France entered the war as an ally of Poland on September 3, 1939, declaring war on Germany. But until April 1940, active hostilities were not conducted on the Western Front - the so-called "strange war" lasted. In April 1940, German troops occupied Denmark and began the occupation of Norway, and on May 10 unexpectedly invaded the territory of Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. Having bypassed the fortified border with France from the north (“Maginot Line”), on June 14 the Germans occupied Paris. After the capitulation on June 22, 1940, France was divided into two zones: occupied and free, on the territory of which the power was formally exercised by the Vichy government, which collaborated with the occupation authorities. In May 1942, the German army crossed the demarcation line and occupied the free zone.

During the “strange war”, almost all fashion houses continued to work (in 1939 only C. Chanel and M. Vionnet closed their fashion houses). The collections of French couturiers were extravagant models, mainly designed for export to the United States. Favorite colors were the national colors of France - red, white and blue. E. Schiaparelli, for example, presented the "Foreign Legion Red" and "Maginot Blue" color sets. Couturiers offered special overalls for bomb shelters (R. Piguet,

Rice. 5.2.

E. Schiaparelli) (Fig. 5.2). In May 1940, during the panic in anticipation of the arrival of the Germans, many fashion houses left Paris: some went to London through the south of France (Charles Creed and Edward Molinet), others went to the USA (Mainbushe,

"Jacques Aim", "Charles James").

E. Schiaparelli, who had a contract to lecture in the United States, also left, but her fashion house remained in Paris. Manufacturers of Jewish origin moved to Nice or the USA. Other fashion houses (Maggie Ruff, Lucien Lelong, Paquin, Jean Patou, Marcel Rocha, Nina Ricci, Jacques Fat, Cristobal Balenciaga, Worth) first moved to Biarizz and Lyon. But then L. Lelong, who from 1936 to 1946 was president of the High Fashion Syndicate, decided to return to occupied Paris, as he said, “to the mouth of the devil”, where he had to fight the German authorities for the preservation of high fashion in France.

According to Hitler's plan, Parisian haute couture houses were to move to Berlin or Vienna so that the capital of the Third Reich would become the capital of fashion. The German authorities in the office of the Haute Couture Syndicate seized all the documents related to the export of models. However, L. Lelong managed to convince the occupying authorities that high fashion can only exist in Paris, closely associated with many suppliers of underwear, shoes, jewelry, hats, gloves, lace, bags, buckles, buttons, etc., some of which have existed since the 16th century. This helped save Paris's 92 fashion houses and 112,000 skilled workers from forced labor in German factories in Germany. Since LShelong won some privileges for high fashion houses on the purchase of materials and the right to sell models in addition to the coupon system, the number of customers did not decrease during the war. The new clients were middle class and black market figures, as well as German officers who bought Parisian models for their wives and mistresses. The collections were much smaller than before the war (only 100 models were allowed to be made); in addition, the German authorities limited the amount of fabric that could be used in one model. It was impossible to sew models resembling German military uniforms. In 1942, Lelong decided to hold shows in Lyon, where clients from other countries - Italians, Swiss and Spaniards - could come.

In 1942, a new haute couture house, Madame Gre, opened in Paris. Its creator was Germaine Krebs, who was left without work after the closure of the Alike House in 1940. Having fled in May 1940 from Paris to the south of France with her husband and daughter, she was left without a livelihood, so she made a courageous decision to return to occupied Paris (she was Jewish) and start a new business there, taking as a pseudonym the name that her husband, Russian artist Sergei Cherevkov, signed his paintings, - "Gre". Madame Grès, like its predecessor Alyx, offered exquisite draped dresses that were a hit with French clients. Despite her precarious position, Madame Gre behaved defiantly towards the invaders - she refused to serve the mistresses of German officers. When she was forced to hold a show for German officers, she showed dresses in only three colors - blue, red and white, the national colors of France. As a result, Madame Gre's House was closed by the authorities for exceeding the fabric limit. Then Madame Gre's collection was sewn in other fashion houses. When she hung a large tricolor flag of Lyon silk on the building of the Fashion House, it was again closed, and she herself had to flee to the Pyrenees, as she was threatened with arrest. Madame Gré returned to Paris only in 1945.

The occupation authorities introduced food rationing and rationing for fabric and clothing in France (in July 1941). In February 1941, the first measures were taken to control the use of fabric in garment factories, in April 1942, measures were taken to reduce the consumption of materials in the production of clothing: the length of the skirt and the width of the trousers were limited, unnecessary details were prohibited (for example, cuffs on trousers) . The German authorities confiscated stocks of materials from French factories and sent them to Germany or forced them to fulfill German military orders. Shoe leather was especially bad, almost all of which was confiscated for the war effort. There was practically nothing to sew shoes for the civilian population - old car tires, rubber, cellophane, felt and ropes made from hemp and raffia were used. Many remembered the traditional peasant shoes of France - wooden clogs and mastered their manufacture. Women of fashion made shoes with high wooden or cork soles (platforms or wedges).

