“Paris, Capital of Fashion” book launch by Valerie Steele at the London College of Fashion
Paris has long had the reputation of the most stylish city in the world. Parisians themselves are envied the world over for their seemingly effortless ability to always wear the right thing, regardless of occasion or season. Therefore, it’s no surprise that Valerie Steele (American historian and Director of the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York), was inspired to compile a selection of essays on the subject of Paris’s status as “the capital of fashion”, and to explore the origins of this legacy. The book is published in conjunction with an exhibition at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, showcasing the evolution of Parisian fashion throughout the ages: from la Belle Époque, to the fame of Coco Chanel, and finally the latest from contemporary French fashion houses.
In this lecture, Valerie described international attitudes towards Paris fashion over the years, and in particular the dichotomy between admiration and fear with which many look upon Paris fashion, such is its ubiquity. Such a well-established fashion capital inspires and intimidates in equal measure. She also charted the rise of Paris fashion, starting with Louis XIV’s realisation that it could be a serious source of economic wealth for France in the early 18th century.
Below are some of the pieces featured in the exhibition.
Lent by the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris
This yellow corset epitomises luxury, French aristocracy, and artisan culture
Menswear of Louis XVI’s court has been picked up in modern trends. Right hand dresses are Louis Vuitton and Alexander McQueen.
Red dress from the book’s cover. Originally designed by Karl Lagerfeld before he took over at Chanel. Gold and a rich royal red, reminiscent of the royal court.
“Adrienne” dress from Marie Antoinette film – black & gold colours used to convey villainy of character. The greatest moments in French fashion often arrived during periods of strife, when French power was in fact at its weakest. It was used as a way to reassert its status.
Early Worth dress
Charting the rise of the designer as originating with Charles Frederick Worth in the 19th century, Dr. Steele described how he was the first to sign the labels of his dresses to mark them as his own, and thus began the ‘cult’ of the couture designer.
The history of Chanel is obviously one of the most prominent examples of Paris’s fashion legacy. Dr. Steele attributed much of the fashion house’s continuing success today to Karl Lagerfeld’s arrival in 1983 as its creative director, a decade after Coco Chanel’s death.
A Chanel suit (centre) and licensed copies made for American department stores in the 1950s. Dresses made in France during the Nazi Occupation of the Second World War. Under the Nazis, even couture was controlled.
Find out more about the exhibition at the FIT here: http://www.fitnyc.edu/museum/exhibitions/paris-capital-fashion.php
