Posts Tagged ‘Fashion History’

Online Fashion Schools teach students about the exciting world of Fashion Merchandising and Design, without traveling to a classroom. Through a distance learning course, individuals can study at home to become certified in all areas of current Fashion including clothing, hair, makeup, jewelry, accessories, and interior design.

Online classes prepare professionals for a career in Fashion without giving up current employment. They teach students how to incorporate the latest trends into their own custom designs, and to compete in a cutting-edge industry that is constantly evolving.

The online Fashion curriculum includes fabrics and textiles, drawing, CAD, costumes, draping and cutting, clothing construction, sewing and sewing machines, fashion history, planning and buying, merchandising, retailing, and store management.

A distance learning course can be completed in two years, resulting in an Associate of Arts degree specializing in Fashion Design, Interior Design or Fashion Merchandising. A four-year online course of study can result in a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts with an emphasis on Fashion. Post-graduate students may continue their college education to receive a Master’s Degree in Fashion Merchandising.

There are numerous choices of Fashion careers available, including designer, cutter, draper, costumer, makeup artist, photographer, hairstylist, runway model, buyer, and merchandiser, to name a few. In the course of their careers, many professionals travel to some of the greatest Fashion capitals of the world, including New York, Miami, London, Paris, and Milan. Depending on the level of education and experience, earning potential in the Fashion industry is practically unlimited.

Find Online Fashion Schools and distance learning courses to “suit” you by searching the many options available at http://www.schoolsgalore.com.

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Michael Bustamante, in association with Media Positive Communications, Inc. for SchoolsGalore.com

M. Bustamante is a staff writer for Media Positive Communications, Inc. in association with SchoolsGalore.com. Find Fashion Online [http://www.schoolsgalore.com/categories/4/fashion_online_schools.html] at SchoolsGalore.com; meeting your needs as your educational resource to locate schools.

Author: Michael Bustamante
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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When people dress in the morning, they probably don’t think about the groundbreakers in fashion design who have influenced them, either directly or even subconsciously. But fashion would not be what it is today without these designers, tastemakers, and entrepreneurs. They’ve changed the way we think about clothes, the way we wear them, and the way we buy them.

Charles Frederick Worth. Considered the Father of Haute Couture, Worth was the first fashion designer to make a name for himself. Before he opened his Paris fashion house in 1858, fashion design and construction were handled by anonymous tailors and seamstresses. He was the first to display model dresses at fashion shows in which customers placed orders, rather than letting customers dictate the style of their garments. He is also credited as the first designer to put labels on his designs.

Levi Strauss. During the California Gold Rush, Strauss was a retail store owner. Gold prospectors at the time wore cotton pants that tended to rip easily, so Strauss and a tailor, Jacob Davis, created more durable pants that were reinforced by small metal rivets. Jeans were born, and the rest is fashion history.

Coco Chanel. She may be known for the “little black dress” and classic cut suits, but women can especially thank Chanel for making clothes comfortable. Opening her first shop in 1913, her menswear-inspired designs freed women from the constraining corsets and uncomfortable long dresses that were in vogue at the time, ushering in an era of modern, casual dress.

R.H. Macy. The founder of Macy’s department store drastically altered the way people bought clothes when the first Macy’s opened in 1958.. While consumers previously went to small, family-owned shops or general stores primarily if they needed new clothes, they went to department stores more often just to peruse the wide variety of merchandise. And if they happened to find clothing that appealed to them on display, they would then purchase it. For the first time, clothing became an impulse item.

Edith Head. From the late 40s to early 70s, eight-time Oscar winner Edith Head was the designer of choice for some of Hollywood’s most well-dressed leading ladies including Grace Kelly and Audrey Hepburn. Largely because of her influence, audiences became captivated with the love affair between movie stars and fashion design – a fascination that exists to this day.

