably, the arbiter of taste and style in Europe. The dawn of the baroque period which led to the rise of Louis XIV, the Sun King, and his court at Versailles, signaled the dawn of the Classical Baroque era in art, architecture, music, and fashion. It was defined by natural, curving silhouettes, flowing lines, gold filigree, rich colors, and overall voluptuousness. Clothing contained an abundance of lace, pearls, ribbons, and gold embroidery, and was refreshingly free from the excessive decoration of

the Renaissance. Fashion changed rapidly: the growing middle class would copy the styles of the nobles, who would in turn create new fashions to stay more “refined” than the middle class. Louis had an eye for fashion, and for business. With the help of his finance minister, Jean-Baptiste Colbert, he set up an immense clothing and textile industry in France, which created colorful and elaborate outfits and accessories for his wealthier subjects. Not only that, but he outlawed the importation of foreign textiles, ensuring that French subjects spent their money at French businesses.

Louis XIV Of France 1670 after Claude Lefèbvre

Louis XIV notably introduced one of the most noticeable feature of the menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s costume of the time: immense wigs of curled hair. A commonly held belief is that Louis XIV started to wear wigs due to balding, and to imitate this his courtiers put on false hair. The wearing of wigs lasted for over a century; they went through many changes, but they were never quite so exaggerated as during this period.

Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s clothing became much less restricting. Flexible stays replaced hard, tight-fitting corsets. Flowing lace collars replaced stiff ruffs. Large farthingales were abandoned and skirts were merely layered or padded at the hips to produce a full, flowing look. Usually two skirts were worn, the overskirt (manteau) open at the front and usually forming a train or bustle at the back, and an underskirt. Decorative

lace collars. Waistlines were also high during the first part of the period, though long, pointed bodices and stiff stomachers came back during the latter half of the period. Sleeves were large, gathered at the wrist or elbow and often with turned-back lace cuffs. They progressively became more and more ruffled and segmented as the period progressed. Solid-colored silks and brocades were used more often than patterned

aprons became popular with the middle classes. The plunging neckline called the dĂŠcolletage

fabrics, and usually decorations co n s i ste d only of

became common, often accompanied with wide

lace, tied or rosetted ribbons, limited embroidery, and simple pearl jewelry. Women wore their hair in tight curls at the forehead and on both sides of the head, called “heartbreakers,” during the first half of the period. However, h a i r s t y l e s

progressively became higher (fontage hairstyles). Lips and cheeks were often rouged, something previously only done by courtesans. Face patches made of silk and velvet and cut into small shapes became very popular. Since people believed water was bad for the skin, bathing was not a regular activity. To cover up body odor, people wore profuse amounts of perfume and carried around scented purses. Shoes acquired pointed toes and high heels, but women’s shoes were ironically much simpler than men’s. Jewelry was very simple during this period, consisting of single strings of pearls or diamonds or sometimes a ribbon tied around the neck.

During the early half of the Baroque period was when the cavalier style for men emerged (see right image). It was much less restrained than Renaissance fashions and copied womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s styles of the earlier period with its high waists, wide lace collars, and lace cuffs. This style also featured knee-high boots, often turned down with lace, widebrimmed hats with feathers, long, loose hair, pointed beards and moustaches, and capes thrown over one shoulder. Pantaloon breeches fell to or below the knee and were loose.

Further into the reign of Louis XIV, however, menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fashions became more extravagant. Rhinegrave breeches, or long, loose, overly decorated pants ending just below the knee became popular and were worn with lace ruffles called cannons just below them. Large collars were replaced with long lace ruffles or jabots at the opening of the neckline. Squaretoed, high-heeled shoes with rosettes replaced boots. Men curled their hair and grew it past the shoulders or simply wore wigs of the same style.

Lord John Stuart and his Brother, Lord Bernard Stuart 1638 Anthony Van Dyck

Before the death of the Sun King, menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fashions underwent yet another change. B r e e c h e s became close fitting and either tied, buttoned, or buckled at the knee, with hose worn underneath. Long coats with braid - trimmed buttonholes (brandenburgs) and large, foldedover sleeves were worn. Scarf - like steinkirks replaced the jabot. This suite was refered to collectively as the Persian

Luis Francisco De La Cerda 1639 - 89 Jacob Ferdinand Voet

style and still serves as the base of a manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s suit â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the coat, waistcoat, and breeches. Wigs became larger and were usually powdered white, still elaborately curled and even longer than before. Although the Baroque period was perhaps not as extravagant in the amount of decoration used as during the Renaissance, it was just as lavish in its display of wealth. Fine ribbon and lace replaced copious amounts of jewels. Elegant embroidery replaced methods such as slashing and puffing. Rich silks replaced highly decorated fabrics. These patterns would continue into the following Rococo period.

