"My weakness…is architecture. I think of my work as ephemeral architecture, dedicated to the beauty of the female body." Christian Dior
Inspired by the fashion giant Phantom Thread, which was released at the end of last year, today this post will lead you to experience the fashion culture of the 1950s. This film, directed by the famous American director Paul Thomas Anderson, is also the filming work of the actor Daniel Lewis. Lewis plays a mid-century London fashion designer named Reynolds Woodcock in the film.
In order to play this role, the perfectionist Lewis deliberately studied art with a costume director in New York for one year in advance. Later , he really independently copied a 50s day dress by Balenciaga to his wife. Such a professional attitude and textbook-like acting skills allow Lewis to deeply portray the image of a fashion designer in the middle of the last century in the hearts of the audience with just one expression, one look, and one posture in the film.
Different from the current mass production factory, Woodcock has a house called The House of Woodcock , where he lives, designs, and hires female workers to complete some manual sewing and embroidery work.
The House is both a show and a battlefield. The most noble princesses and princesses of the era, as well as wealthy celebrities, all gathered to customize and participate in the show party every quarter.
It can be said that being able to own a fashion house named after his surname was the highest honor and dream for all fashion designers at that time. For example, Christian Dior established The House of Dior in 1947.
Pierre Balmain established The House of Balmain in post-war France in 1945, and now it is also a famous historical attraction in France.
50's Top 5 fashion designer Christian Dior.
After the war, Christian Dior probably used his Bell Suit and Tiny Waist to redefine women's fashion more than anyone else . At that time, Princess Grace Kelly of Monaco was a big fan of this style.
Mr. Dior started his career in 1947 with his debut "New Look" . He is very serious about bringing women back to the relaxed mood and the art of seduction. During the Second World War, he observed those women who read Paris magazines, and their uncontrollable excitement when they saw cute clothes, he wanted to get them right after closing the magazine.
The Bar Suit seen here is one of Dior's most representative designs. In his debut show, it showed all the elements of "New Look": using tight-fitting vests to shape a wasp-like waistline, cushioning the hips, and accompanying skirts that are round and wide.
His concept of "returning to the urban pleasure" in New Look led the design style of that era, swept away the haze of war in people's hearts, and made him the most famous French in the world in the following short ten years.
Cristóbal Balenciaga.
The Spanish designer is an avid fan of luxury glamour, his fashion silhouette style is opposite to Dior, he does not pay attention to the waist , but his gown dress paved the way for Chanel's petticoat.
"The King is Dead." When the headline was published in the Women's Wear Daily in 1972, no one in the fashion industry would have any doubts about the people it mentions. Only a king of fashion, Christian Dior called "I have all of the master" , while Coco Chanel evaluation that he is "really a fashion designer in the positive sense ...... others just fashion designers. "
From the moment Balenciaga created his French House, his clothes have a simple imprint, sometimes with a gorgeous manner, and sometimes with a graphic elegance. He reshaped the silhouette of women in the 1950s. His tailoring is a legend . Nothing fits the body more easily than Balenciaga's suit. Once women wear his clothes, they don't want to wear any other brands.
Jacques Fath.
Fath is a French designer, known for his unique fabric choices and shapes . The post-war world was willing to accept everything with a French taste, and wealthy Americans preferred French fashion to American designers . So Jacques and his wife Geneviéve decided to use their celebrity status to go to the United States for a three-month tour. At that time, Geneviéve's wardrobe included 35 sets of day and night clothes, 17 hats, 16 pairs of shoes, 10 handbags, 4 umbrellas and many other accessories.
Later, he became famous all over the world for Moira Shearer's exquisite dress with red shoes. Fath brings a young Parisienne style, with prominent necklines and hourglass-like styles constantly emerging in the design. Fath brought Dior's New Look to the younger generation of consumers.
He can always conceive very seductive clothing for women wearing high heels to show a lively sexiness .
During his career, Jacques Fath hired several young new designers as assistants and apprentices. Most of these people later formed their own fashion houses, including Hubert de Givenchy, Guy Laroche and Valentino Garavan.
Pierre Balmain.