Fashion has become for French women one of the forms of resistance to the invaders. The authorities called for savings - the French tried to use as much fabric as possible so that the Germans got less. The Vichy government called for the wearing of modest berets - French women wore unimaginable structures on their heads made of scraps of fabric and tulle, feathers and wood shavings, newsprint and cardboard. In 1942 extravagant hats were replaced by more practical and comfortable turbans. During the war, Parisian women confirmed their status as the most elegant, flirtatious and inventive women in the world, literally creating extravagant outfits from nothing and using bright cosmetics (nail polish, for example, could be bought at any pharmacy). Haute couture models corresponded to this elemental fashion. The defiantly extravagant style of French fashion houses during the war was a kind of moral rebuff to the invaders. Parisian couturiers created models with huge shoulders and draperies from forbidden silk and viscose of bright colors, intricate turbans (for example, models of the famous milliner Paulette). Fashion houses offered models in the "peasant" style, with medieval and Latin American motifs (House "Paken"). The most extravagant were the models of E. Schiaparelli. For example, in 1939 she offered a coat with buttons depicting the letter S (the first buttons with a logo).

In June 1944, the landing of the allied Anglo-American troops in Normandy began - in August they, together with the Resistance army, liberated Paris. Post-Liberation fashion continued to develop wartime styles, but skirts became even shorter, shoulders were broader, and hairstyles and turbans were taller. Patriotic motifs came into fashion - fabrics with stripes of tricolor colors, tricolor embroideries and rosettes made of ribbons, hats with a high crown, reminiscent of a Phrygian cap - one of the symbols of the Republic.

After the Liberation, the Vogue magazine began to appear again, which had not been published during the occupation. During the war, French fashion magazines did not print photographs (there was not enough film and reagents) - only hand-drawn illustrations.

Designers are those authorities in the fashion industry who dictate fashion standards to us and define trends. Each designer is famous and recognizable for something of his own, and each has a special unique handwriting. Some of these people become real legends in the world of fashion and style. How did they do it? Maybe they are just minions of fate - or behind this is the desire to make their dream come true and gigantic work? What made them famous?

Gabrielle Boner Chanel (Coco Chanel)

Probably everyone knows the famous Mademoiselle today. She is quoted, she is sought to imitate. She had a huge impact on the fashion of the 20th century, founded the fashion house Chanel, gave the world her signature perfume under the numbers. Coco got her nickname when she sang in a cabaret. She was an extraordinary, bold and bright personality, with great willpower and impeccable taste. To her we owe the modernization of women's fashion, the adoption of many elements from the men's wardrobe, the popularity of the universal little black dress, pearls, tweed suits, small hats, costume jewelry and tan.

Coco Chanel made luxury practical. Most of all in clothes she valued comfort and embodied this principle in her collections. She said that "luxury must be comfortable, otherwise it is not luxury." Among Mademoiselle's clients and acquaintances there were many world celebrities. In an interview, when asked about what events in her life aroused her interest in art, she replied: “Living in an orphanage under the supervision of nuns, I learned to sew. They taught me basic seamstress skills and I was smart enough to understand the method. I really got my hands on and focused on design at an early age, which is why I got famous clients so quickly.”

Chanel opened her first store in 1910 in Paris. They sold hats. Later, clothing appeared in her stores. Interestingly, the very first clothing that Chanel created was a dress made from a sweater. People paid attention to her outfit and asked where she got it, and in response, Koko offered to make the same outfit for those who were interested. She later said that her condition was "based on an old sweater I wore because it was cold in Deville."

Karl Lagerfeld

One of the most influential fashion designers, a man of phenomenal capacity for work, a multifaceted nature, the owner of many talents. This world-famous designer of German origin has been head of the Chanel fashion house since 1983. In addition, Karl is a designer and founder of his own fashion brand, a talented photographer, director, owner of a publishing house and a personal library of 300,000 volumes. Lagerfeld says about himself: “I am like a chameleon, several people live in me at the same time. Creating for me is like breathing. I don't even think about it. When I sit in the director's chair of Chanel, I am Chanel. When I go to Rome and I am at the Fendi House, I am Fendi. I start work on a new collection the day before the previous one is shown."

His creative abilities manifested themselves in early childhood. He studied at the Lycée Montaigne under the High Fashion Syndicate on the same course as Yves Saint Laurent. Lagerfeld collaborated with a large number of famous fashion houses, creating fragrances, ready-to-wear lines, shoes, and accessories. After he created his first fur collection for Fendi in 1966, which was a huge success, he was noticed by the most influential people in the fashion world.

In the 70s, Lagerfeld began to collaborate with famous directors and create costumes for the actors of the La Scala theater. He breathed new life into the fashion house of Chanel, becoming its head and designer, saying: “Yes, she said that fashion is dying, but style is immortal. But the style must adapt, adapt to fashion. Chanel had her own life. Great career. She's over. I did everything to make it last, and I continue to do everything to make it last forever. My main task is to try to transpose what she did into today. Guess what she would do if she lived now and here, if Mademoiselle were in my place.

Friends call Karl Kaiser (Caesar, in German) for his amazing ability to do several things at once. He hides his age and worries that there is not enough life to realize all his creative ideas. Lagerfeld loves books (he even created the Paper Passion fragrance with the smell of a freshly printed book), draws illustrations for works, cannot imagine life without photography, sews costumes for cinema and theater, produces perfumes, develops his own brand, creates hotel design, shoots short films and organizes exhibitions, produces women's collections.

Elsa Schiaparelli

The famous Italian designer of the first half of the 20th century, who is considered a surrealist from the fashion world, the main rival of Chanel, the creator of the ready-to-wear style. Elsa was born into a family of aristocrats, from childhood she studied painting, art history, and loved the theater. Working part-time as a tour guide in Paris, Elsa watched how the wives of wealthy Americans were least interested in architecture and most of all in fashion stores. Presumably, it was then that she came up with the idea to shock the public with unusual clothes.

