Passion pour la France

When we speak about french fashion we are thinking automatically at elegance, grace, glamor, innovation, creativity, talent - in one word haute couture.

Fashion has been an important industry and cultural export of France since the seventeenth century, and modern "haute couture" originated in Paris in the 1860s. Today, Paris, along with London, Milan, and New York City, is considered one of the world's fashion capitals, and the city is home or headquarters to many of the premier fashion houses.

The expression Haute couture is, in France, a legally protected name, guaranteeing certain quality standards.

French couture is regulated by an industry governing body, the Fédération française de la couture, du prêt-à-porter des couturiers et des créateurs de mode created in 1973, which itself consists of the Chambre Syndicale de la mode masculine (men's fashion), the Chambre syndicale du prêt-à-porter des couturiers et des créateurs de mode (ready-to-wear) and the Chambre syndicale de la haute couture (high fashion), the latter having been created in 1868. The Federation also has a fashion school, the Ecole de la chambre syndicale de la couture parisienne (created in 1928).

The Paris Fashion Week takes place twice a year after the London Fashion Week and before Milan Fashion Week. Dates are determined by the French Fashion Federation. Currently, the Fashion Week is held in the Carrousel du Louvre.

Since the seventeenth century, the headquarters for fashion houses have been traditionally situated in the quarter around the Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré. Since the 1980s, the Avenue Montaigne has, to some extent, overtaken the Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré in high fashion as well as accessories. Other areas, such as Le Marais, a traditional Jewish quarter, have also included the clothing industry.

In the end I will let you enjoy some quotes from Coco Chanel, one of the most famous french designers, who ruled over Parisian haute couture for almost six decades :

“A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous.”

“Fashion fades, only style remains the same.”

“Fashion fades, only style remains the same.”

“In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different.”

Bonne journée et soyez chic à chaque instant de votre vie!