Somehow during the youth culture that developed in the UK and America in the 1970s, French designers became less radical. They continued to create clothes but strayed away from short skirts and other trends in London and New York. Paris became associated with timeless, elegant and traditional style and it remains that way today.
They have been falling closely behind London and New York in the fast-pace world that is fashion but have recently reminded us that they are the original and powerful home of style.
The governing body of Paris fashion week are the first committee to take an official stance on the controversial ‘see now, buy now’ debate. Essentially, designers such as Burberry, Tom Ford and Tommy Hilfiger have decided that from September, they will start showing their current collections at shows.
Paris has decided to stick with the tradition of displaying collections six months in advance. This fashion week, the collections modelled are the trends for Autumn/Winter 2016. Their reasons for this include giving designers the time to create quality designs as well as upholding tradition.
Only a few months ago, France also became the first country to introduce legislation regarding the weight of models. Now models in France must get a medical cert which says they are healthy enough to work. The laws have inspired other countries and activists to call for further legislation and in recent weeks, a Californian Senator proposed the state’s first bill on the issue.
The firm stance by Paris regarding fashion is reminiscent of their glory days of the mid-twentieth century. The city was home to designers like Coco Chanel and Christian Dior. It was the background for the reinvention of dull wartime clothes and the revolution of women’s clothing.
Let’s not forget Chanel was the woman who introduced suits, trouser pants and loose-fitted tops for women, a rebellious move against the cinched-in waists and corsets that were popular at the time. Their name as the fashion capital of the world was established and it is now impossible to think of Paris without thinking of fashion, and vice versa.
Michelle Martin
Image credit: celebbuzz.com
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