Eileen Ford. The founder of Ford Models was responsible for discovering pretty women like Cheryl Tiegs and Christie Brinkley and turning them into household names, thereby creating the concept of the “supermodel” in the 70s. Supermodels have come to define American beauty – the way we aspire to look and dress.

Richard Blackwell. When Mr. Blackwell first published his “Worst Dressed List” in 1960, he pretty much invented the notion of “what not to wear.” His biting remarks of stars’ fashion sense, or lack thereof, created a cottage industry of fashion criticism, eventually leading to today’s red carpet commentaries and post-awards fashion blogs.

Ralph Lauren. Fashion giant Ralph Lauren was a pioneer in turning a fashion design label into a lifestyle brand. Through aggressive advertising, he was not just selling clothes, he was selling an image: aristocratic, preppy, with a touch of the rugged West. He started a hunger for labels, as the public bought up anything with his polo player logo, especially his iconic short sleeve mesh shirt, introduced in 1972. And through numerous licensing agreements, consumers could own a little piece of luxury, even if it was just a pair of socks or a towel with a polo player on it.

Donald Fisher. With his wife Doris, Fisher opened a little store called Gap in 1969 that would grow to become an American institution. While Gap popularized khakis and casual Fridays, its legacy is much more far-reaching: Gap has become the epitome of the “mall store” concept, in which no matter what city consumers may be in, they have the comfort of knowing that the Gap store there is just like the one in their hometown. Practically every clothing retailer has followed this business model, resulting in a fashion landscape that is rather homogenous throughout the country.

Anna Wintour. Considered one of the most important, and intimidating, people in fashion today, the Vogue editor-in-chief since 1988 is known to set trends and anoint new designers. If Wintour puts a designer in her magazine, the implied endorsement can make his or her career. Because of her influence, John Galliano became the head designer of Dior, and Brooks Brothers collaborated with Thom Browne. Her clout in the current fashion scene is simply unrivaled.

Although this list of influential figures is short, the fashion school history annals could provide hundreds of additional names of people who have influenced the way we dress. Our hats are off to all of them.

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Author: Lily McCallister
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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The death of fashion giant Yves Saint Laurent at age 71 marked the end of an era for the designer world. Saint Laurent was a man of his times and in many ways played a part in the social and political upheaval that took place during the twentieth century.

The remarkable five decade career of Yves Saint Laurent got its start on August 1, 1936 when Yves Henri Mathieu Saint Laurent was born in Oran, Algeria to a French Colonial family. His first experience in fashion design was when he created clothes for his sisters’ dolls at the age of twelve. His more formal entry into the fashion scene occurred in 1954 when he and Karl Lagerfeld shared top prizes in an International Wool Secretariat competition. Christian Dior, who happened to be a judge for that competition, immediately hired the remarkably talented eighteen year old , and was later to be succeeded by Saint Laurent at the age of 21.

While Saint Laurent had initial success working for Dior(his “Ligne Trapeze” was very well received), his later creations were given rather tepid reviews and it would not be until 1961, when Saint Laurent left Dior to start his own design company, that he began to attain icon status for his wonderful fashion designs.

Together with his friend and partner, Pierre Berge, Saint Laurent started the Yves Saint Laurent fashion house and began a remarkable 20-year streak, when Saint Laurent’s name became synonymous with Paris catwalk glamour and elegance, and he was the unquestioned leader in international fashion. His patented trademark, YSL, remains the most famous initials in fashion history.

Saint Laurent had a number of important “firsts” to his credit. His ground-breaking idea of putting women in masculine yet stylishly fashionable tuxedoes was a defining moment in fashion. His designs celebrated the growing empowerment of women and their increasing sexual liberation and came at a time when the feminist movement was just gaining traction across the globe. He was also the first fashion designer to use black models, another example of his ground-breaking role in the design world.

While Saint Laurent was extremely talented across the wide spectrum of fashion design, his greatest fame was as the best colorist in fashion history. His unique use of colors led to fashion creations which were as much a work of art as they were functional clothing.

