The Great Fashion Designers Read online

  THE GREAT FASHION DESIGNERS

  BRENDA POLAN AND ROGER TREDRE

  CONTENTS

  Cover

  Title Page

  Foreword

  Introduction

  PART 1 EARLY DAYS

  Introduction

  Charles Frederick Worth

  Callot Soeurs

  Jeanne Paquin

  Paul Poiret

  Mariano Fortuny

  PART 2 1910s–1930s

  Introduction

  Jeanne Lanvin

  Gabrielle Chanel

  Jean Patou

  Madeleine Vionnet

  Elsa Schiaparelli

  Mainbocher

  Adrian

  Salvatore Ferragamo

  Madame Alix Grès

  PART 3 1940–1950s

  Introduction

  Cristobal Balenciaga

  Christian Dior

  Charles James

  Claire McCardell

  Hubert de Givenchy

  Pierre Cardin

  Mary Quant

  Rudi Gernreich

  PART 4 1960s–1970s

  Introduction

  Norman Norell

  Yves Saint Laurent

  André Courrèges

  Valentino

  Karl Lagerfeld

  Halston

  Kenzo

  Ralph Lauren

  Issey Miyake

  Geoffrey Beene

  Calvin Klein

  Giorgio Armani

  PART 5 1980s

  Introduction

  Rei Kawakubo

  Yohji Yamamoto

  Vivienne Westwood

  Paul Smith

  Azzedine Alaia

  Gianni Versace

  Jean Paul Gaultier

  Dolce & Gabbana

  John Galliano

  Donna Karan

  PART 6 1990s–

  Introduction

  Miuccia Prada

  Martin Margiela

  Marc Jacobs

  Tom Ford

  Alexander McQueen

  Nicolas Ghesquière

  Acknowledgements

  List of Illustrations

  Bibliography

  Imprint

  FOREWORD

  There are 50 designers in this book. Are they really the greatest designers of all time? Your call! Our selection was achieved only through much debate, sometimes learned and courteous, sometimes outrageous and alcohol-fuelled. We acknowledge the impossibility of achieving consensus for such a list. Creating a list of fashion designer all-time greats is a wonderful parlour game that we hope all our readers can enjoy playing. Our choices reflect our careers and our personal interests, although not too much (we hope) our British nationality.

  We began on this project modestly enough by simply planning to bring together in book form our collected interviews with designers over the years, published mostly in British newspapers and magazines. It was a comprehensive list, we thought, dating right back to Brenda Polan’s interview with André Courrèges in August 1979 for The Guardian. They ranged from the detailed and in-depth (four interviews with John Galliano over a period of four months leading up to his spring/summer 1991 show in Paris) to the on the fly and brief (twenty minutes with Tom Ford backstage after a YSL menswear show in January 2001). In total, we have interviewed eighteen of the designers in this book (and many more who are not).

  In his witty and insightful book, The Glass of Fashion, Cecil Beaton wrote: ‘Dressmakers … are apt to hate their genus and seldom meet one another, for jealousy, envy and rivalry consume them. With few exceptions they are a tiresome, unreliable brood. Almost all inarticulate, they have never invented their own vocabulary, and their abuse of the French words chic and élégant have almost robbed these adjectives of their significance.’ Although we regretfully note that some designers do indeed live down to Beaton’s critique, we found the names we’ve spoken to over the years were often articulate—particularly if you caught them away from the frenzy of the show season. But our plan to turn our collected interviews into a book was abandoned after thoroughly rereading them. Although these interviews provide valuable insights into designers’ thought processes and work methods, they are moments in time. Many of them read to us as outdated. The designers had moved on, and so had we. How much better, we thought, to write essays that summed up these designers’ careers, drawing on our personal insights into their work and all those valuable transcripts gathered over the years. We also read widely, including the available books and academic literature and the wealth of interviews in newspapers and magazines (mostly in Britain and America) by our journalistic colleagues. We have endeavoured to cite all our sources accurately: if we have overlooked any reference, we will rectify it in future editions of this book.

