David Nezelek
Cibbuano
TyronneFashion In The 1940's
March 17th 2007 01:14
You could argue that French fashion has always been elegant, even in the war years.
From the time when King Louis IV used the gorgeous gilded cage of Versailles to reduce feudal nobles to elegant, and impoverished, fashion mannequins. When King George I of England was at war with France, he still had to order bridal gowns for his future daughter-in-law from Paris.
Ironically, it was an Englishmen named Charles Frederick Worth who is credited with the origin of haute couture. There is a story that the Empress Eugenie, spouse of Napoleon III , was ordered by her husband to wear a dress designed by Worth, which she felt made her look like a curtain.
But, as a result of her (sacrifice) wearing the dress, the number of looms in production were doubled, and Lyon's silk-weaving industry boomed.
However, haute couture took a back seat to World War II.
But, the beautiful Ingrid Bergman personified every women's hope of how she looked in spare minimalism clothing.
After the Nazi's invaded France they wanted to move haute couture to Berlin. According to Really Long Link
"When World War II war began in 1939, Dior served as an officer for the year until France’s surrender. He joined his father and a sister on a farm in Provence until he was offered a job in Paris by the couturier Lucien Lelong, who was lobbying the Germans to revive the couture trade. Dior spent the rest of the War dressing the wives of Nazi officers and French collaborators.
"France emerged from World War II in ruins. Half a million buildings were destroyed. Clothes, coal and food were in short supply. Yet there were ample opportunities for new business ventures and fashion was no exception. Dior was invited by a childhood friend from Granville to revive Philippe et Gaston, a struggling clothing company owned by Marcel Boussac, the “King of Cotton” with an empire of racing stables, newspapers and textile mills.
"Boussac met Dior and listened to his theory that the public was ready for a new style after the War. Dior’s description of a luxurious new look with a sumptuous silhouette and billowing skirts had an obvious appeal to a man who owed his wealth to selling large quantities of fabric. Boussac agreed to launch the new couture house in style with a then-unprecedented budget of FFr60 million. Jacques Rouët, a young civil servant, was appointed as its administrator. The house of Dior and its 85 employees moved into a modest mansion at 30 Avenue Montaigne which was decorated in Dior’s favourite colours of white and grey."
Now, haute couture is a matter of law in France. And, though fashion is border less now in our world, there is no denying the pleasure to be taken from the French contribution.
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