Many of us are using this downtime as an opportunity to teach ourselves a new skill or reconvene with one that got long lost behind the everyday hustle. Many others are simply finding sources to up their knowledge about topics pertaining to their professions or interests and even those beyond. So for all of you, who find themselves fascinated with the finery of fashion, we thought, why not give you a quick yet insightful evolutionary tour through the archives of fashion – an industry that has stood the test of time. After all, in fashion, you’re only as good as your knowledge of the industry’s past. So, the next time someone says that the 80s or 90s are making a comeback, you’ll know exactly what to expect and what styles to trace back to!
Here’s how it all started…
As you would imagine, at the dawn of mankind, clothing was just a basic necessity. Just something to cover ourselves for protection and thus the materials used were also very basic. But later on as man began to understand himself better and as class distinctions became more pronounced among the human race, clothing or rather costumes started becoming more serious. For example, the wealthy Greek would wrap themselves in purple lined togas to set themselves apart from those with a lower social status. Speaking of togas, some even suggest that the traditional Indian saree finds its origin in this Greek garment.
Another factor that heavily dictated the choice of clothing and fabrics were the regions that the humans resided in. For instance, linen was first found in Egypt simply because the weather there was too dry and warm for leather. So as an alternative, they produced a unique fabric from the flax that grows abundantly around Nile which came to be known as linen. It was similar to cotton but only better with its subtle shine and softness.
To suffice, every wearable invented before the 1850s was purely for utility and anything after that was all about extravagance introduced by the bourgeoisie of Europe. It comes as no surprise then that even today the Europeans take pride in their position as the pioneers of the fashion industry.
From 1850 to 1900
The firsts of 1850s brought with it the crinoline which happens to be the primitive version of the mesh can-cans that are commonplace in our lehengas and gowns today. The purpose remains the same – increasing the volume of the skirt by manifolds. This was also an iconic era for corsets as their shapes and forms were largely experimented upon. They proved to be the rough sketch of the bustiéres and corsages we wear today. Fur, during this period, found its way into fashion for the first time, care of the bourgeoisie women. Towards the end, jersey dresses started taking centre stage. The era finally culminated in the in the noteworthy launch of the fashion bible ‘Vogue’ in 1892.
The 1900s and 1910s
Popularly known as the Edwardian era, the period came to be known for its exaggerated ruffled collars and leg of mutton sleeves. This era also gifted the fashion industry with Paul Poiret, one of the most celebrated fashion influencers of the past. Inspired by orientalism, he introduced what we today know as the ‘harem pants’. He was also credited with the invention of the pinafore dresses. There was also the hobble skirt which would later evolve into the pencil skirt that we love so much today! However due to the rationing of clothing impeded by World War I the progress of fashion industry was hampered considerably. But this didn’t this didn’t stop the first hints of androgyny from surfacing as women started taking to office while men were out at the warfront. Burberry, during this period, paved its way into the fashion industry with their trench coats which at the time were created for utilitarian purposes but later became iconic. The now popular V-neckline was also invented during this era. Lastly but most importantly, Charles Frederick Worth began to establish himself as the ‘father of haute couture’ as he injected many firsts in the industry along with revolutionizing the business of fashion – for instance the curation of the first fashion show with real models.
The roaring 20s
The 1920s or the roaring twenties may have become symbolic of its jazz and Charleston obsession but this was also the era that brought to the fore some of the most trailblazing names in fashion such as ‘Coco’ Chanel among Elsa Schiaparelli and Madeline Vionnet! ‘Coco’ Chanel a name synonymous with suave elegance was, still is, the flagbearer of androgyny at its best. She popularized the little black dress or the LBD among so many other legendary designs over the years. We say popularized because the real inventor of it was Jean Patou, another talented innovator of the 20s and Madame Chanel’s biggest rival. Miss Schiaparelli inspired by the surrealism of the fabled artist Salvatore Dali engineered some of the most eccentric dresses and hats along with working class clothes for women – the first of its kind. Madeline Vionnet on the other hand, exhibited the expertise in her craft by introducing the handkerchief hemline.
The stylish 30s
The 1930s earned the moniker of being stylish for its backless clothing that was introduced by the elite of the society which later, thanks to the trickle-down-theory, became popular among the middle-class too. Naturally, backless swim suits also started surfacing for the first time at this point. As the decade inched towards its end, Du Pont, an American fabric conglomerate launched their newly found material, nylon for the first time. The fashion industry was also introduced to Nina Ricci, the epitome of designing talent of this time. It’s important to bear in mind the inventions of this era for you will observe many of these styles resurfacing in reinvented forms once again during the 50s.
