The Development of the Paris Haute Couture - Coursework Example

THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PARIS HAUTE COUTURE and i Figure Tufts.edu, Rise of Haute Couture, Reproduced from Tufts.edu, http://www.tufts.edu/~mlee21/1900s.html ii Figure 2 Tufts.edu, 2015, Rise of Haute Couture, Reproduced from Tufts.edu, http://www.tufts.edu/~mlee21/1900s.html Introduction Fashion is a noteworthy industry that has grown over the years. The industry involves clothing making using various designs and techniques. The history of fashion dates back to the 17th century. Importantly, French society engineered the growth of cloth designs for influential individuals. In lieu of a rising demand for designer clothes, the Haute Couture developed rapidly. The transition of culture played a pivotal role in the fashion and clothing industry. Notably, designs emerged during the development of Haute Couture with a central origin being Paris. iii Notably, World II negatively affected the fashion industry with Paris as a reference platform. This paper will give insight into the history of the Haute Couture and related influence to the fashion industry. Origin of the Haute Couture The term Haute Couture traces origin within French culture and clothing industry. The word means a distinctive type of design for fitting clothes for specific customers. The high end of Haute Couture involves designing clothes for luxury by use of high-quality fabrics. Haute Couture developed from a growing demand to exclusively dress the high social class of French community. Aristocratic women engaged in a tailor negotiation for a dress of choice. The Haute Couture emerged in the 17th century in France due to the country’s innovative skills in silk making. Paris is a noteworthy city where Haute Couture originated spreading across Europe. The fashion hub had skilled tailors and a steady market for the high social class from Frenchiv. The design orders entailed dress precisions to fit their bodies. Additionally, the expensive class of women also demands luxury details as customizations to the dresses (Schwartz 2011). Luxury fabrics played a significant role in the industry with particular dress colors. As such, various sewing techniques earned the tailors different names, recognitions and clients across Europe. The spread of Haute Couture in Europe v The 17th century marked a significant transition in the fashion world with various demands across Europe’s elite society. The year between 1900 and 1920s marked the spread of the Haute Couture with specific shadowed dress codes for the mature women. The era reveals a culture of a full-figured dressing style for the women. Additionally, several customer demands focused on weak bursts with extremely curved hips. The first years of the 19th century revealed a significant dress tinge for the women (Dejean 2005). Women wore long skirts with a minimal train at the backs a characteristic feature of the modern wedding gowns. Figure 4 Vanessa Schwartz, Modern France a Very Short Introduction, 178 Reproduced from Schwartz, 2011. Modern France a Very Short Introduction, Oxford: Oxford University Pressvi Various fashion developments resulted in shorter skirts that easily revealed more skin. The fashion art progressed to generate a new design where skirts exposed alluring glimpses of women’s ankles. The 19th century is significant in the fashion industry for primary develops in customized cloth making. Paris tailors are a noteworthy group that set the pace in cloth making for the Western world. Horse races marked the onset of new fashion designs or innovations of a unique taste (Ruppery, & Jana 2009). The era further pushed the fashion art onto other levels where tailors used models to unveil the latest fashion design. The tailors dressed models to attend horse races dressed in the customized clothes. The particular designs focused on narrower silhouettes that exposed flat bursts while others showcased slim hips. Development of designs (1914-1940) The period between 1914 and 1940 was a significant duration for fashion designers. During this time, a unique dressmaking style developed with the rise of customized brandings. Customized clothes spread with artists attracting clients from Couture salonsvii. Tailors produced a mixture of collections for particular private clients from a wealthy society. As such, regulations became part of the fashion industry where designers and members had to gain membership. Systems such as “Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture Parisienne” delineated specific rules that reviewed creativity among the members (Ruppery, & Jana 2009). Clients obtained latest fashions sewed from quality fabrics. Another significant development during this period is the formulation of laws to regulate copy cat among designers. The move targeted to regulated copy cat while maintaining a superior cloth designing culture. In light of this matter, Madeleine Vionnet created the “LAssociation de protection des industries artistiques saisonnières” to secure Haute works by various individual tailors. The move gave rise to the registration of customized designs by the year 1921viii. The procedure entailed photographing designs on a dressmakers dummy to eliminate piracy. A further move during this time includes a penal code upon violation of the agreed codes of conduct by designers. The year 1940s was the onset of another significant development in the fashion industry (Lemire 2010). The emergence of fashion shows began during this time with well-coordinated events to displays various designs. The move targeted to increase the numbers of design sale while targeting more clients into the industry. The decline of the Haute Couture in World War II The Second World War mainly affected the fashion industry especially from the main designer land which was Paris in France. Several countries engaged in the war giving priority to war equipment and related matters. As such, many countries diverted attention from the fashion industry resulting in a decline in the markets. An important state to note is America since the major silhouette design had gained popularity in America (Mancoff 2012). The shift of attention by countries like America affected the production and