Saint Laurent’s sensitivity was legendary and this led to a nervous breakdown when he was forced to do military service in the 1960′s. Hidden behind large spectacles, the quiet and shy Saint Laurent enjoyed staying at home rather than taking advantage of the notorious Paris nightlife and he commuted to work daily with his beloved French bulldog Moujik.

Upon Saint Laurent’s death his partner, Pierre Berge noted “There will be two who will undeniably remain – one who symbolized the first part of the 20th century, and that’s Chanel, and the other one who will symbolize the second part of the 20th century, and that’s Yves Saint Laurent.” They were fast moving and historic times, the last half of the twentieth century, and Yves Saint Laurent unquestionably led the fashion industry through many of the same changes that the world in general was participating in.

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Author: John M Pawlak
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Regardless if you are a woman or a man, there is no doubt you try to look your best at any given time, and this is where the industry of fashion comes in. When you travel to a boutique or a mall, do you ever think to take into account fashion history?

A Glimpse of Fashion History around the World

In one form or another, fashion has been with us as long as there have been people. The history of fashion therefore actually began with early humans, who utilized things like animal skins and shells to adorn their bodies with them. During special occasions there were special garments that were worn, which is not that much unlike how humans dress today.

In regions such as Ancient Greece, the history of fashion really introduced the utilization of naturalism. For instance, if you were to look into the numerous ancient sculptures, there is little doubt you would take notice that a large amount of pride was taken in the human form, and that being what it was, fashion really meant wearing as little clothing as possible.

Fashion history as we understand it actually began to come into being during the Renaissance. At that period in history renaissance was a time of cultural and intellectual enlightenment, so it makes complete sense that the idea of fashion should evolve along with the period women and men alike took great pride in wearing decorative powdered wigs, a trend that would last into the early part of the 19th century.

A Walk Through The Centuries

As the 17th century came into being, so did the trends of fashion that both men and women continued to share in. For instance, buckled shoes, both decorative and plain, dependent upon economic privilege of the individual wearing them, started to become very popular.

Also, women and men began to adorn themselves with capes as a means of shielding themselves against the cold weather. Additionally, women and men both started wearing the hats that are nowadays commonly thought of as “Pilgrim Hats”. The primary difference being that women had a tendency to choose to wear feathers in their hats more often than men did.

Moving forward into the 18th century, it was a period of men wearing an outfit that in most instances was comprised of buckled shoes, stockings, waistcoat, a shirt, and outer coat. They all started wearing three cornered hats. The women had a greater tendency to wear basic dresses, and their hair was often partly hidden by a white cap.

As the 19th, 20th, and 21st century have demonstrated, fashion has a tendency of becoming history all the time, because as history has taught us trends are always evolving. Fashion history is most certainly vast topic that spans every culture and the entire world. So the next time you go to the mall for some other store for close shopping, take a moment to think about fashion history and how far fashion has come.

Listen to Korbin Newlyn as he shares his insights as an expert author and an avid writer in the field of fashion. If you would like to learn more go to Fashion Reviews and advice and at Fashion Career tips.

Author: Korbin Newlyn
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Haute couture is every woman’s and designer’s high fashion fantasy. Haute couture has to do with the most exquisite clothing created. In 1868, the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture was created to enforce rules involving fabrics, numbers of employees, and numbers of designs for day and evening wear. By the mid-20th century, more than 100 haute couture houses competed earnestly for well-heeled clientele by following the stringent set of rules: sewing by hand, with employees who are French, in ateliers that are French, in France. They began somewhat unstylishly in the midst of a worldwide depression but ended as a dazzling and influential decade of haute couture.

Fashion

Fashion history is a rich area to explore. Fashion is a language which tells a story about the person who wears it. “Couture literally means “sewing,” but has come to indicate the business of designing, creating, and selling custom-made, high fashion women’s clothes. During fashion’s “golden age,” after World War II, some 15,000 women wore couture. Christian Lacroix embarked on a romantic journey through his fashion favorites, while jeans brought an attitude of rebellious practicality to Chanel’s winter couture.