Portrait de Louis XV 1716 Pierre Gobert

THE

ROCOCÃ&#x201C;

A significant shift in culture occurred in France and elsewhere at the beginning of the 18th century, known as the Enlightenment, which valued reason over authority. In France, the sphere of influence for art, culture and fashion shifted from Versailles to Paris, where the educated bourgeoisie class gained influence and power in salons and cafés. The new fashions introduced therefore had a greater impact on society, affecting

was Louis XV’s mistress Madame Pompadour. She adored pastel colors and the light, happy style which came to be known as Rococo, and subsequently light stripe and floral patterns became popular.

not only royalty and aristocrats, but also middle and even lower classes. Ironically, the single most important figure to establish Rococo fashions

Marquise de Pompadour 1755 Maurice Quentin de La Tour

Madame de Pompadour 1756 François Boucher

Portrait of Marie Antoinette 1778 Ă&#x2030;lisabeth VigĂŠe Le Brun

Fashion in the years 1750 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1775 in European countries and the colonial Americas was characterised by greater abundance, elaboration and intricacy in clothing designs, loved by the Rococo artistic trends of the period. The French and English styles of fashion were very different from one another. French style was defined by elaborate court dress, colourful and rich in

fanning the flames of the French Revolution.

decoration, worn by such iconic fashion figures as Marie Antoinette.

fashion news. Even though the fashion industry was ruined temporarily in France during the Revolution, it flourished in other European countries.

Towards the end of the period, Marie Antoinette became the leader of French fashion, as did her dressmaker Rose Bertin. Extreme extravagance was her trademark, which ended up majorly

Fashion designers gained even more influence during this era, as people scrambled to be clothed in the latest styles. Fashion magazines emerged during this era, originally aimed at intelligent readers, but quickly capturing the attention of lower classes with their colorful illustrations and up - to - date

Portrait of Marie Antoinette after 1783 Anonymous

During this period, a new silhouette for women was developing. Panniers, or wide hoops worn under the skirt that extended sideways, became a staple. Extremely wide panniers were worn to formal occasions, while smaller ones were worn in everyday settings. Waists were tightly constricted by corsets, provided contrasts to the wide skirts. Plunging necklines also became common. Skirts usually opened at the front, displaying an underskirt or petticoat. Pagoda sleeves arose about halfway through the 18th century, which were tight from shoulder to elbow and ended with flared lace and ribbons.

There were a few main types of dresses worn during this period. The Watteau gown had a loose back which became part of the full skirt and a tight bodice. The robe à la française also had a tight bodice with a low-cut square neckline, usually with large ribbon bows down the front, wide panniers, and was lavishly trimmed with all manner of lace, ribbon, and flowers. The robe à l’anglais featured a snug bodice with a full skirt worn without panniers, usually cut a bit longer in the back to form a small train, and often some type of lace 20

Portrait of a Lady with a Book 1785 Antoine Vestier

kerchief was worn around the neckline. These gowns were often worn with short, wide-lapeled jackets modeled after men’s redingotes. Marie Antoinette introduced the chemise à la reine, a loose white gown with a colorful silk sash around the waist. This was considered shocking for women at first, as no corset was worn and the natural figure was apparent. However, women seized upon this style, using it as a symbol of their increased liberation.

Madame de Pompadour 1759 François Boucher

Portrait of Peter Von Biron 1781 F.H. Barisien

Men generally wore different variations of the habit Ă la franĂ§aise: a coat, waistcoat, and breeches. The waistcoat was the most decorative piece, usually lavishly embroidered or displaying patterned fabrics. Lace jabots were still worn tied around the neck. Breeches usually stopped at the knee, with white stockings worn underneath and heeled shoes, which usually had large square buckles. Coats were worn closer to the body and were not as skirt - like as during the Baroque era. They were also worn more open to showcase the elaborate waistcoats. Tricorne

hats became popular during this period, often edged with braid and decorated with ostrich feathers. Wigs were usually worn by men, preferably white. The cadogan style of men’s hair developed and became popular during the period, with horizontal rolls of hair over the ears. French elites and aristocrats wore particularly lavish clothing and were often referred to as “Macaronis,”

Portrait of Louis XV 1748 Maurice Quentin De La Tour

Fashion played a large role in the French Revolution. Revo l u t i o n a r i e s characterized themselves by patriotically wearing

the tricolor—red, white, and blue—on rosettes, skirts, breeches, etc. Since most of the rebellion was accomplished by the

lower class, they called themselves sans-culottes, or “without breeches,” as they wore ankle-length trousers of the working

class. This caused knee breeches to become extremely unpopular and even dangerous to wear in France. Clothing became a matter of life or death; riots and murders could be caused simply because someone was not wearing a tricolor rosette and people wearing extravagant gowns or suits were accused of being aristocrats.