  The book evolved into a broader project as we discussed who were suitable subjects for inclusion. As we both segued in our respective careers during the early noughties from the arena of journalism to the world of teaching at University of the Arts London, our interests broadened and deepened. Exploring the career of Karl Lagerfeld naturally led us to revisit the career of Chanel; likewise Nicolas Ghesquière prompted a rediscovery of Balenciaga.

  We have endeavoured to produce the book we wish we had in our hands when we were feeling our way into fashion: a comprehensive introduction to the most important designers, with guidance for further reading, written in an accessible but authoritative style. The personalities of the designers are as interesting to us as their designs—the two often intertwine, most notably in the career and life of Chanel. Our book complete, we marvel at the constant capacity of fashion to renew itself and stay fresh. And we hope that you, the reader, enjoy sharing this with us.

  INTRODUCTION

  In 2001 American fashion trade newspaper Women’s Wear Daily (WWD) marked its ninetieth anniversary by asking fifty-three leading designers who were the three most important designers of the past ninety years. The results were fascinating, not perhaps for the runaway ‘winners’ (Coco Chanel with thirty-four votes and Yves Saint Laurent with twenty-nine), but for the other names cited and the explanations offered. Giorgio Armani cited Jean Paul Gaultier among his top three (‘for his ability to make fashion ironic’). Nicolas Ghesquière included Issey Miyake (‘he gave the Japanese concept of deconstruction a European femininity and sensibility’). More unpredictable names who are featured in this book included Adrian and Rudi Gernreich. The ever-prolific Karl Lagerfeld, who received three citations himself, sent a five-page fax dividing the twentieth century into three distinct periods: 1905–1939 (Poiret, Vionnet and Chanel); 1945–1960 (Dior, Balenciaga and Chanel); and 1960–1970 (Courrèges, Saint Laurent, Vionnet, Chanel and Balenciaga).

  The very earliest couturiers received barely a look-in, perhaps reflecting the short-term memory of fashion (although Alexander McQueen voted for Charles Frederick Worth). The constant interaction between craft and commerce was highlighted, and designers were quick to applaud fellow designers who were skilled at business and marketing as much as creativity. Influence was paramount. ‘Who has the biggest influence?’ declared Karl Lagerfeld. ‘It’s unimportant who is the most gifted.’

  One means of determining influence is to ask the question: who is the most copied? Designers have had an equivocal attitude towards this issue from the very early days of couture, on the one hand threatening legal action against copyists, and on the other hand happy to sell models to upmarket stores for copying. Few have been as relaxed about the issue as Coco Chanel—or American designer Norman Norell, who provided working sketches of his 1960 culotte suit to the trade free of charge to ensure that his design would be copied properly. These days, many designers work directly with their biggest copyist
s, the fast fashion chain stores, in effect copying themselves by creating low-priced collections in short- or long-term retail linkups.

  For the WWD survey, the designers were also asked to decide who were the three most important designers since 1980: Karl Lagerfeld won the most votes, followed closely by Giorgio Armani, Rei Kawakubo, Jean Paul Gaultier and Tom Ford. Lagerfeld noted Chanel, Gucci and Prada but put fashion designers firmly in their place by referencing Nike, Levi’s and Adidas. ‘They are fashion for today, too, and worn by more people than the fashion of the fashion world we talk about.’ Marc Jacobs brought the designers down to earth by recalling the celebrated comment from fellow American designer Bill Blass that the words ‘dress’ and ‘important’ should never be mentioned in the same sentence. ‘I’m going to paraphrase,’ said Jacobs. ‘The words ‘designer’ and ‘important’ should never be mentioned in the same sentence.’

