Essay --

Introduction- Fashion is richly embedded in the history and culture in France. The country is the home of many famous designers, and is credited with creating the concepts haute couture and prà ªt-à  -porter; two core segments of the fashion industry. Today Paris, Milan, London, and New York are the â€Å"Big Four† fashion capitals in the world. While France is well known to be the oldest fashion empire in the world, with expansion of the industry, is it still considered the leader? 1) History of Fashion in France A quote by American poet, Allen Ginsberg says, â€Å"You can’t escape the past in Paris, and yet what’s so wonderful about it is that the past and present intermingle so intangibly that it doesn’t seem to burden.† In order to truly understand the large role that fashion plays in a culture where the past is such a large part of the present, one must learn about its deep history and evolution. The first time clothing was seen as more than a practicality, and closer to a status symbol was during the reign of King Louis XIV. King Louis XIV, also known as Louis the Great or the Sun King, was a monarch of the House of Bourbon and ruled as King of France and the Kingdom of Navarre from 1643 until his death in 1715. He was known for adorning himself in silk, diamonds, and artisanal shoes and jackets (Fashion and Power). He used these items of luxury to control and express his power to France, its residents, and the rest of Europe. Shortly after Louis XIV’s death, Louis XVI came into power. King Louis XVI’s wife, Marie Antoinette was also a pioneer in the French fashion culture. As the Queen of France from 1774-1792, her life was full of extravagance and luxury and she wanted her fashion to be representative of her lifestyle. In fact, she w... ...businesses reviewed annually to preserve the reputation of such a prestigious association. Chambre syndicale Du Prà ªt-à  -porter des Couturiers et des Crà ©ateurs de Mode is a group made up of haute couture houses and fashion designers who design women’s ready-to-wear fashion, and the Chambre syndicale de la Mode Masculine is a group exclusively for men’s fashion. Since 1935 the Fà ©dà ©ration’s headquarters have been located at 100 rue de Faubourg Saint Honorà © in Paris’s 8 arrondissement; in the heart of the city where it all began. Combined, the three trade organizations have over 100 corporate members. A unique quality of the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture and the Chambre syndicale Du Prà ªt-à  -porter des Couturiers et des Crà ©ateurs de Mode, is that it accepts international members as well. This is said to reflect the quickly expanding globalization of the industry. Essay -- Introduction- Fashion is richly embedded in the history and culture in France. The country is the home of many famous designers, and is credited with creating the concepts haute couture and prà ªt-à  -porter; two core segments of the fashion industry. Today Paris, Milan, London, and New York are the â€Å"Big Four† fashion capitals in the world. While France is well known to be the oldest fashion empire in the world, with expansion of the industry, is it still considered the leader? 1) History of Fashion in France A quote by American poet, Allen Ginsberg says, â€Å"You can’t escape the past in Paris, and yet what’s so wonderful about it is that the past and present intermingle so intangibly that it doesn’t seem to burden.† In order to truly understand the large role that fashion plays in a culture where the past is such a large part of the present, one must learn about its deep history and evolution. The first time clothing was seen as more than a practicality, and closer to a status symbol was during the reign of King Louis XIV. King Louis XIV, also known as Louis the Great or the Sun King, was a monarch of the House of Bourbon and ruled as King of France and the Kingdom of Navarre from 1643 until his death in 1715. He was known for adorning himself in silk, diamonds, and artisanal shoes and jackets (Fashion and Power). He used these items of luxury to control and express his power to France, its residents, and the rest of Europe. Shortly after Louis XIV’s death, Louis XVI came into power. King Louis XVI’s wife, Marie Antoinette was also a pioneer in the French fashion culture. As the Queen of France from 1774-1792, her life was full of extravagance and luxury and she wanted her fashion to be representative of her lifestyle. In fact, she w... ...businesses reviewed annually to preserve the reputation of such a prestigious association. Chambre syndicale Du Prà ªt-à  -porter des Couturiers et des Crà ©ateurs de Mode is a group made up of haute couture houses and fashion designers who design women’s ready-to-wear fashion, and the Chambre syndicale de la Mode Masculine is a group exclusively for men’s fashion. Since 1935 the Fà ©dà ©ration’s headquarters have been located at 100 rue de Faubourg Saint Honorà © in Paris’s 8 arrondissement; in the heart of the city where it all began. Combined, the three trade organizations have over 100 corporate members. A unique quality of the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture and the Chambre syndicale Du Prà ªt-à  -porter des Couturiers et des Crà ©ateurs de Mode, is that it accepts international members as well. This is said to reflect the quickly expanding globalization of the industry.