What You Do Not Know About Paris Fashion Week

By PrFashionBeauty 

What You Do Not Know About Paris Fashion Week

The above video was footage captured during Paris Fashion Week in the 1950s and some of the collections featured are Dior and Balenciaga. Turning back to the 21st century...

Paris is by far my favorite city to show during the month of “Fashion Week." This is when fashion week starts to build to its climax as it moves from Milan Fashion Week and ends with Paris.

Paris occupies the most prominent fashion houses in the industry such as Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Givenchy, Dior, and Balenciaga. Thus, this is the week that the fashion industry is expected to be thrilled and entertained with elaborate craftsmanship, total opulence and grand gestures of frivolity. 

Paris Fashion Week (held in Carrousel du Louvre, which is a large shopping mall in Paris, France) is where you are guaranteed to spot the top international editors, buyers, models and stylists. They will probably be photographed sipping champagne at The Ritz or Hôtel Costes. Really, anyone who is anyone in the fashion industry attends this extravaganza!

Paris Fashion Week
with Sarah Jessica Parker and Anna Dello Russo

To me, Paris Fashion Week ("PFW") is indicative of what’s happening in the world and how that translates into fashion and the coming trends for the next season. I am m going to backtrack slightly and talk about the irony of PFW and the history of how “Fashion Week” began.

Where It All Began: New York City in the 1940s 

“Fashion Week” was engineered out of the need to divert the attention from European (in particular French) designers and place the spotlight on American designers. Prior to World War II (1939-1945), the French dominated the world's fashion and American designers were pretty much overlooked.

The stunning Welsh model Bronwen Pugh for Balmain during Fashion Week in 1950s. 

Eleanor Lambert: Takes Attention Away from Paris  

A then Publicist named Eleanor Lambert, after successfully promoting independent artists in America, was asked by various American designers to promote their fashion labels. Post World War II, a lot of the European Fashion Houses were closing down, which paved the way for the fashion industry to be revolutionized. Right in time, Eleanor Lambert took full advantage of this opportunity.

The Empress of the Fashion World: Eleanor Lambert 

First Fashion Week Ever: Press Week in 1943

Eleanor Lambert started Fashion Week in New York City in January 1942, which back then was actually called "Press Week." The idea behind “Press Week” was that buyers and editors would come and watch various designers (Eleanor’s clients) showcase their collections as a way of being recognised and also publicized in publications such as Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar. The First Press week was a success and gave birth to “Fashion Week” as we know it today. Other major cities of the world such as Milan and Paris followed and then London subsequently jump on board.

Fashion Week Advertisement in 1950

Fashion Week in Amsterdam in 1948

Attention is Still on France 

Although Fashion Week was started as a way of taking  attention away from French designers, France is still the powerhouse of fashion and Paris Fashion Week still dictates what trends the rest of the fashion industry/world will adopt. 

Below take a look at very vintage footage from Paris Fashion Week in the 1950s with Dior designs. Until next time...XOXO.

Until next time...@PRFashionBeauty