An Exploration of the Historical Development of

1
An Exploration of the Historical Development of
Haute Couture in France
Jamie Arnold
2
What is Haute Couture?

• Haute couture is a one-of-a-kind design that is
  made specifically for buyers of French and
  foreign dress shops as well as private customers.
• Haute couture replaced couture a facon, which is
  dressmaking for the individual.
• But haute couture is not to be confused with
  pret-a-porter, which is ready-made clothing.

3

• Who Started Haute Couture in the Fashion
  Industry? Who Were Some of the really influential
  Fashion Designers?

4
Charles Frederick Worth

• Charles Frederick Worth initiated haute couture
• First Designer to develop and produce the final
  product of womens clothing
• Set the tone for high fashion during the latter
  half of the 19th century
• Brought Paris Fashion home to America

5

• Born in 1826 in England.
• At age 12, Worth began working at
• Allenbys, which was the largest
• fabric store in London at the time.
• Left London for Paris in 1846 at age
• 20 where he began working at Gagelins
• on the rue de Richelieu. They sold
• shawls, ready-made coats, and fabrics.
• Worth believed that customers should
• be able to choose what fabrics and trims
• would be added to their garments.

6

• He began designing dresses for his wife so that
  when customers came to the shop, they would be
  astonished and want the same thing.
• Worth became so successful because customers were
  so intrigued, that the firm Gagelin and Opige,
  created a dressmaking workroom for him.
• In the late 1850s, the Worths opened their own
  business on the rue de la Paix.

7
(No Transcript)
8
Paul Poiret

• Was born in 1879
• Began his career at the House of Worth
• He understood the importance of costuming famous
  actresses that were in major stage productions.
• Between 1898 and 1900, he designed costumes for
  Gabrielle Rejane in Zaza and for Sarah Bernhardt
  in Laiglon, in which she played a young son of
  Napoleon 1.
• Throughout his career he used the theatre to
  promote his designs.
• He dominated the world of couture between 1907
  and the first World War.

9

• Poirets work was criticized by the press because
  cubism, contemporary music, and other avant-garde
  demonstrations were called Germanic and
  barbarian, during the time of the War.
• The fact that his creations were favorites in
  Germany was used to prove his sympathy for the
  enemy.
• WW1 brought many changes to the couture. Poiret
  and other designers were drafted into the
  military, and their houses were closed.
• Many weavers and silk industry clients were
  called into the army.

Gabrielle Rejane
Sarah Bernhardt
10
Gabrielle Chanel
11

• Born in 1883 in France
• She received the nickname Coco because as a
  young girl, she would rise at the crack of dawn
  to go horseback riding. She was called Mlle.
  Cocorico (Cockadoodle).
• She taught women to dare to wear fake jewelry
  because she herself did, which will probably
  continue forever.
• One day when she felt cold, she put on a polo
  sweater, and so the idea of using jersey for
  feminine clothes was born in her mind.
• During the War, fashion began to simplify.
  Extravagant decorations began to seem
  inappropriate.

12

• Many French and English Aristocrats had been
  killed in the battles of WW1, and the postwar
  cycles of depression and inflation created
  instability and financial uncertainty.
• The Fashion industry took a hit because of these
  economical factors which allowed Chanel
  popularity because of the simplicity in her
  designs.

13
Why is France known for its Haute Couture?

• The garments are custom-made, not mass-produced
  like in the U.S. There is so much work and
  creativity that is put into the actual garment,
  which makes it so inspiring and cherished.
• The whole world awaits for the new Paris fashions
  to trickle down to their local malls and
  boutiques.
• Manufacturers all over the world will do whatever
  it takes the minute they hear what color will be
  fashionable and what fabric will be in trend.

14
What is a Fashion House?

• A fashion house or couture house is headed by a
  top designer where new fabrics, trims, etc. are
  discussed.
• Manufacturers go to couture houses and present
  their new ideas to the designers.
• There are two different departments in a fashion
  house
• The flou, which is the dressmaking department and
  the tailleur, which is the tailoring department.

15
Some of the Jobs/Outcomesof being a Fashion
Designer
16
Charles Frederick Worth
Empress Eugenie

• The House of Worths dressmakers began serving
  the Empress Eugenie, the wife of Napoleon III, in
  1860, once she had heard of Worths
  accomplishments.
• The Empress had the House of Worth appointed as
  the court dressmaker in 1860.
• After this, the Worths acclaimed international
  success.
• Worth died in 1895, at the age of 71.

17
Paul Poiret

• Poiret dressed stars like Marthe Brandes, Theo,
  Mary Garden, and Reishenberg. He also worked for
  the House of Worth.
• Poiret began his own House at 5, rue Auber.
• He established the School of Decorative Arts
  which he named Martine.
• He created the minaret skirt and a vogue for
  harem skirts.

Mary Garden
18
Harem-skirt
19
Gabrielle Chanel

• Elite women of high societies around the world
  wore Chanel when she revolutionized haute
  couture. She designed stage costumes for the
  plays Cocteaus Antigone (1923) and Oedipus Rex
  (1937) and film costumes for several movies.

20
Where did these designers look for inspiration?

• Chanel found inspiration in mens clothing.
• Worth had been involved in retail businesses for
  many years and grew tired of the same boring
  apparel.
• Poiret was inspired by Russian peasant art and
  Oriental designs

21
(No Transcript)
22

    

• Is located at 102, rue du Faubourg St. Honore,
  Paris, France.
• The purpose of this Syndicale is rarely
  understood by the common people.
• There are over 900 members, but they are divided
  into categories.
• The Syndicale represents all member
  establishments on law, taxes, and on every other
  question of employment.

They will take care of any problem presented
to them by the firms. Its most important role
is its educational one. The Ministry of
National Education founded the Chambre Syndicale
school in 1929, which ensures training for every
boy and girl in France who shows particular
interest in needle trades or allied arts
23
What type of Schooling is Offered to
FashionDesigners?

• Both public and private schools in France teach
  sewing, millinery, and other crafts.
• The schooling of these categories is mandatory.
• In May of each year, the childrens work is
  observed to see if they qualify to continue their
  studies.
• Those students who do, are accepted to the
  Chambre Syndicale school if they choose to go.

24

• The 1st year of schooling revolves around
  learning sewing techniques which are all critical
  to the success of a garment.
• The 2nd year consists of learning how to
  construct actual garments.
• The 3rd year students focus their attention on
  womens tailoring and draping where they become
  experts in sewing and can basically create
  excellent results with the use of any fabric

25

• http//video.style.com/?fr_story87d7fae4146be7373
  15b5badf197567922e27982rfbm

26
Works Cited
www.style.com
Couture Culture
Dressmakers of France
From Paris to Providence Fashion, Art, and the
Tirocchi Dressmakers