  Over the past two decades, the meaning of the term ‘designer’ in relation to fashion has become a free-for-all, inviting a wide variety of interpretations. From business moguls to celebrities to genuine creative geniuses, everyone and anyone can claim designer status. The industry was dominated by couturiers until the 1960s when the ready-to-wear styliste and créateur came to the fore. In more recent years, the broader interpretation of designer has made it challenging to define true greatness—many designers are only as good as the team behind them. Is the product manager a designer? Can the famous personality behind a celebrity brand be considered a designer? For the purposes of this book, we have accepted an all-embracing interpretation of the word, covering skill sets ranging from pure design to brand management and marketing to pure business. In the final analysis, though, it is the influence of each individual designer that has driven our selection. Echoing Karl Lagerfeld’s point to WWD, talent is not enough.

  We have acknowledged the significance of commercial achievements in compiling our list. British designer Paul Smith may strike some readers as a surprise choice, but his success as an Englishman in creating an international fashion brand without the backing of a major luxury group gives him a unique status. Success is founded, he says, on being ‘90 per cent businessman and 10 per cent designer’.

  Many great designers have also been great business people, and others have succeeded through long-lasting linkups with business-minded partners, such as Yves Saint Laurent with Pierre Bergé. We were inspired by the ground-breaking research of Nancy J. Troy, the American fashion historian, in Couture Culture: A Study in Modern Art and Fashion (2003). She explored the links between fashion and commerce, particularly through the work of early twentieth-century couturier Paul Poiret. Designers have always understood the importance of a creative image for driving forward their businesses. An observant reporter for The New York Times, writing back in 1913, said of Jeanne Paquin: ‘She maintains the attitude of an artist, but we know she is the most commercial artist alive.’

  Early fashion was dominated by men such as Charles Frederick Worth and Paul Poiret, who often overshadowed the achievements of women such as Jeanne Paquin and Marie Callot Gerber. This book tries to nudge back the balance a little more in these women’s favour, although we acknowledge that the flamboyance of personalities such as Poiret was an integral part of the makeup that made him so influential.

  Another important point to make is that the development of fashion—just as the development of history itself—is not a story of constant progress. Fashion (perhaps like history too) has an intrinsic cyclical nature. It looks backwards as much as forwards. Jeanne Lanvin, for example, made full-skirted evening dresses at a time when Chanel was championing short hemlines. The modernist wins out over the nostalgist every time. But Lanvin’s very significant success, as noted by historian Nancy Troy, raises important questions about the conventional narrative of fashion history. Perhaps we should highlight more the retrospective and nostalgic characteristics of some of the greatest fashion.

  It may become harder still in the future to identify the skill sets of a designer. New technology makes design by computer a doddle. In future, all of us can play the role of designer. Even the once time-consuming process of research can be shrunk in an instant to a few hours on the Internet.

  Not all designers have been proficient in all aspects of design, as Dean L. Merceron points out in his biography of Jeanne Lanvin. For years, Paul Smith referred to himself as a ‘getter-togetherer of fashion’ rather than as a designer. Jean Patou once famously said: ‘I wouldn’t know how to design. I couldn’t even if I wanted to, for I can’t draw, and a pair of scissors in my hands becomes a dangerous weapon.’

  The skills needed to be a fashion designer are certainly changing; there is less emphasis on technical prowess and more on an instinct for trends. In future, more consumers are likely to design their own clothing and order items directly from the manufacturer. In turn, the role of shops will change to become places where customers pick up pre-purchased clothing.

  Designers are increasingly interpreters of other people’s visions, playing a mercenary role, from Karl Lagerfeld at Chanel and Fendi to John Galliano at Dior and Nicolas Ghesquière at Balenciaga. But this book is not a lament for the lost world of couture. We share the view of Nicolas Ghesquière, the youngest name of our fifty. ‘I don’t think couture fits our world … Anyway, I have the luxury of using the couture techniques in my ready-to-wear.’

  We have skewed our selection towards the second half of the twentieth century, reflecting our interests and the perceived interests of our readers. The fashion world has a notoriously short memory. As curator Harold Koda has written, ‘The high fashion system with its seasonal advocacy of the new and an associated obsolescence of preceding styles, perhaps inevitably dismisses, if not obliterates, its own history.’ How important is the fashion designer today? Harold Koda says designers rarely dictate. ‘Now you can have so many designers that each one becomes a barometer of a different aspect of our consciousness of the world.’ Fashion consultant Jean-Jacques Picart believes designer pronouncements on fashion are coming to an end. ‘We have entered an era of fundamental change,’ he says. ‘Yesterday’s recipes for success are no longer valid.’