Having met an emigrant from Armenia, whose knitted sweater Elsa liked so much, she persuaded her to create unusual models of clothes together. The fruit of their labors was a very unusual black woolen dress with a bow in the form of a butterfly. Thanks to their work, they attracted attention and received a large order from the Strauss sportswear store. It was this order that gave fame to Schiaparelli and the knitwear factory to the Armenian diaspora. Elsa founded her own fashion house. As originally planned, she shocked the public with her collections. They embodied her wildest fantasies and dreams, expressed something irrational and incomprehensible. Each item was unique. Many were created in a single copy. Hearts, constellations, hugging hands, snakes, giant flies, unusual drawings, embroidery and bizarre accessories - all this attracted attention and shocked.

It was Elsa who first invented the concept of "boutique" (a store that sells small series of designer clothes). Many celebrities collaborated with Elsa and bought her clothes with pleasure. Schiaparelli had a contract with Hollywood. She was friends with Salvador Dali (it was he who suggested to her the idea of ​​a dress with lobster and parsley and a phone bag). Under the influence of Dali, Elsa created her most unusual things: a hat in the form of a shoe or an inkwell, gloves with pockets for matches. Costume jewelry was the embodiment of the strangest ideas; lollipops, medicines, erasers, pens, pencils, dried beetles were used as materials.

Elsa often called her fashion house crazy. The popularity of the Schiaparelli collections was huge, everyone wanted to have these strange clothes, even the Duchess of Windsor herself. But when she had to leave for the United States due to the outbreak of World War II, she seemed to be forgotten about. Upon returning to Paris in 1944, her style was no longer in demand. Chanel dominated the fashion scene and Elsa decided to leave the fashion world.

Both talented women were innovators in the fashion world, but completely different. Chanel created within the framework of the classics, without focusing on brightness and catchiness. Elsa was extravagant, loved to shock and provoke. The contribution of both to fashion is undeniably invaluable, although the Schiaparelli brand has not existed for a long time. Elsa's ideas and discoveries can be seen embodied in modern fashion, as if she was ahead of her time. Unusual color combinations, fuchsia color (shocking pink is also Schiaparelli's idea!), bottles in the form of a female body, fur shoes, ankle boots, unusual bags - all these are the ideas of the talented Elsa, who had a huge impact on the world of fashion and style .

Christian Dior

One of the most famous French fashion designers, to whom we owe ultra-feminine New Look dresses. He had artistic talent, and in his youth he dreamed of becoming a great artist. After his private Art Gallery went bankrupt, he went through hard times, poverty and unemployment, but fate seemed to be preparing a different path for him. He began to design theatrical costumes, draw sketches for French fashion magazines. And these sketches became extremely popular, he began to cooperate with the fashion department of the newspaper Figaro, he was noticed. I decided to specialize in fashion models, although hat designs were much more popular. Dior was noticed by the famous fashion designer Piguet, but due to the war, Dior's career did not start at that time.

Upon his return from the army, Christian began working at the famous fashion house Lucien Lelong, where he learned a lot. In 1946, thanks to the financing of a textile magnate, Dior's fashion house opened in Paris. At the age of 42, he became famous, his first collection, called by himself "The Crowned Line", was recognized as revolutionary and was a resounding success. Just imagine the post-war period, when women yearned so much for beauty and sophistication, for emphatically feminine and luxurious outfits. Dior, incredibly sensitive and talented, felt the mood of the society, its desires and dreams. Parisians were so tired of masculine jackets and short skirts then that they greeted the Dior collection with delight. Feminine silhouettes, luxurious and bright fabrics, cinched waists, ankle-length skirts (either puffy or straight), small round shoulders - everything in this collection was the very embodiment of traditional femininity and charm.

But not everything was so rosy. Feminists have criticized the collection, saying that the return to crinolines and corsets indicates the oppression of working women. Many believed that after the war, luxury and flamboyance were out of place and blasphemous. However, despite the criticism, the new look captivated the public. Dior's popularity was overwhelming, his name became associated with luxury and good taste. Each of his collections was awaited with bated breath, and each was a success.

Only in 1954 was there a slightly dangerous moment for Dior's career, when Chanel returned to the fashion scene, who could not stand the "horrors of the 50s", as she spoke of Dior's models. But Dior very intelligently got out of the situation by releasing a new collection, light and unconstrained. Different than before, but still the same feminine. The silhouettes were more natural, the lines softened. Dior's personal assistant, after the death of the great couturier, once said that "if Dior were alive, fashion would not be in such a deplorable state in which it is now."

Yves Saint Laurent

One of the leading fashion designers of the 20th century, whom Christian Dior chose as his successor. From childhood, he drew and loved the theater, made home puppet shows, glued costumes and painted scenery. Laurent worked as an assistant to Dior and was fascinated by his genius, and Dior, in turn, immediately recognized the future master in the young man.

At 21, Laurent becomes the head of one of the most famous fashion houses after the sudden death of Dior and literally saves the brand from financial ruin. He presented his first women's collection of a softer and lighter version of the new look with an A-line silhouette. Laurent was the first to introduce French fashion to the USSR (1959) by flying here with 12 fashion models.

