This period, as Cecil Beaton said, was "sandwiched between two world wars, between Poiret's harem and Dior's New Look, two women dominated the field of haute couture-Schiaparelli and Chanel."
The Age of Schiaparelli & Chanel
Unfortunately, Paul Poiret's house had to close in 1929 due to financial difficulties and he was soon forced into poverty and forgotten for the time being. However, in his place rose other European designers who would soon rise to the top of the fashion world. Coco Chanel launched her "little black dress" in 1929 which was described by American Vogue as, "The Chanel Ford-the frock that all the world will wear." As well as couture, Chanel designed for the Parisian woman who desired easy-to-wear day clothes that were simple, yet had an air of understated luxury. Chanel designed what would still be stable pieces in the closets of women today. Below are 3 examples of Chanel's LBD.
Christian Berard, Chanel Designs, Vogue, July 1937.
Around this time, sportswear became essential in the fashion world. Designers such as Jean Patou, Lucien Lulong, Jane Regny, and Jeanne Lanvin designed clothes for the world of sports, yachting, sailing, skiing, tennis, etc. Below are illustrations for these designs.
Elsa Schoaparelli was Chanel's biggest rival. Her first design, a close-fitting black sweater with a white trompe l'oeil bow, was spotted by an American buyer, thus the start to her dazzling career had begun. Like the above mentioned designers, she sold sweaters and novelty sportswear items in her first store, Pour Le Sport in Paris. She began to play around with mundane items and turned them into high fashion such as lollipop buttons, padlock belt buckles, balloon shaped bags, and suits that resembled chests of drawers. Schiaparelli's designs included shapely waisted suits with squared, padded shoulders echoed her philosophy about fashion,"clothes should be architectural; that the body must never be forgotten and it must be used as a frame is used in building." Below is a portrait of Elsa Schiaparelli.
Schiaparelli was associated with artists like Salvador Dali, Jean Cocteau, and Christian Berard.
Madaleine Vionnet
Madaleine Vionnet was another couturier who designed more architectural pieces. She actually was the inventor of the bias cut, which style replaced the tubular dresses that concealed the figure of the early 20s and dressing feminine became popular again. Hemlines dropped and emphasis on the waist became present. There was also an emphasis on the hips and shoulders. Below is an illustration of one of Vionnet's evening wraps.
That's all for now! Part 2 will be posted shortly!
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