Sans - culottes Louis Leopold Boilly

The Rococo era was defined by seemingly contrasting a s p e c t s : extravagance and a quest for simplicity, light colors and heavy materials, aristocrats and the bourgeoisie. This culmination produced a very diverse era in fashion like none ever before. Although this movement was largely ended with the French Revolution, its ideas and main aspects strongly affected future fashions for decades. The Oyster Dinner 1735 Jean-Franรงois de Troy

NEO

CLASSICISM

The Incroyables (the Unbelievables) and the Merveilleuses (the Marvelous Ones) were part of a rebellious youth movement that arose during the 1790s, during the French Revolution (1789â&#x20AC;&#x201C;99). The Incroyables (men) and the Merveilleuses (women) were political young people, who were the product of an explosive time in history. They made their political statement by dressing in outlandish fashions that exaggerated and mocked the luxurious

Louis XVI 1779 Antoine-FranĂ§ois Callet

styles that had been worn in the court of King Louis XVI, who had recently been executed by the revolutionary government.

The Merveilleuses scandalized Paris with dresses and tunics modeled after the ancient Greeks and Romans, cut of light or even transparent linen and gauze. Sometimes so revealing they were termed “woven air”, many gowns displayed cleavage and were too tight to allow pockets. To carry even a handkerchief, the ladies had to use small bags known as reticules. They were fond of wigs, often choosing blonde because the Paris Commune had banned blonde wigs, but they also wore them in black, blue, and green. Enormous hats, short curls like those on Roman busts, and Greekstyle sandals were the rage. The sandals tied above the ankle with crossed ribbons

When Princesse de Chimay 1804 François Gérard

or strings of pearls. Exotic and expensive scents fabricated by perfume houses like Parfums Lubin were worn both for style and as indicators of social station. Thérésa Tallien, known as “Our Lady of Thermidor”, wore expensive rings on the toes of her bare feet and gold circlets on her legs.

The Incroyables wore eccentric outfits: large earrings, green jackets, wide trousers, huge neckties, thick glasses, and hats topped by “dog ears”, their hair falling on their ears. Their musk-based fragrances earned the derogatory nickname muscadins for them and their immediate predecessors, a more middle-class group of anti-Jacobins. They wore bicorne hats and carried distinctive knobbled bludgeons or canes, which they referred to as their “executive power.” Hair was often shoulderlength, sometimes pulled up in the back with a comb to imitate the hairstyles of the condemned. 35

Some sported large monocles and sometimes a stooped hunchbacked posture or slouch, as caricatured in numerous cartoons of the time.

While Classicism remained the most powerful force in fashion, various other inspirations and influences began to break up the classical line in the 1810s. The Napoleonic Wars brought the dress of faraway places home to influence European women’s clothing. The Napoleonic Wars played an enormous role in the development of fashion, spreading trends across Europe and inspiring a martial appearance in both men’s and women’s clothing. The French Revolution had resulted in a huge loss within the french textile industry during the siege of Lyon in 1793 . During the siege looms were destroyed 37

and local businesses shut down. Napoleon took actions to revive the industry. He stopped all imports of English textiles and to create more revenue for fabrics, he forbade woman to wear the same dress to court twice. Many of the trends of the 1800â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s came from foreign affairs, beading, weaving, and jewelry of the time had a middle eastern like influence ( or Greek with the muslin of the early 1800â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s) . The trend hit its peak when Napoleon traveled to Egypt for a military campaign. When he returned he brought back many

expensive pieces of jewelry and other decorative fabrics for his Empress. Woman of the upper class looked to the Empress to set the latest trends. When the Empress was seen wearing these pieces, the trend spread like a wild fire. Turbans replaced the commonly worn hats for evening, and as the trend grew stronger feathers and large jewels were eventually added. This trend continued well into the 1920s. Eventually it grew so large that it went out of Napoleonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s control.