It seemed that bright prospects lay ahead as a successor who lived up to the expectations of the late Dior. But it was not, however, without envy and trouble. The owner of the fashion house Dior (Marcel Boussac) is rumored to have insisted that Saint Laurent be sent to military service in Africa, thereby wanting to get rid of the designer. There he learns that he was fired from the Dior fashion house.

In 1961, the brand Yves Saint Laurent (Yves Saint Laurent) appears, his first collection was a great success. Oriental motifs, bright colors, inspiration comes from African countries. Saint Laurent also produces perfumes, works as a theater designer, creates scenery and costumes.

The ideas of Laurent's subsequent collections also received great recognition and became a kind of fashion classic: women's tuxedos (later they became the brand's signature feature), trouser suits, high boots, turtleneck sweaters, black leather jackets, safari-style dresses, ethnic motifs. Laurent becomes the first designer to launch a full-fledged ready-to-wear line and also the first designer to have an exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art during his lifetime.

Giorgio Armani

The Italian fashion designer is called a fashion pioneer of the 20th century, a master of tailoring, an adherent of quality and a great aesthete. Giorgio from childhood loved art and theater, he painted and sewed clothes for dolls. He had a dream of becoming an actor, but his parents insisted on the profession of a doctor. After two years of study, Giorgio dropped out of the university. He found himself in the world of fashion. Armani created his own brand in 1974, and before that he worked as a window dresser in a large chain department store, and also designed menswear for Nino Cerruti.

Armani's professional fabric skills have led to the fact that, in fact, thanks to him, the approach to tailoring menswear has completely changed. Lightness and smoothness appeared, which, along with simplicity and conciseness, provide his products with a special chic and convenience. After the overwhelming success of the men's collection, Armani began to present women's collections, paying special attention to working women. In his collections, traditional views harmoniously coexist with the most modern trends. He modernized the classics with great grace and taste. Luxurious materials, experiments with the combination of fabrics, functionality and versatility, casual elegance are the hallmarks of the Armani collections.

Ralph Lauren

A well-known American designer, who is called the king of ready-made dresses, who "discovered America for America." His company (Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation) produces accessories, clothing, underwear, textiles, furniture, wallpapers, perfumes, dishes. Lauren has been named Designer of the Year three times and has also been named Fashion Legend by the U.S. Designers Council. For many people, Ralph Lauren is an example of how a person from a low social stratum can reach great heights with a dream and talent. A native of Belarus (his parents met and got married in the USA), from a poor large family, Ralph from a young age set himself the goal of succeeding. He was struck by the wardrobe of a classmate, which belonged only to him alone, and in which the clothes were so neatly laid out. In Ralph's apartment, there was only one closet for everyone. Since then, the future designer decided to work and save money for his dream.

Interestingly, Lauren does not have a fashion designer diploma, but at the same time he is one of the world's best designers. He does not sew clothes himself, but he is an inspirer, a designer, he thinks through each collection to the smallest detail. The designer himself says this: “I never went to fashion school - I was a young guy who had his own style. I could not imagine that "polo" would become what it is. I just followed my instincts."

At first, Ralph worked as a salesman (sold clothes, gloves and ties), then became a tie designer, created a fundamentally new model (he was inspired by the novel The Great Gatsby): a wide silk tie (while thin ties were in vogue then). Thanks to an investor, Lauren and her brother opened a store and their own Polo Fashion brand. People wanted high-quality and stylish things and accessories, the brand was gaining more and more popularity. Lauren released ready-to-wear collections (first for men and then for women) and accessories. He was the only one to produce sports shirts in 24 shades.

Loren's collections combine chic, sophistication and at the same time ease, simplicity and brightness. “My clothes are a vision of what I believe in. Someone once told me that I am a writer. It's true - I write through my clothes. She embodies history, not just clothes, ”said Lauren. Ralph's wife inspired him to create women's clothing collections: “My wife has good taste and her own style. When she wore shirts, sweaters and jackets bought from men's stores, people always asked where she got it. I associated her appearance with a young Katharine Hepburn - a rebel girl on a horse with her hair fluttering in the wind. I made shirts for her." Lauren brought Western style into fashion. And polo shirts never seem to go out of style.

Boy Ralph's dreams come true: he is one of the richest people in the world, he has a strong family, three children, owns a ranch and is one of the world's largest collectors of vintage cars.

Roberto Cavalli

The famous Italian designer asks to be called a "fashion artist" and is famous for his exotic and spectacular collections of clothes and accessories. His fashion house adheres to the philosophy of femininity, chic and bright temperament. The designer himself in an interview said that his fashion “became successful and relevant, because other designers continued to produce monotonous things ... For a long time, designers tried to dress women on an equal basis with men. I changed this trend. I'm trying to emphasize the feminine, sexy side that is present in every member of the fair sex.

A great influence on the disclosure of Cavalli's talent was made by his grandfather, the famous artist Giuseppe Rossi, and his mother, who was a dressmaker and designer. As a child, helping his mother with sewing clothes, Cavalli realized that he wanted to work in design and fashion. He was one of the best students of the Academy of Fine Arts in Florence, he studied the technology of printing on textiles. Even then, he created a series of floral prints that attracted the interest of large factories in Italy. Cavalli always loved to experiment, while still studying at the Academy, he began to come up with different ways of dyeing leather and fabric, he was then only 20 years old.

And so, these experiments led to the fact that in the early 70s, Cavalli himself invented and patented a printing system on leather, which allowed it to be dyed in six different colors. This revolutionary invention instantly became popular with various fashion houses. Stretch denim jeans are yet another hit from Cavalli that made the Maison prosperous and successful.

