Tag Archives: 1916

Fashion in World War I: December 1916

Posted on December 1, 2016 by Clare

The December 1916 issue of Les Élégances Parisiennes, in the section on the fashion industry, gave some figures which revealed the scale of the problem facing French fashion. In 1913, German textile and clothing manufacturers had exported goods worth £60,142,000 … Continue reading →

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Fashion in World War I: November 1916

Posted on November 4, 2016 by Clare

The November 1916 issue of Les Élégances Parisiennes gives some interesting insights into the ways that fashion uses and reworks the past. As  Ulrich Lehmann’s Tigersprung: Fashion in Modernity pointed out, uses of the past in fashion are not neutral … Continue reading →

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Fashion in World War I: October 1916

Posted on October 10, 2016 by Clare

One new use for lace discussed in Les Élégances Parisiennes was in the shoulder and neck areas of chemises and corset-covers. Apparently both evening bodices and afternoon blouses were being made so sheer that the undergarments could be seen through … Continue reading →

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Fashion in World War I: September 1916

Posted on September 1, 2016 by Clare

The September 1916 issue of Les Élégances Parisiennes contained some articles that laid bare the very real economic and political rivalry between the French and German fashion industries. It reported with approval on an initiative to mark all goods produced … Continue reading →

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Fashion in World War I: August 1916

Posted on August 9, 2016 by Clare

The August edition of Les Elégances Parisiennes was deeply concerned with the shifting relationship between Paris couturiers and American fashion houses and retailers. There was a lengthy report on a new initiative to control and monetise the reproduction of French … Continue reading →

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Fashion in World War I – July 1916

Posted on July 1, 2016 by Clare

In July 1917, the contradictions underpinning Paris haute couture were more apparent than ever. On July 1 the Allied armies embarked on the assault that was to become known as the Battle of the Somme, costing an unprecedented 1 million … Continue reading →

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Fashion in World War I: June 1916

Posted on June 7, 2016 by Clare

The June 1916 issue of Les Elégances Parisiennes had a slightly different format from the first two numbers. The tension between information relevant to fashion professionals and articles advising couture clients what to buy was resolved by cutting the section … Continue reading →

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Fashion in World War I: May 1916

Posted on May 2, 2016 by Clare

The second issue of Les Elégances Parisiennes opened with a revealing discussion of the difficulties facing the French fashion industry in wartime. The Lyon trade fair for fashion trades the previous month had been a huge success, with large orders … Continue reading →

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Fashion in World War I: April 1916

Posted on March 30, 2016 by Clare

In April 1916, the first issue of Les Elegances Parisiennes appeared, incorporating some of the journalists and features from Le Style Parisien, but with stronger links to French couture and luxury textile trades. The contents were an uneasy mixture of … Continue reading →

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Fashion in World War I: March 1916

Posted on March 4, 2016 by Clare

For March 1916, we return to American Vogue, where the war was seen as having a broadly positive effect on the fashion industry. An article with the long-winded title  ‘The Warp and Woof of Spring: France is producing some of … Continue reading →

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