For more than a century, couture has been emblematic of the triumph of costume and fashion. It represents the fusion of fashion. The modern entity that combines novelty and synergy with personal and social needs and costume the arts of dressmaking, tailoring, and crafts constituent to apparel and accessories. Founded in the crucible of modernism’s invention in the middle years of the nineteenth century in Paris, with the expanded patronage cultivated by the House of Worth, but still dependent upon the considerable support of Empress Eugénie, couture has long stood as the modern equilibrium between the garment as exquisite aggregate and the burgeoning notions of fashion as a system.

Collection

Each season, present a collection to the Paris press, comprising at least thirty-five runs with outfits for both daytime wear and evening wear. Every haute couture house also markets prêt-à-porter collections, which typically deliver a higher return on investment than their custom clothing. Many top designer fashion houses also use the word for some of their collections. Model garments from collections are sometimes out of the country being presented elsewhere. Some couture houses provide a video of the collection to serious purchasers. Socialites such as the Duchess of Windsor, Babe Paley, and Gloria Guiness would order whole collections at a time.

In the early years of the twentieth century, Paul Poiret took couture into an admittedly dangerous path of change, responding to Orientalist and social sirens, but even more to the beckoning of commerce and the use of the couture as a generating engine for fashion and fragrance broadly disseminated. This supposed fashion novelty was so successful in part because it knew acutely its history and reconvened the finest skills to the couture. It remains a discipline of ultimate imagination, unaccountable to cost, with the paradox of being the fashion most cognizant of its ideal clients.

Trishia Lopez is a successful Webmaster and publisher of www.TheFashionGurus.com. She provides more information about Fashion and fashion issues that you can research in your pajamas on her website.

Author: Trishia Lopez
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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If you are looking to be one of the great fashion designers on the time you have to keep in mind that the fashion designer of today did not become great over night, most of them learn about fashion design history. Now, this does not mean that you have to too, but you will find that if you want to get into fashion, you will need to know the ins and outs of the industry. This means that you will want to go to some kind of a fashion designing school or college. If you do this you will find that many fashion schools will touch on fashion design history, and this will be done because the history of fashion design it is important.

You may not think that it is when you are starting out, but when you become a huge name brand, which you probably dream of, you will find that you will need to pull ideas from all walks of life. This means that you will get a client that needs to have a dress made with influences as far back as the 1800′s. If you do not know about the history of fashion at that point, you will find that you will end up turning that client away.

The first thing that a client wants to hear when they ask you for a piece is an idea or two. You need to be able to know what you are talking about, and the only way that this is going to happen is if you were to already know about the period of the piece they are looking for you to create. Fashion design history is not made to bore you, and it is not there to just tell you about what happened those days in fashion. It is not a new update; it has more to do with the history of all the designs, so that you are able to see what fashion has gone through and what the fashion looked like.

You will also find that a lot of the fashion of the 1980′s are returning these days, so fashion from the 60′s, you will find, is back too. This is why it is important for you to know about the history of fashion design, because if the industry was suddenly to take a turn for that era, you will be left behind.

You will need to know about the art influence on fashion design from the 1800′s and that it was all started by one man that was not afraid to show what he had to do. That is the key to becoming a great fashion designer, but you need to know that you will have to have fashion that people will buy.

Handbags, shoes and whole lot of other things make up the fashion industry, so you will need to know a little more about the fashion design history of these things too, if you are going to make fashion accessories and not just clothes.

His dad was a shipping magnet and because of that, Marc and his family had to travel with him constantly.He gained a lot of knowledge through that. With his dad’s influence he went into importing and exporting and this kept him on the road. He is settled in one place now and find it most fulfilling in writing articles. View more articles by Marc Willis at http://www.fashiondesignonline.net.

Author: Marc Willis
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