Fashion — Haute Couture & Prêt-à-porter
Paris has been the fashion capital of the world since the 17th century — and this title is by no means just historical. The Paris Fashion Week is still the most important event in the industry, the largest fashion houses in the world are based here, and the French state protects fashion as a cultural asset.
The Haute Couture (high sewing) is a legally protected term: Only houses approved by the French Ministry of Industry and meeting strict criteria (hand-sewn, at least 15 full-time seamstresses, two shows per year) may call themselves that. Today, there are only about 15 official couture houses — including Chanel, Dior, Givenchy, Jean Paul Gaultier, and Schiaparelli.
The Icons
- Coco Chanel (1883–1971) — freed women from the corset, invented the "Little Black Dress", the Chanel suit, the Chanel handbag (2.55), and Chanel N°5. She made fashion both democratic and elegant
- Christian Dior (1905–1957) — his "New Look" of 1947 (narrow waist, wide skirt, round shoulders) defined post-war fashion and restored Paris's fashion status
- Yves Saint Laurent (1936–2008) — revolutionized fashion with the tuxedo for women (Le Smoking, 1966), brought Prêt-à-porter (ready-to-wear) into Haute Couture, and made fashion street art
- Hubert de Givenchy — dressed Audrey Hepburn and created the epitome of elegant simplicity
- Karl Lagerfeld (1933–2019) — the Franco-German fashion emperor led Chanel for over 36 years and made the house the most profitable luxury company in the world
France also dominates the luxury industry: The group LVMH (Louis Vuitton, Dior, Givenchy, Fendi, Bulgari, Tiffany) under Bernard Arnault is the most valuable luxury company in the world. Kering (Gucci, Saint Laurent, Balenciaga) and Hermès follow. The luxury sector generates over 150 billion euros in revenue and employs over a million people in France, directly and indirectly.
For fashion enthusiasts: The Musée Yves Saint Laurent in the former atelier on Avenue Marceau and the Palais Galliera (Musée de la Mode de la Ville de Paris) are must-visits. In the Marais (3rd/4th Arrondissement), independent designers and concept stores are concentrated.