The 40s
The beginning of this era was a particularly grim period for the fashion industry on account of World War II. The industry took a backseat in totality. Major fashion houses like Chanel had to shut shops however few others such as Lanvin, Balenciaga and Ricci continued to do business but on a very small scale. Utility clothing was at the core of women’s wardrobes and they had to make do with whatever was available. They started wearing their husband’s trousers to work. This was also the period when overalls started to be seen as a fashionable item which we now know by its variants like jumpers, rompers and jumpsuits. Can you imagine a world where Paris was not the fashion capital of the world? We can’t either but during WWII the Nazis tried to shift base of the fashion industry to Germany. Luckily, Lucille Lelong intervened and brought that plan to a halt. Finally, once the war met its end, the golden period of fashion began! The bikini got invented in France by two gentlemen called Jacques Heimm and Louis Reard in 1946. Micheline Bernadini was the first woman to wear it though the bikini wasn’t publicly worn much later until the 60s. In the following year, the fashion world rejoiced as Christian Dior spearheaded into the industry with his famous Dior slit and A-line cuts. Another important name to from this period is Pierre Balmain known for his opulent and boldly feminine designs.
The conservative 50s
The 1950s were truly conservative as the fashion became more sophisticated than ever before, drawing cues from the 30s which were all about elegance and class. This decade saw an uprising of Italian designers, Emilio Pucci being one of the most revered names. He swished in like a breath of fresh air with his plethora of daunting colors and geometric designs amidst the otherwise drab ensembles that everyone was creating at the time. This was also the era that saw two of the greatest film stars transform into fashion icons. They were – the doe-eyed Audrey Hepburn and a true siren Marilyn Monroe. Hepburn taught us all about the importance of LBDs, pearls and personifying while Monroe became known for her body positivism and sexy appeal in fashion.
The swinging 60s
This era saw a rampant growth in fashion industry due to various advancements in technology. New materials such as PVC, polyester and acrylics were introduced. The mini skirt was invented by Mary Qaunt which the youth was quickly accepted world over. Yves Saint Laurent made his first foray as an individual designer with his own boutique after parting ways with Dior where he worked for a long time. Meanwhile another fashion powerhouse was emerging by the name of Monsieur Hubert de Givenchy. Both of these French talents made their presence known with their erstwhile contributions to the industry. Another significant change that took place during this era was the introduction of Ready-To-Wear lines that most haute couture designers were now moving to. Fun fact: haute couture means every rib and bone of the outfit is put together by hands, even the most intricate embroideries making it a one-of-kind work of art. As opposed to machines which is the preferred choice of production tool in case of RTW clothing. Today, there is an exclusive group of only about two thousand elite women around the world who can afford to own haute couture pieces.
The 70s
This decade saw the rise of the Hippie subculture and that marked the beginning of Bohemian fashion. This era, according to the fashion insiders was the least favoured of them all. They would also go as far as calling it the anti-fashion era due to its haphazard fads and trends that vanished just as quickly as they emerged. The retro vibe was also reinvented during this period. But the noteworthy point during this era was that people started dressing up as a means of individual expression, very much like today and that blurred many lines in the industry. There were just no rules; everyone expressed their individuality through the medium of clothing. Japanese designers like Issey Miyake and Kenzo Takada made way into the fashion scenes of Europe. Punk fashion was at its peak on the streets of London thus giving way to rebellious anarchist slogan tee’s introduced by Vivienne Westwood. Lycra was invented by Du Pont during this era. Psychedelic prints, tie and dye, bell bottoms, peasant blouses, maxi-dresses and ponchos are all a product of this era.
The 80s
The 1980s threw dramatic curveballs at the fashion industry. With Madame Chanel gone, the reigns of her fashion house changed hands with Karl Ottoman Lagerfeld who continued creatively head the house until his sad demise in 2019. Talented designers like Thierry Mugler and Azzedine Alaïa were the new faces of fashion. Power dressing became the mantra of the 80’s. However Franco Moschino thought otherwise and introduced his eccentric collections with the most avant-garde designs. Suddenly there was a boom of designers – from Gianni Versace, Giorgio Armani, Rei Kawakubo to Yohji Yamamoto, Donna Karen, Jean Paul-Gaultier and John Galliano, this era saw the birth of one iconic designer after the other. This was also the time Lady Diana became iconoclastic with her monochrome head-to-toe looks and sheer elegant dressing – no wonder Monsieur Dior named one of his most popular bags after her. Speaking of icons, the musical maestro, Madonna popularized cone-bras, navel-baring mini-skirts and Gap jeans among mainstream culture.
The naughty 90s
This decade marked the end of evolution of fashion of sorts as everything after this was just the reinvention of some or the other styles that were seen before during all the previous decades. The decade earned its name as the naughties because it was the age of liberalism and the influx of many avant-garde designers in the industry – Martin Margiela, Helmut Lang, Xuly-Bet to name a few. The era was basically a deconstructive mélange of all the trends from the 60s, 70s and 80s. If you are a fan of the iconic sitcom Friends (who isn’t?) or if you have watched the movie ‘Clueless’ you will easily be able to trace out the trends of the time. Oversize sweatshirts, relaxed silhouettes, stylish sports-wear, turtle necks, cargo pants, plaid co-ordinates et al defined this decade. This was also the decade when under the direction of Tom Ford, Gucci reached its apex while Miuccia Prada rose to power singlehandedly turning around the fate of her grandfather’s legacy, Prada.