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Paris, the heart of world fashion

Fictional heroines, from Sex and the City to Gossip Girl to Emily in Paris, have been illustrating this for decades: when it comes to fashion, Paris is absolutely unavoidable, with its star-studded Fashion Week, its undisputed expertise in luxury and its exceptional concentration of designers. The French capital's reign dates back to at least the 18th century and has since been followed by London, New York. Milan, Amsterdam and Tokyo.

History question

  • For Louis XIV, nothing was more important than his appearance, especially to impress his enemies. The Sun King asked the best tailors to dress him and the nobles of his court.
  • The first haute couture house was created in 1858 by Charles Frederick Worth. A true pioneer in the world of fashion, it was he who introduced the fashion shows and the collection system.
  • In 1910, more than 300,000 fashion designers coexisted. The city dominated its competitors, with buyers from all over the world coming to shop.
  • Emblematic of French know-how, haute-couture was awarded the label in 1945, but since the 19th century it has benefited from a Parisian environment focused on luxury, with its department stores (the Bon Marché was founded in 1852), its palaces and its numerous jewelers.
  • After the First World War, fashion accounted for 15% of French exports.
  • The 20th century brings innovation and revolution into women's wardrobes! Yves-Saint Laurent designed the women's trouser suit and invented the miniskirt, Coco Chanel also designed a suit for women and her mythical tweed jacket, while Jean Paul Gaultier launched the Marinière (the striped sailor top), its essential signature who became an emblem of France in the world.

Today, 16 Haute Couture houses benefit from this demanding label of:

  • Create original models (designed by the house's permanent couturier) and hand-make them in a dedicated atelier,
  • Take part in at least 2 fashion shows a year (with a minimum of 25 models).
  • Be sponsored by another fashion house.

These include Chanel, Givenchy, Christian Dior, Alexis Mabille and Martin Margiela.

Although these houses sometimes have boutiques in the capital, they never exhibit their creations there, which are only made to order and made-to-measure for, say, movie stars' red carpets or pop stars' shows.

 

Please note that one of the most stimulating shapes for fashion designers is the serpentine cut, which mirrors the feminine silhouette with its “s”-shaped undulation. Directly inspired by the reptile, this shape also stimulates the creativity of the aptly named Snake Elegance brand of fashion accessories and snake jewelry.
Ideal for stylishly embellishing a beautiful piece of haute couture.

Despite the rise of other cities in this historically French discipline, Paris remains the paradise for fashionistas by continuing to attract the biggest names in haute couture.
The film "The Devil Wears Prada" and the regular visits of Anna Wintour will not deny it.

 

Speaking of global fashion ambassadors (but fictional this time), how about taking on the role of Carrie Bradshaw from "Sex and the City" for a tailor-made tour?

Between two secrets on the history of this unique sector, you'll enjoy a gpurmande break in a café before following in the footsteps of the latest series heroine to renew the myth of Parisian so chic, Emily in Paris.

 

Aphélie from Comme des Français

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