  The designer’s job today remains challenging. Miuccia Prada reflected on changing times in an interview with Ingrid Sischy in 2006: ‘In general, designers of past decades had to deal with a small community of rich bourgeois people in France, in Italy, in America, or in England … And so, to do clothes for these people in a way was much easier, because it was very simple. Now, in a way we have to dress people of different culture, different nationalities, different religions, different worlds.’ Virtually all designers recoil at over-analysis of their work. Even a name such as Karl Lagerfeld, who has a deep understanding of the history of fashion, comments: ‘I hate the idea of fashion being intellectualised.’

  We acknowledge that the very title of this book has an old-fashioned ring about it. Academic research these days often prefers to play down the roles of individuals, exploring the broader socioeconomic context. There is an alternative history that explores the contribution of les petites mains, the women who toiled in the ateliers to bring the designers’ creations to life. The word atelier should not be used to disguise the fact that the big couture businesses of the early decades of the twentieth century were essentially factories: in 1901, Femima magazine described the house of Redfern as ‘a veritable factory of elegance’. Only a small handful of enlightened employers, most notably Madeleine Vionnet, showed compassion to their workforce. Chanel, by contrast, was monstrous.

  That said, we believe the personal stories of the great names of fashion are an excellent starting point for more detailed reading and observation. Through the achievements of these designers, we see fashion at its most inspirational. The British journalist Claudia Croft, writing in The Sunday Times in February 2009, noted that ‘one of fashion’s great strengths is its ability to make us dream. As much as it reflects the times, it also provides respite from them.’ We couldn’t
agree more. Fashion is a sociocultural indicator and it is a business, but it is also (to quote John Galliano) a journey into escapism, fun and fantasy. Join us on that journey.

  PART 1

  Early Days

  Introduction

  In the nineteenth century, fashion was a game of social status reserved for high-society women and theatre stars of independent means. Trends trickled down, but not very far and not very fast: the sheer cost of clothing ensured that. Women’s fashion was spectacularly restrictive. The corset squeezed the rib cage while the crinoline and full-length hemlines restricted movement. Individuality was frowned upon: the role of a woman in genteel society was essentially conformist, focusing on children and social life.

  Until the emergence of Englishman Charles Frederick Worth in Paris in the late 1850s, a customer would buy fabrics separately, and then take them to a dressmaker to be made up. Worth brought these activities together and created the model for the fashion house that dominated throughout the twentieth century and into the early twenty-first. Although his dresses reflected the restrictive ethos of their time, his achievement as the founder of the modern fashion system remains undiminished.

  The late nineteenth century saw the first stirrings of women’s emancipation. British tailors Charles Poynter at Redfern and Henry Creed, who both flourished with shops in Paris, had introduced tailoring to women’s fashion. But Pre-Raphaelite artists and the Aesthetes promoted a new kind of dressing, drawing on ancient Greek models that followed the natural silhouette. Most of their ideas remained theoretical, but the guidelines were in place for change. Women were also beginning to find a place for themselves in the business of fashion. In the 1890s, Jeanne Paquin founded her own couture house, while Marie Callot Gerber and her sisters established the house of Callot Soeurs.

  By 1900 and the dawn of the twentieth century, the core fashion message from Paris showed few signs of moving forward. The S silhouette, which thrust a woman’s breasts forward and her derrière backward, was the fashionable look of the period. Mariano Fortuny’s loose Delphos Dress, created in 1907 and worn by the dancer Isadora Duncan, hinted at a radical shift in direction, but it was Paul Poiret who had the biggest impact, promoting a natural silhouette, loosening the constricted waist and doing away with the more severe versions of the corset. His emergence came as the brassiere received a mention in Vogue for the first time.