39 Interesting French Fashion Facts You Probably Didn't Know About!
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France is a place of culture, luxury, beauty, and fashion, with Paris as its style mecca.
From Chanel to YSL, most of the major fashion brands we know, love, and wish to own have been founded by French fashion designers. From the grandeur of Louis XIV's empirical fashion to Paul Poiret's interpretations of modern fashion, which ushered in a fantastic era of haute couture, French style has always been attracted to luxury.
Paris fashion today and always has been about timelessness.
Fashion brands like Dior, Birkins, and Chanel are constantly changing the game and evolving, but their major focus has always been quality and novelty.
French fashion does not care about setting trends but about creating pieces that will be remembered for years to come, such as Dior's 'New Look' or 'Bar' outfit, Chanel's little black dress, and YSL's monogrammed shoes.
It is the ability of French brands to consistently create pieces that define fashion rather than giving in to the idea of fast fashion that has made the country a global fashion hub today, making Paris Fashion Week the most popular fashion event in today's time.
If you like this article on French and Paris fashion design, then check our other articles on French football facts and French clothing facts and share these amazing facts with everyone.
Who started French fashion?
It is usually assumed that France's affinity with fashion and style began during the reign of Louis XIV. It is fair to say that the 'Sun King,' who reigned from 1643-1715, is responsible for the French chic style. Interestingly, this was also the period during which French fashion came under the direct supervision of the royalty.
Louis Vuitton, Coco Chanel, Christian Dior, Pierre Cardin, Yves Saint Laurent are some of the biggest names in the fashion industry.
Not only are they some of the most celebrated fashion designers of our time, but they are also the French designers who birthed the opulent French fashion and made the city of Paris a name to be reckoned with in the fashion industry.
But it was not them who started the French fashion movement, the creator and pioneer in this regard was the monarch Louis XIV.
Why is French fashion important?
Fashion is an important topic in French culture and social life, as well as a major aspect of the country's economy. France has influenced us to not only put on clothing but also to wear them.
We look to French fashion for counsel and inspiration and can never deny that France is the epicenter of high fashion. Although countries in the West, such as the United States, have progressed in the fashion sector, the French grace and finesse remain ageless.
French fashion has had the most impact on the business.
Thus it is only appropriate that it is and always will be the world's fashion capital. Even though he was English, Charles Frederick Worth originated his styles in France and introduced the world to the seasonal fashion trends that we cherish today.
Many global styles and designers have been inspired by French fashion. It all started with Charles Frederick Worth and ended with Coco Chanel and her famed 'little black dress' and 'Chanel suit'.
This style did not stay in France for long; it traveled throughout Europe and across the Atlantic to America, and soon the entire world was dressed in French fashion.
French Fashion Brands
French designers are thought by many to be the best and some of the most popular in the world. France is regarded as the fashion capital only because of the contribution of fashion icons like Chanel, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Givenchy, and more.
Paris is a global fashion hub. The city is home to many celebrity designers who are invested in haute couture to affordable luxury, including Chanel, Christian Dior, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Louis Vuitton, Givenchy, Balmain, Lanvin, Chloé, Rochas, Yves Saint Laurent, Thierry Mugler, Hermès, Celine, Christian Louboutin, Pierre Cardin, and Roger Vivier.
French Fashion History
The French fashion business has a long history of being both stylistically and technically inventive, dating back to the 17th century, French fashion was born from the court of Louis XIV and furthered by fashion icons like Marie Antoinette.
With the emergence of haute couture – tailoring clothing to a specific client – and the inauguration of the great courtier houses in the 19th century, France confirmed its love of fashion. Charles Frederick Worth, an Englishman, was the first to operate a store on Paris's rue de la Paix, followed by Jacques Doucet, Paul Poiret, and Madeleine Vionnet.
Coco Chanel's fashion firm, the most well-known of the fashion houses, was founded in Paris in the early 20th century.
During the Second World War, Chanel and other designers closed their storefronts due to German occupation. As a result, France's fashion sector suffered greatly.
After years of rationing and ensuing textile shortages, high fashion resurfaced, thanks to Christian Dior's 'new look,' which became an iconic figure in postwar women's fashion. In the '60s, the growth of young culture in 'swinging London' posed the greatest challenge to the French design industry.
Mary Quant, a British designer, led the way, rejecting traditional Parisian clothing in favor of more daring styles. However, it was the efforts of a youthful Yves Saint Laurent in the late '60s that helped Paris restore its fashion crown.
The Most Popular Fashion in France
Fashion is ever-changing and evolving. New trends die out only for old trends to make revivals.
Every era in Paris and the French fashion industry has brought something new to our plate. The 17th century gave birth to classicism that featured men with enormous and fancy wigs, brocades, and lace. The 18th century paved the way for new classicism, which focused on a patriotic way of dressing with pins and a more natural look.
The 19th century saw the rise of empire style where men and women both began to dress more freely and provocatively. The final years of the 19th century and early 20th century were the time when haute couture came into existence, thanks to French designer Paul Poiret.
Finally, the Second World War saw the emergence of the new look or the modern look fashion products, which has been growing and evolving since the '60s.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for 39 interesting French fashion facts you probably didn't know about! then why not take a look at French art facts, or French culture facts.
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