This Parisian designer also belongs to those who brought glory back to French fashion after World War II. His pure French elegance is the envy of all designers. Peter Sarstedt mentioned him in the song "Where do you go to my lovely", and his popularity is indeed incredible.
His " Mrs. Julie JolieMadame" style shows a conservative and elegant style of clothing.
Balmain's aristocratic clients like his luxurious ball gowns and luxurious wedding dresses. The luxurious atmosphere in his works also attracted Hollywood actresses at that time. Moreover, we can now see many shawls, which evolved from the evening dress shawls he promoted for women.
There are many other successful designers working for Pierre Balmain, including: Gerard Pipart, Baptiste Caumont, John Cavanagh and Galeries Lafayette Karl Lagerfield
Coco Chanel.
Coco Chanel remained low-key in the postwar years, focusing on high fashion. Her performance during the war was not satisfactory. However, Chanel returned to the flourishing fashion industry in 1954 with her reputation.
Although many people admired Dior’s emphasis on femininity at the time, Coco Chanel was not a big fan of Dior’s fancy dresses . She thought that his large round skirts and narrow waists made people feel that they were neither modern nor suitable for those in war. Women who survived. She wants to play an active role not only in the fashion industry but also in society as a whole, as she did after the First World War, to save and revive women's fashion.
In 1954, Coco Chanel launched this outfit as a response to "New Look". Coco Chanel used black and white for contrast on her jacket, four pockets and four small buttons in the middle of the jacket, and black trim on all edges.
Her Boxy Suit defined the more fashionable look of the late 1960s. She is very flexible to adjust the petticoat, which is especially liked by ordinary women, which is comfortable and feminine . She is really a genius.
Fashion Muse
Every designer has his own inspiration muse. The inspiration goddess of Mr. Woodcock in "The Phantom of the Seamstress" is the ordinary restaurant waitress Alma, who is also the heroine of the film. Woodcock soon brought Alma to the House of Woodcock and used her as a model to make clothing samples. Purely Alma was uneasy, but Woodcock's sister comforted her and said that Woodcock liked her figure with a lower abdomen.
In the 1950s, hailed as the peak of the industry, young designers sprung up like bamboo shoots. Then who is their muse? This includes many of the goddesses we are familiar with in the younger generation: Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor, Marilyn Monroe, and the young Queen Elizabeth II.
Givenchy's Muse, Bettina Graziani
Marilyn Monroe, a sexy movie star who became popular in the 1950s, Monroe's dressing style reflects people 's gradually open attitude towards sex at that time .
How can one miss the angel deity of "Angels in the World", Audrey Hepburn.
Hepburn has experienced several marriages in her life, but the designer Givenchy has been with her for more than 40 years. The classic costume styles that have been passed down to this day in her movies are all made by Givenchy. The first Givenchy perfume "Taboo" launched by Givenchy in 1958 was inspired by Audrey Hepburn.
There was also Queen Elizabeth II who was on standby for a long time, who was still a young girl at that time. No one's wardrobe is more difficult to operate than hers. Each of her outfits has been carefully proofread and is suitable for wearing in public to show gratitude or respect. It must show a sense of right and affinity.
The Italian actress Sophia Lauren, who played Cleopatra, has a mature and plump body and is the darling of designer Emilio Schubert.
The elegant and slender Suzy Parker has endorsed almost all the works of major designers, including Dior, Balenciaga, Givenchy and Coco Chanel.
Tribute to 50's
Every year, the fashion trends in the fashion industry often borrow popular elements from different eras in the past. For example, one of the 2018 fashion trends, the suit look , Chriselle Lim's green suit, waist belt, pleated hem, is it also a bit of a 1950s clothing feel. But, it is not the same in the past that the ultimate hourglass-shaped profile of clothing, contemporary designers tend to create a more modern lines with less fabric to meet the increasingly stronger independent groups of women.
Chinese fashion blogger Hallie Dailly is particularly good at using some retro elements in matching to create exquisite fashion, especially suitable for Asian women.
Polka dots, ruffles, black and white colors, pearls, large bows, thick belts, and large round skirts are all available elements.
With glamorous fashion silhouettes, colorful prints, a little exaggerated skirt and narrow waist, looking back on the fashion of the 1950s, it feels like you are in a bright summer day, passionate and full of hope!
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