Fashion
as we know of it today would not be the same without the influence of its
Italian designers on the global scene. The 11th century saw the
beginning of fashion in Italy. Rome, Milan, Florence were the fashion capitals
of the country at that time. Milan is to date the biggest fashion capital of
the world. Showcasing runway shows in Milan is even today considered a
prestigious affair.
The
fashion scene in Italy began in the 1950’s when Giovanni Battista Giorgini showcased a fashion show that was
deemed a huge success. He opened the doors of his palace for the fashion show,
where a variety of his works were showcased. The guests included the nobility
of the region like counts, princesses etc who because of their education and
background could afford and understand fashion. The items of clothing were worn
by these rich and the famous people of society mainly in the confines of their
homes and at social events. Designing
comprised of tailoring robes and capes that was at that time worn by both men and women. It could be clearly sad
that fashion then was a status symbol.
Haute couture meaning high fashion and
avant-garde meaning anything diverse and experimental in art were terms that
were first used in Italy. Today almost all high fashion houses not only in
Italy but even France have the Haute Couture attached to their brand
names. Gucci, Versace, Prada, Bulgari
were some of the labels that introduced the world to haute couture, later other
brands like Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent etc followed course. Haute Couture is a
special line of clothing that is custom made and exquisite. In the 60’s and
70’s with the boom of industries the fashion became more accessible to the
masses, everyone started dressing up stylishly. The exclusive haute couture
that was limited only to the crème d’la crème of society gave way to
prêt-a-porter meaning ready to wear. This was more affordable as were they
easily accessible by all classes of society.
While fashion was being revolutionized
in Italy there were other countries across the world that were beginning to
bring fashion to the forefront, some of them were France, Great Britain and the
USA. However the fashion in Italy was a
class apart from the rest. Today Italy along with its luxury clothing designers
is also home to some of the big designers making handbags and shoes, they are Ermenegildo
Zegna, Tusardi etc.
In the beginning of the 20th century however Paris picked up pace and
became the new fashion capital of the
world. Italy soon began competing with French fashion house like Chanel,
Christian Dior and Yves Saint Laurent. However soon the French the lost its
monopoly and was replaced by more modern fashion designers like Calvin Klein,
Tommy Hilfiger from the USA.
It was after Paris’s loss of
market globally and its replacement with American designers in the 1950’s that
Italy once again became prominent in the global fashion arena. It came to be
recognized more for its ‘art of the craft’ or ‘atelier’ as the Italians would
call it. Even
today the most exquisite shoes are handbags are made in Italy and are
considered the best in quality.
Italian fashion also began to explode
internationally. In the USA there was inspiration being drawn from Italian
designers and their work. The work of Great Italian designers like Ferragamo,
Gucci, Valentino, Versace etc soon started becoming part of mainstream American
cinema.
A ‘Made in Italy’ tag on clothes, shoes
and jewelry is even today considered a sign of luxury and of being the best in
quality. Today Italian fashion house hold their own and compete with major
fashion stores from USA and France. Italian craftsmanship, style and luxury are
what give meaning to the ‘Made in Italy’ label and gives it a more of a
competitive edge in the world market.
Trishann Henriques
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