BELLE

Ã&#x2030;POQUE

The Belle Époque period lasted from 1871 to 1914, the end of the Franco-Prussian war to the beginning of WWI. It is also known as the Edwardian era and the Gilded age. This period was known for luxury and excess for some people, and this was especially evident in the fashions of the time. Jaw dropping dramatic gowns of every imaginable fabric & trim mark “The Lost Golden Age” & the last fling for French Fashion to be at the top. An isolated & very expensive “pocket” of the Edwardian Era, high “Couture” designers from the top fashion houses in the world were defining a mood of grace, beauty, & femininity.

Exotic feathers and furs were more prominently featured in fashion than ever before, as haute couture was invented in Paris, the center of the Belle Ă&#x2030;poque, where fashion began to move in a yearly cycle.

Clothes of the privileged were in tune with the elaborate fashions of the 1770’s, while those of the masses were similar to what we would find today at a wedding or special event which are more evolution of Victorian or “Edwardian Classic” concepts. The Edwardian era had officially begun in about 1895 with the S silhouette, when it suddenly changed & took a retro step back to the 1830’s with balloon sleeves & nipped in waists. Both Edwardian & “La Belle Epoque” evolved from the S shape to the princess line, high waist, & eventually the drop waist of the 1920’s

An important development at the beginning of the decade was the rise of Orientalism. The Ballets Russes performed Schéhérazade (a ballet based on One Thousand and One Nights) in Paris in 1910, setting off the craze. Paul Poiret helped popularize this look, which featured draped fabrics, vibrant colors, and a columnlike silhouette. He even introduced “harem” pantaloons in 1911, a ballooning pair of trousers that only the most daring of women opted to wear.

France renewed its dominance of the high fashion industry in the years 1860 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1960 through the establishing of the great couturier houses, the fashion press (Vogue was founded in 1892 in USA, and 1920 in France) and fashion shows. The first modern Parisian couturier house is generally considered the work of the Englishman Charles Frederick Worth, who dominated the industry from 1858 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1895.

In the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, the industry expanded through such Parisian fashion houses as the house of Jacques Doucet (founded in 1871), Rouff (founded 1884), Jeanne Paquin (founded in 1891), the Callot Soeurs (founded 1895 and operated by four sisters), Paul Poiret (founded in 1903), Louise ChĂŠruit (founded 1906), Madeleine Vionnet (founded in 1912), House of Patou by Jean Patou (founded in 1919), Elsa Schiaparelli (founded in 1927) or Balenciaga (founded by the Spaniard CristĂłbal Balenciaga in 1937).

ANNÃ&#x2030;ES

FOLLES

At the dawn of the 1920s, the world was still reeling from the First World War. The conflict, which ended just over a year before the new decade began, had a fundamental and irreversible effect on society, culture, and fashion. Essential to these new styles was a simplicity that had not previously been seen in womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fashion.

This simplicity created the popular tubular â&#x20AC;&#x153;la garĂ§onneâ&#x20AC;? look that dominated much of the decade. Also known as the flapper, the look typified 1920s dress with a dropped waist and creeping hemlines that could be created in economical fabrics. Coco Chanel helped popularize this style and was a prominent designer during the period. The boyish look was characterized by a loose, streamlined, androgynous silhouette where neither the bust nor the waist are evident, accompanied by a short hairdo. It became the symbol of the emancipated woman: free and autonomous, and expressing a new social freedom for a woman

In 1925, Chanel introduced the now legendary Chanel suit with collarless jacket and well-fitted skirt. Her designs were revolutionary for the timeâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; borrowing elements of menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wear and emphasizing comfort over the constraints of thenpopular fashions. She helped women say goodbye to the days of corsets and other confining garments. Another 1920s revolutionary design was Chanelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s little black dress. She took a color once associated with mourning and showed just how chic it could be for evening wear. 51

Though this was one of the more popular styles, it was by no means the only. In fact, a style popularized by Jeanne Lanvin could not be further from this “androgynous” look. Instead, these dresses had long, full skirts, sometimes even with panniers, like the black and silver “Robe de Style” dress. They were feminine and romantic, like the pastel dress designed by Lanvin in 1922, accessorized with a straw hat itself removed from the brimless cloche hats that were popular during the twenties. Lanvin’s dresses were starkly different from the 52

shapeless silhouettes of the flapper, though some interpreted this style with her own feminine twist. It could be claimed that, despite the many pioneering ideas Jeanne Lanvin introduced to fashion in the ‘20s and ‘30s, the most beautiful and romantic was her way with the Robe de Style, a formal dress for eveningwear made to the highest standards of French couture. In the 20s, she made it a soft, erotic garment, mainly loose to the body and frequently fringed or incorporating narrow scarves to accentuate femininity. A clean, uncluttered silhouette, it was enlivened by embroidery and beading — both strong trademarks of the house. 53

Another trend for women that enjoyed massive popularity in the twenties was that of sportswear worn as daywear. Sportswear had long been an acceptable form of casual wear for men, but in the 1920s, it also became acceptable for women. The popularity of sports clothes in the 1920s is often attributed, like many of the most popular styles of the twenties, to Coco Chanel, but designers such as Jane Regny and Jean Patou also contributed to the sportswear trend.

