The Evolution of French Fashion, in Four Minutes
Even if you're not a capital-F Fashion person, you've heard of Coco Chanel, Christian Dior, Louis Vuitton, and the dozens of other French designers that have been around for decades but remain some of the most influential and well-known trendsetters today. The concept of "French Girl style" has morphed into a full-blown cultural discussion—and one that illustrates the enduring appeal of the country's fashion exports.
The country's influence on the fashion industry trickles down from what these legacy houses present during Paris Fashion Week or what they dream up in their haute couture ateliers to street style and beyond. Through these channels, we've conjured up a very specific idea of what a quintessentially French outfit is: Breton-striped tops, sharp trousers, and, yes, berets. But even this is really a 180-degree turn from the styles that dominated the fashion scene a century ago—the tweed mixed with PVC at Chanel's spring 2018 collection and the sheer gowns at Maria Grazia Chuiri's Dior are actually the distant relatives of heritage pieces with the same aesthetic DNA worn nearly one hundred years ago.
Watch the video above to see just how much French fashion has evolved over the decades, from the longline coats of the 1910s to today's oversize suits and slouchy bags.
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