The bright and extravagant clothes of Roberto Cavalli are in great demand among fashionistas around the world, they are worn by the most glamorous celebrities on the planet. Cavalli believes that a woman should have a character and a strong personality. In an interview, he said: “Beauty comes from within, and is a reflection of the individuality of each person ... Beauty is a calling card that helps at the first meeting, but is completely useless at the second.”

Valentino Garavani

The founder of the Valentino fashion house, the famous Italian fashion designer loved to draw since childhood, in his youth he loved art and was interested in fashion. He was an apprentice, studied at the School of Fine Arts in Paris, and at the School of the Chamber of Haute Couture. He worked in several fashion houses, then opened his own atelier. His works were distinguished by refinement, excellent cut, expensive fabrics, handmade decor, and sophistication. In 1960, the Valentino brand was born.

Thanks to a meeting with the architect Giametti, the future CEO of the fashion house, Valentino gets the opportunity to engage only in creativity, without delving into the intricacies of business. He himself said: “I only know how to draw dresses, receive guests and decorate a house, but I don’t understand anything in business.” In one of the collections of the 60s there were red outfits, which later became the hallmark of the Valentino fashion house. The fashion designer says: “Red is the best color. It suits any woman, you just need to remember that there are more than 30 different shades of this color.

Over the years, the designer has dressed celebrity celebrities, many of them preferred to purchase exquisite wedding dresses from him. Among his clients were such legendary personalities as Jacqueline Kennedy, Audrey Hepburn, Sophia Loren, Elizabeth Taylor. At the Oscars, many actresses shone in outfits from Valentino. In 2007, the famous fashion designer announced his retirement from the world of fashion, and in 2008, a farewell show took place at Paris Haute Couture Week, where all the models walked the catwalk in red dresses, and the audience gave a standing ovation.

It is impossible to talk about France and not remember what it is. special country. And the capital of France Paris - it is a magical city with extraordinary energy and history. Here lived and worked such writers as Victor Hugo, Stendhal, Honore de Balzac, Albert Camus. Eugene Delacroix, Henri Matisse, Claude Oscar Monet, Pablo Picasso painted their paintings. Starred in films and inspired millions of people Pierre Richard, Louis de Funes, Jean Reno and many, many others. And of course, it is impossible not to say about the famous French actresses, who are rightfully considered icons of style - Catherine Deneuve, Brigitte Bardot, Sophie Marceau. And how could it be otherwise, because they are French, and France has long been considered a trendsetter and dictated its style around the world.

Fashion (fr. mode) the concept is quite capricious, rapidly changing, in the modern world, fashion is dictated by the images of actors, actresses, famous personalities. In the 17th century fashion was dictated by kings and favorites of the king. To be fashionable and stylish meant for women the ability to attract the attention of the king, to hide their flaws, to emphasize their merits. Not much has changed since then, the sense of style is a sense of harmony and the ability to present yourself while emphasizing all your advantages. In the modern world, it is not the dress that makes the man, but the man the dress. But it was not always so.

Paris has been a fashionable capital since the second half of the 17th century. during the reign of Louis XIV. During his reign, France became a trendsetter in style, because Louis himself adored magnificent outfits with a huge amount of precious stones and expensive fabrics, lace and ribbons. It was with the accession to the throne of Louis XIV that France completely conquered Europe in a few centuries and became a powerful capital of style. Parisian novelties were eagerly awaited all over Europe, noble ladies from Germany, England, Russia sent their tailors to France to study the latest fashionable novelties. Hats, hairstyles, cosmetics, accessories, shoes, clothes and everything is created by the French. French fashion temporarily erased all national differences, differences between classes, French fashion has become world! The worldview and ideas of people about how a real man should look like have changed. The man ceased to be a rough, physically strong and poorly educated warrior. The image of a young man is a graceful, gallant gentleman who knows how to treat ladies in an excellent tailored suit - this is the ideal of male beauty of that time. French manners, exquisite French costumes, the dominance of French speech are the consequences of the reign of the Sun King Louis XIV.

Louis XIV fashion It is also called Versailles, since the favorite residence of the king was in Versailles, and fashion history was created there. All over the world, women owe high heels to the King - the Sun, since he wore heels because of his small stature, soon the whole court, then all of France, both men and women wore high heels. And they took private lessons, at least in high heels. Over time, the heel became lower, due to the fact that the monarch aged, and it became difficult for him to walk in heels. For over 100 years, Versailles costume included a wig (since the bald king started wearing a wig). The male image now consisted of a wig, a powdered and rouged face, and of course a wide-brimmed hat with ostrich feathers.

Accidents became fashionable patterns, any unusual detail in the wardrobe of a royal person became a new fashionable toy. For example, the story of the wife of Philip of Orleans, the French Duke, Princess Elizabeth Charlotte of Palatine and the appearance of the palatine (fr. palatine). The story is related to the fact that during severe frosts the princess put on fur stripes of different colors in order to keep warm, at court everyone took this as a fashionable attribute of the wardrobe. Soon the whole aristocratic world, and then Europe, wore fur capes called stoles. A special brilliance, for example, was to appear at the reception in different shoes: one foot was shod in a shoe with a spur, the other in a boot with a magnificent bow.