As the 1920s turned into the 1930s, womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fashion softly evolved from the boyish look of the previous decade into the feminine silhouette of the early thirties. With the stock market crash in 1929 and with the opening of the new decade, hemlines descended back to ankle length and waistlines moved back to their natural place. The popular styles of the early 1930s were similar in their simple lines to the popular garĂ§onne look of the twenties. But while the simplicity of the 1920s created a sack-like silhouette free from curves, the simple lines of the early thirties hugged those curves, creating a soft, feminine silhouette. Contributing to the overall slender look of the early thirties was one of the most important developments and trends of the decade: the bias cut. 55

Like womenswear, menswear saw a shift of focus to the movies for fashion inspiration in the 1930s. Just as women’s fashion had begun to democratize in the twenties, men’s fashion followed suit. While suits were still worn for formal occasions and work, casual wear such as knitted sweaters and soft-collared shirts became increasingly popular during the day. Even no longer

ties were obligatory.

As menswear became more democratic, men’s fashion became more defined by what was absent than what was present. Men’s fashion continued to become less formal.

Sports, physical activity, and the sun continued to have an influence on men’s fashion in the thirties as they had in the twenties. Tennis, golf, and a healthy suntan, which all saw a rise in popularity in the 1920s, continued to hold sway in the thirties (Fashion and Textile Museum). Going hand-in-hand with film’s influence on the democratization of men’s fashion, blazers and sports jackets with flannel trousers and open-necked shirts were popular styles for men in the 1930s that took from sporting pursuits

TRENTE

GLORIEUES

Many fashion houses closed during the occupation of Paris in World War II, including the Maison Vionnet and the Maison Chanel. In contrast to the stylish, liberated Parisienne, the Vichy regime promoted the model of the wife and mother, the robust, athletic young woman, a figure who was much more in line with the new political criteria. Germany, meanwhile, was taking possession of over half of what France produced, including high fashion, and was considering relocating French haute couture to the cities of Berlin and Vienna, neither of which had any significant tradition of fashion. The archives of the Chambre Syndicale de la Couture were seized, mostly 59

for their client lists as Jews were excluded from the fashion industry at this time. During this era, the number of employed models was limited to seventy-five and designers often substituted materials in order to comply with wartime shortages. From 1940 onward, no more than thirteen feet (four meters) of cloth was permitted to be used for a coat and a little over three feet (one meter) for a blouse. No belt could be over one and a half inches (four centimeters) wide. As a result of the frugal wartime standards, the practical zazou suit became popular among young French men. 60

In spite of the fact that so many fashion houses closed down or moved away during the war, several new houses remained open, including Jacques Fath, Maggy Rouff, Marcel Rochas, Jeanne Lafaurie, Nina Ricci, and Madeleine Vramant. During the Occupation, the only true way for a woman to flaunt her extravagance and add color to a drab outfit was to wear a hat. In this period, hats were often made of scraps of material that would have otherwise been thrown away, sometimes incorporating butter muslin, bits of paper, and wood shavings. Among the most innovative milliners of the time were Pauline Adam, Simone Naudet, Rose Valois, and Le Monnier. 61

Post-war fashion returned to prominence through Christian Dior’s famous “New Look” in 1947: the collection contained dresses with tiny waists, majestic busts, and full skirts swelling out beneath small bodices, in a manner very similar to the style of the Belle Époque. The extravagant use of fabric and the feminine elegance of the designs appealed greatly to a post-war clientele. Other important houses of the period included Pierre Balmain and Hubert de Givenchy (opened in 1952). The fashion magazine Elle was founded in 1945. In 1952, Coco Chanel herself returned to Paris.

Throughout history, the culture of fashion in France has the way the world looks at clothing, being at the top of the defining new ways to express yourself and give courage to the are wearing the clothing to show themselves the way they want

revolutionised industry and people who to be seen.

For the past three centuries, the passion and extravagence of this industry has been extensive, now more than ever, while the history and evolution of french fashion is and will inspire the inthusiasts and pioneers for years to come.

THE HISTORY OF THE ERAS OF FRENCH FASHION