manufacture of expensive fabrics from France. As such, Paris lost potential clients of the expensive fabrics and fashion clothesix. The effects of the war reflected directly in the general income for France. Further illustration points to a limited manufacture of fabrics and designer clothes. Expensive designer clothes lost value due to local selling. America was a potential market place for the designer clothes. Her engagement in the war weakened France’s economy evident by the drop of sale in the designer clothes. The war resulted in an internal sale of expensive designs. Paris started consuming her clothes within the capable social classes (Foster 2011). Women from other countries lacked the means to access the designer from Paris due to the war. The effects of the war include internal clothing designs by various countries. Such eventualities limited France’s economic income that originated from the exportation of the designer clothes. Figure 5x Glamourdaze.com, History of Women’s Fashion -1900 to 1969, 2015, Reproduced from Glamourdaze, http://glamourdaze.com/history-of-womens-fashion. The rebirth of haut Couture in Paris after World War II The rebirth of the haut Couture began by the year 1947 by a significant individual known as Christian Dior. Dior pioneered the return of quixotic postwar silhouette creativity within the fashion industry. The period marked a marketing platform for various designers from London and Paris as a way to revive a dying culture. The event termed the “Golden Age” targeted to elaborate the various forces that shaped fashion through historyxi. Significant matters of consideration during this period developed the social challenges and economic limitations that undermined the fashion industry (Christina 2012). The occasion revived a dying culture that shaped cloth designs. Additionally, Christian reminded the world of the existing cultural interaction through fashion. In lieu of this, garments defined the history and era of various fabric decorations. The handcraft manufacturing served a pivotal purpose in shaping the economy of different countries. The high social classes contributed largely to the development of different fashion creations. As such, the “Golden Age” was a significant way to redefine fashion after the Second World War. Various workshops created different styles to include other creativities. Such innovations during this occasion included feather trimmings, extended embroideries, and beadings. Additional, fashion works also used beads to match the fabrics and extended ribbons that added value to the cloth line (Martin 1998). Paris designers gained significantly from the rebirth of the haut Couture. The Growth of the Industry from Producer to Consumer-Based The Fashion industry has undergone significant changes throughout the years and centuries. The various changes have impacted the industry from the point of fabric creation the eventual consumer point. Fashion designers of the early century were the pivotal platform to the creation of the various designs. This statement implies that the designer decided on the dress choice, favorable pattern, and knit designsxii. The dress making era mandated the designers to create preference on behalf of the supposed client. As such, the designers made the final decision on client product and related information (Dejean 2005). Additionally, the wealthy women from high societies paid the designers to create and hand knit given pattern based on preference. The developments in the fashion industry prioritize consumers based on their decisions. As such the client is the ultimate decision on dress designs and patternsxiii. Another inclusion in the industry allows women to request for specific designs of early tailors. As such, the Classic designs are a significant demand among the wealthy consumersxiv. Modern World Haute Culture xv Figure 6 International Business Times UK, Paris Fashion Week 2013: Elie Saab, Reproduced from International Business Times UK, http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/elie-saab-designer-gowns-paris-couture-2013-486542. Paris is a noteworthy city that largely influenced the growth and development of the fashion industry. The recorded progression of the industry is also a point to note. The changes from simple to exquisite clothes are sufficient evidence to note the tremendous changes in fashion and designxvi. The modern century is another significant era that has shaped the fashion industry. The contemporary societies opt for expensive but comfortable clothes across various nations. The various dress codes originate from preference by dressing designers. The consumers spend minimal time to shop or explore fashion. Instead, the paid designers work on behalf of the clients. Unisex Couture is also a common occurrence in the modern century. Various designers across the world prefer latest fashion designers presented by iconic personalities. As such, celebrities are the force behind the fashion industry in the world today. Uniqueness adds value to the product while increasing customer loyalty. Conclusion The Haute Couture is a significant clothing culture tracing origin from the society. Haute Couture gained popularity during the early 17th to 19th century. Notably, the clothing culture influenced a designer-fashion industry. In lieu of this, the Haute Couture played a significant role in commanding a sense of a clothing preference for high-end customers. As such, the fashion industry expanded by the edge of the century with the very stiff competition. Fashion houses became a common feature of the modern day industry with exquisite inclusions. Models play a significant role in marketing various designer clothes targeting the wealthy individuals. Additionally, strict regulatory policies form part of the modern day fashion industry. Bibliography Christina Passarielo. “The return of Haute Couture.” The wall street journal. Last modified April 26, 2012. http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303513404577352171109436112 DeJean, Joan. The essence of style: how the French invented high fashion, fine food, chic cafés, style, sophistication, and glamour. New York: Free Press, 2005. Foster, Hall. 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