After the decline of the reign of the Sun King, France retained the title of world capital of fashion. The image invented by Louis outlived its creator for a long time, this left a huge imprint in the history of fashion.

In the end In the 18th century, the social and political life of France changed. The Great French Revolution (fr.R?volution fran?aise) changed the course of history, the monarchy ceased to exist and a republic appeared. The revolution contributed to the development of new ideas and of course changed the history of fashion. Fashion now dictated new rules of the game, people had more choice. In those days, it was fashionable to have suits for work, leisure, sports, going out - it became necessary. Thus began a new stage in the development of French fashion. At the beginning of the 20th century, women styled their hair in high hairstyles, wore huge hats lavishly decorated with ostrich feathers, artificial flowers and stuffed birds. They emphasized their femininity and beauty with the help of swan down boas, luxurious stoles and chiffon scarves that covered bare shoulders.

Formal suits, short women's hairstyles, and trousers for women during the First World War. During this period, rarely anyone thought about fashion, but women during this period became more independent, as they had to do hard men's work during this difficult period. The mainstream of fashion has become the loose, business suit for the last decade. Until the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, the fashion industry was absent in France, since the standard of living was very low and a very small number of people could afford an expensive suit.

Beginning from 1950 - 1960s a new period of fashion begins in France. These are the fashion houses of Coco Chanel, Pierre Cardin, Yves Saint Laurent, Hubert de Givenchy - names that have become household names in the world of high fashion. Everyone knows Coco Chanel's little black dress and fitted jacket. And the name of Yves Saint Laurent is associated with a new trend in the fashion world with classic and simple looks, trouser ensembles. The fashion world has turned upside down. There are mini, leather jackets, jeans, T-shirts, lace underwear and again France dictates fashion. French designers have achieved incredible success, which makes their creations unusually expensive, but exclusive and original.

In the 2000s the fashion industry is developing thanks to John Galliano, Domenica Dolce and Stefan Gabbana, Paul Smith, Donatella Versace, Karl Lagerfeld, Michael Kors, Oscar de la Renta. The modern fashion industry is a huge business that includes the production of clothing, shoes, accessories, perfumes, and cosmetics. Everything that we have today, fashion houses, modeling schools in France - all this has been formed over time and experienced historical changes. French fashion has a huge history and it continues to develop, discovering new styles. But the capital of fashion is and will be France by right!

With all this, the development of fashion opens up more and more new horizons. I just want to note that fashion is the art of imitating, and it is quite difficult to maintain one's individuality. The sense of taste is what matters! It is important to understand who you are, to be confident in yourself. In our time, it is not enough to imitate someone, now smart, energetic people who are engaged in self-education, are in harmony with themselves and are natural in their image are in fashion.

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France is a country that has been rightfully considered the trendsetter of world fashion for more than one century in a row. People for whom chic and taste are not an empty phrase, first of all look at fashion from France, following all the fashionable Parisian rules. Are there any peculiarities in French fashion? Since when does the dominance of French fashion in the global fashion industry begin? It is worth stopping at these questions and answering them in detail.

French fashion history

The concept of “fashion” has been associated with France since the reign of Louis XIV, when the country, under the control of the ruling power, began to rapidly develop the industrial industry. The French royal court therefore came to be regarded as the trendsetter of the European baroque style made possible by the production of silk fabrics and lace. Luxurious lace and silk outfits, complemented by bright decorations and skillful draperies, were an attribute of pomposity and wealth.

In more recent times, French fashion has become truly revolutionary, introducing men's clothing into women's wardrobes in the twentieth century: trousers, jackets, formal shirts and even ties. She made such a bold revolution from romanticism to modernism, forcing all women's fashion to follow a new path, known to everyone, even people far from fashion, Frenchwoman Coco Chanel.

Coco Chanel

Almost every modern woman has pants, a jacket and a little black dress in her wardrobe - Chanel's greatest creative find. No less famous fashion accessories named after her are metal jewelry and the famous quilted handbag on a chain. The same can be said about the iconic perfume of the house of Chanel.

Coco Chanel is long gone, but her business lives on, and the fashion house named after her continues to be considered one of the main houses participating in the main French fashion week in the fashion industry. Coco herself is still trying to imitate, she is quoted and inspired by her, which is completely justified, because it was this great woman who was able to so boldly and irreversibly influence the fashion of the 20th century by founding the Chanel fashion house, introducing completely new images into women's fashion. In addition to trousers and other comfortable items from the men's wardrobe, in addition to the little black dress that is universal and accessible to almost any woman, we owe it to Chanel that we owe the appearance and constant presence in fashion of small hats, tweed suits, jewelry, as an independent fashionable and prestigious world of jewelry, and even a stand tan fashion.

Dior

Another eminent French designer is Christian Dior. One of the most famous fashion designers who invented feminine dresses in the new look style and raised the concept of “French fashion” to new heights.

Dior caught women and their post-war mood, dreams and desires with all the flair of a talented master. Parisians at that time were already tired of cropped strict skirts, trousers and almost masculine jackets, so Dior's super-feminine collection was greeted with enthusiasm and enthusiasm. Bright colors, luxurious fabrics, ankle-length skirts (puffy or straight), small rounded shoulders, tight waists - everything in this new collection screamed the charm of traditional femininity. It was a new French fashion, which soon became the world.

Yves Saint Laurent

The name of one of the leading fashion designers of the 20th century, whom Christian Dior himself chose as his successor, is forever inscribed in the history of fashion.

