Hey everyone! I’m back at it again with another blog about something that interests and terrifies me, and that’s the world of designer fashion! If you look at me on any given day you may think “is that a gremlin or a person?” and to that I say probably gremlin. Alas! Fashion is an interesting subject because, like art, styles and trends are ever changing, whether it’s the professional look of Chanel, or the whimsical bags of Betsy Johnson there is something of interest when it comes to these expensive wares.
When did this idea of designer fashion begin? There is no real answer, but we can look towards a man named Charles Frederick Worth 1825-1895 for an idea. Worth, dubbed the “Father of Haute Couture,” began his career as a textile merchant when he worked for the Gagelin textile firm. While there, Worth eventually established a dressmaking department for the company, using this opportunity to raise the reputation of the firm. He went on to win awards at the 1851 Great Exhibition in London, and the 1855 Exposition Universelle in Paris. Historically, during this time period the Second Empire was becoming established in France and brought with it a wave of demands for luxury goods and textiles. Napoleon III’s wife Empress Eugenie became the fashion icon of France, and her patronage of Worth only raised his growing popularity. Worth was known to showcase his designs on live models at the House of Worth where patrons could pick the designs they liked and have them tailor made in his workshop, while still creating one-of-a-kind pieces for his more elite clientele like Empress Eugenie. Not only did Worth aggressively self-promote his work, but his name appeared within ordinary fashion magazines spreading his name further amongst the common people. He even went as far as to create lines of ready to wear fashion targeted at middle class Americans and a somewhat scandalous move.
By the early 1900’s other fashion houses began to follow Worth’s example and sell ready to wear clothing, but it wasn’t until 1929 that Chanel officially began to sell ready to wear fashion from their salons. Until the mid-20th century, haute couture began to decline as interest in ready-made clothing began to rose. This led to a shift in design approach, Yves Saint Laurent took to the streets for inspiration from pop culture to draw in the younger middle-class market. From there designer fashion began to rise in popularity once more, and like art, they have become collector’s pieces.
If you’re still excited from the last couture auction, be sure to check out our next online Couture auction on October 24th, where we’ll be offering even more designer bags, shoes, clothing, and accessories!