Many of Laurent's fashion ideas are now fashion classics. So, women's tuxedos, which struck the imagination of fashionistas, later became the brand's signature business card. It was Yves Saint Laurent who suggested actively wearing women's trouser suits, high-necked sweaters, black safari-style jackets, high boots, ethnics - without all these things it is already difficult to imagine the wardrobe of a woman from any city in the world.

Of course, these are not all French fashion houses, the fashion world would not be complete without the unbearable and outrageous Gaultier, the fantasy Lacroix, the chic Pierre Cardin, the master of bags and accessories Louis Vuitton, the elegant Hubert Givenchy and many other great fashion designers.

Modern young designers

Today, the titles of “young designer” or “up-and-coming couturier” have little meaning as the fashion industry has been flooded with the names of young artists who are attempting to modernize the traditional notion of ready-to-wear. Individuals succeed. For example, who was lucky to achieve recognition in the fashion world, competently balancing between the traditions of the Balmain Fashion House and his own new youthful taste. Each fashion show of the Balmain brand is held to loud applause from the audience, and Western stars themselves offer friendship and cooperation to Rustan.

Another successful young French designer is Nicolas Ghesquière, who until 2012 worked as the art director of the Balenciaga Fashion House. Ghesquière's collections abounded in elegant silhouettes combined with geometric forms generously spiced with futuristic design. Since 2013, Nicolas Ghesquière has been the creative director of another famous brand - Louis Vuitton.

The young designer Guillaume Henri made the world fashion remember the almost forgotten fashion house Carven, giving the girls a new favorite brand for them. According to rumors, this designer was made an interesting offer to lead the next major fashion house with history - Nina Ricci.

fashion magazines

From the second half of the distant 18th century, it was in France that the first magazines specializing in fashion and everything connected with it began to appear. At that time, French fashion magazines were separate large engravings, which were hand-painted with watercolors and accompanied by a description of every fashion detail.

Modern fashion glamor originated from early French fashion publications, such as L'Officiel, published in Paris in 1921, the oldest of French fashion publications, whose publication continues to this day. In 1938, this particular magazine was the first with color photographs on the pages.

In 1937, the weekly Marie-Claire appeared in France, which also came down to contemporaries. It was an innovative publication for those times, telling not only about what world and French fashion is, but also about secular and cultural events, about health and beauty recipes, publishing letters from readers and answers to their questions, covering other important aspects of women's life . Thus, the publication was the first of a large army of women's popular magazines.

In 1945, the French magazine Elle was introduced to readers, the main content of which was articles and photographs related to fashion. The first issues of the magazine were sold out in record time, and after a couple of decades, Elle was recognized as the most widely read magazine in the world.

Street fashion

French style, which has already become notorious, is the taste that manifests itself in the style and choice of clothes and accessories among French fashionistas. At all times, he was distinguished by special sophistication and charm.

The proximity of the catwalks to haute couture, of course, leaves its mark, but not only this factor affects the special charm of French street fashion. A virtuoso mastery of the art of combining seemingly incongruous things, building a harmonious and unbanal image, is the basis of what is called French fashion and style. Wearing a warm coat with a thin T-shirt or as if taken out of a great-grandmother's chest, with an almost masculine tweed jacket, and seasoning the image with original accessories to taste, the French achieve a completely unique impression, showing the world a signature French look.

French women are Europeans to the marrow of their bones, most of them preach a commitment to European values ​​and gender equality. They are independent, make a career, and this cannot but be reflected in their appearance. Usually, French women prefer light, maximally natural makeup (and often do without it), democratic brands and calm colors of clothes. In the guise of a genuine Frenchwoman, the leitmotif is slight negligence, but not slovenliness. This negligence can only be afforded by a very well-groomed woman who knows the power of her attractiveness and has an undeniable taste. The most important thing in the appearance of a French fashionista is accessories and costume jewelry. The matched set makes a casual dress an evening one. French women are not indifferent to jewelry “with history”, they love to delve into the goods of flea markets and antique shops.

How to create a French look

The main difference between the French style and others is the absence of bright colors and variegation in clothes. Women of Provence use a skillful combination of snow-white clothes with unobtrusive cream shades and black classics. So, the usual black maxi dress, combined with well-chosen jewelry and cute details, the Frenchwoman will turn into a delightful outfit for the evening.

Dresses are a special article in the wardrobe of a true Frenchwoman. Lightweight dresses and skirts can be easily integrated into a feminine, playful and at the same time sophisticated look. French women also have straight-cut skirts and tulip skirts as the quintessence of everything that French fashion has to offer.

Clothing is not everything, to create an image you can not do without accessories. Since the time of Chanel, ladies have continued to wear hats of neat shapes and soothing colors. This season, fedora and trilby hats will be especially in demand.

Handbags French women prefer roomy, but elegant styles. Baggy bags, similar to duffel bags, are unlikely to interest them. Classic shoppers for everyday wear, an interesting clutch for going out - this is the choice of a Parisian.

France also gave us long stylish necklaces. But keep in mind that they are not very suitable for women with large breasts. The French style in jewelry is original jewelry made of metal and wood of noble varieties. They fit most looks.

The French are virtuosos of the art of creating interesting images. The resulting ensemble consists of many layers. It is complex and simple at the same time. Additions always work flawlessly on the image of the owner, and all together make up the mystery of eternal French charm. This charm, combined with democracy, makes the French style so attractive to others.

Dior (Dior) Christian Dior could not find his purpose in life for a long time.

He studied at the Diplomatic Academy in Paris, tried to keep his own art gallery, in the fashion houses "Robert Piguet» (Robert Piguet) and Lucien Lelong. Finally, in 1946, Christian Dior opened his own fashion house.

Less than a year later, he became famous all over the world: on February 12, 1947, the Dior collection "new look" (new look) made a real cultural revolution.

Interestingly, fashion historians consider Dior not so much a talented designer as a good stylist and a competent entrepreneur who guessed what to offer the public and how to sell it competently. So, the hourglass silhouette with a fluffy skirt and a wasp waist, which formed the basis of the New Look style, was not invented by Dior at all: this style was known much earlier. But Dior proposed these classic proportions “at the right time and in the right place”: in the late 40s, ladies tired of military asceticism wanted to feel fragile and elegant again.

After the death of Dior in 1957, the House was headed by his young assistant Yves Saint Laurent. Today, the Creative Director of the House is John Galliano.

GIVENCHY

Givenchy. Hubert de Givenchy is considered an aristocrat of the fashion world, not so much because of his origins, but because of the elegant style to which he was faithful throughout his career.

This style was said to be too sophisticated, and the designer was compared to a "little prince" creating his own worlds.

However, by and large, he did not create any style of Givenchy.
His main invention is the cinematic image of Audrey Hepburn, whom he met in 1953. Hepburn was then preparing to star in the film Sabrina. Designed for "Sabrina" dresses brought Hubert de Givenchy the first "Oscar" for costumes and turned Audrey into a "fashion icon".

Since then, she has become the permanent muse of the designer. So, in 1957, Givenchy dedicates his first perfume to Audrey - L "lnterdit: in the future, Givenchy House will become an active player in the perfume market.

In 1988, Hubert de Givenchy sold his house to LVMH, but retained his position as art director.

In 1996, the "little prince" leaves the world of fashion forever. Today, the tradition of the House is continued by Briton Ozwald Boateng.

YvesSaintLaurent

Yves Saint Laurent.

The offspring of an aristocratic family, Yves Saint Laurent owes a lot to his mother Lucien. It was she who noticed in a sickly boy a penchant for the profession of a designer and cultivated it in every possible way.

At the age of 19, Yves Saint Laurent entered the competition for young designers and became its winner - along with the young Karl Lagerfeld. After this victory, many doors opened before him: in particular, Christian Dior himself offered him the post of his assistant.

Yves Saint Laurent fully lived up to Dior's expectations, but his mission in fashion was completely different: if Dior's fashion was mature and elegant, then Yves Saint Laurent was always a rebel, an innovator who brought to fashion something that was not there before . He was the first to offer ladies tuxedos, trouser suits, sheer dresses and safari style. He posed naked for a commercial for his men's perfume (1971) and gave the women's perfume the provocative name Opium (1977).

Being a 100% creator, Laurent would hardly have been able to create his House without the support of a talented manager - Pierre Berger. Their collaboration began in 1961 and continued until the death of the great couturier: Yves Saint Laurent died on June 1, 2008.

LANVIN

Lanvin.
At the beginning of her professional career, Jeanne Lanvin made hats. Hats at the end of the 19th century were the main ladies' accessories, so things were going well in her hat atelier, opened in 1890.

Jeanne Lanvin soon switched to the production of women's clothing and by 1909 had already acquired her own fashion house, famous for evening dresses: romantic and richly decorated with embroidery "a la XVIII century" and extravagant - in oriental style. The oriental theme was at the height of fashion at that time, and Jeanne Lanvin, who possessed not only the talent of a designer, but also an entrepreneurial flair, never lost sight of key trends.

So, in the 30s, when wide trousers had just appeared in women's fashion, the House of Lanvin produced the famous evening “pajamas” for going out. And after the Second World War, he switched to the New Look style proposed by Christian Dior.

Fashion, among other things, owes Jeanne Lanvin one extremely useful discovery: she divided women's clothing into "adult" and "children's". Madame Lanvin was the first designer to create a full-fledged children's collection, not similar to clothes for adult women. The first to try it on was the daughter of Jeanne Lanvin - Marie Blanche. She inherited the House of Lanvin after her mother's death in 1946. Alber Elbaz is currently the head designer of the House.

CHANEL

Chanel (Chanel).
Gabrielle Boner Chanel was a great inventor all her life: she came up with not only a little black dress (1926), the first synthetic perfume in history that did not repeat the smell of a single natural plant (Chanel No. loose tweed (1954).

She also thoroughly “worked” on her biography: she added something, hid something, and, like a true woman, pushed back her date of birth by ten years.

She started her career in a women's hat shop. And her first “full-fledged” fashion house opened in the resort town of Deauville, where the “rich and famous” spent their holidays.

In 1919, she could already afford a boutique in Paris - it opened on Cambon Street (where it still stands today).

As a designer, Coco Chanel never had her head in the clouds. On the contrary, she was too "out of this world", and her ideas were primarily practical. Her main talent was the ability to "rethink" well-known things and find new uses for them. So, at her suggestion, a men's sweater became a part of women's wardrobes, cheap jewelry and an "orphan" black dress turned into an evening classic, and loose tweed became a symbol of elegance.

Gabrielle Chanel passed away on January 10, 1971. It is noteworthy that only three suits were found in her closet: a practical look at things extended to her own wardrobe.