FS10211: FASHION HISTORY 2TEXT: CHAPTER 11: THE DIRECTOIRE PERIOD AND THE EMPIRE PERIOD: 1790–1820

LATE 18TH CENTURY (1790S)

• During French Reign of Terror• Les lncroyables (M) (“incredible ones”)

– English style, “anglophiles”

• Les Mervielleuse (W) (“marvelous ones”)– Neoclassical style

• +5 bonus points (Midterm)– Find the connection for John Galliano’s

Dior 84 inspiration of the Les Incroyables

• James Madison is the 1st president to wear long pants– Dolly Madison (wife) was inspired by

Josefine (Napoleon’s wife)

• MEN: What did they dress like?– Long disheveled hair (no powdered wigs)– No triorne hats (more nondescript)– Adapt the riding coat (tailored)

• English were better tailors than the French due to wool (heavier material) vs. silk

– Breeches– No more shoes, preferred boots (clunky,

square-toed)• Not the streamline riding boot• Tassel on the front “hessian”

– “Pumps”—flat shoes for men• Tuxedo pump

– Oversized carvats (not lacey)—tied/wrapped around the neck higher

– Walking stick “cane” (curved)

http://designmuseum.org/design/john-galliano • John Galliano has created the

most spectacular fashion shows of our time. Since his 1984 degree collection, Les Incroyables, which metamorphosed his London art school into a French Revolutionary street scene, he has transported his privileged audiences to more exotic and sartorially blessed places than they could possibly have imagined or experienced.

http://www.fashioncollections.org/fashion-designers/john-galliano/ • His graduating collection was

history making. ‘Les Incroyables’, was inspired by the French revolution, but as the world would all grow to know and love about the fabulous designer, it had the ‘Galliano’ twist. This collection featured never before seen details such as upside down military jackets. This collection impressed so many and he was immediately put on the list of young designers to watch and to watch out for. Joan Burstein, owner of Browns, loved this debut collection so much she purchased it in its entirety and displayed it in the window of her prestigious London boutique.

JOHN GALLIANO, “LES INCROYABLES” COLLECTION

JOHN GALLIANO, “LES INCROYABLES” COLLECTIONHTTP://FASHIONFIFTHAVENUE.BLOGSPOT.COM/2009/04/FASHION-IN-FLASHBACK-JOHN-GALLIANOS.HTML

• While it is common knowledge that Les Incroyables was John Galliano's graduation collection(shown in July 1984), what is less known is the continued influence that the Incroyables had on all his subsequent collections and more so on his next one namely "Afghanistan Repudiates Western Ideals".An understanding of this collection cannot be made without dissecting the Incroyables, who they were, what they stood for and why they were important to fashion.

• The French revolution and subsequent Reign of Terror that followed i.e a period from 1789 to 1799, led to renunciation of all forms of elaborate and luxurious dressing, for fear of being executed as a sympathiser of aristocracy.The men of the period clothed themselves in long jackets and leather boots(the style borrowed from Britain) and the women in simple robes like long flowing tunics and gowns similar to one worn by ancient Greeks.

• "Les Incroyables(the Incredibles) et les Merveilleuses(the Marvelous Women)" were a collective group of young people known for their outlandish ways of dressing, who rose to prominence during the period of the French Revolution after the Reign of Terror , their exaggerated and luxurious styles in response to the sober sadness that the terror had spread.They were also called "muscadins" due to the enormous quantities of musk perfume that they wore.It wasn't certain whether in dressing the way they did, they mocked the royalty for their opulence or the bourgeois for their simplicity!! This is the exact disparity that John Galliano had brought out in his "Afghanistan Repudiates Western Ideals", playfully dressing up his modern Incroyables in what he thought the Afghans(or the East) would wear to mock the West!!

• The Incroyables dressed themselves in a cartoon version of the English country suit comprising of skin tight pants, extremely short vests topped with a coat made so long its wide flared tails reached the ankles. The coat sleeves were long enough to completely cover the hands and the lapels too were very large. The front of the coat was cut to look uneven when buttoned and the back was bunched in folds. The coat's collar stood up high at the back behind the head, and a huge cravat, or neck covering, was wrapped so high around the neck that it covered the chin and mouth. The Incroyables powdered their hair, which was either dressed in multiple braids or cut raggedly(like the guillotined victims), hanging long and shaggy on the sides of their heads, in a style called "dog's ears" and cropped short at the back.

JOHN GALLIANO, “LES INCROYABLES” COLLECTIONHTTP://FASHIONFIFTHAVENUE.BLOGSPOT.COM/2009/04/FASHION-IN-FLASHBACK-JOHN-GALLIANOS.HTML

JOHN GALLIANO, “LES INCROYABLES” COLLECTIONHTTP://FASHIONFIFTHAVENUE.BLOGSPOT.COM/2009/04/FASHION-IN-FLASHBACK-JOHN-GALLIANOS.HTML

Women: How did they dress?Late 18th Century

• Robe en chimise– Sheer muslin, requires no

corset, possible sash under bosom

– “empire” waistline– Bare-legged and no heeled

shoe• Wore sandals (Roman-Greek

inspired)

– Naturally curly hair, not colored

– Jockey hats tied under the chin

• Victim Bulls—people that survived the revolution– Chokers—red ribbon to

commemorate the dead

• Empress of Fashion—Josefine (Napoleon’s wife)– Before: Marie

Antoinette

1800-1820 FashionsEmpire (French) & Regency (English)

• Regency Period– The in between time of newly

appointed king

• Men– No more wigs, natural hair– Bicorne hat (crescent)

• 2-cornered hat• Usually by miitary

– Top hat– Tailored cutaway

• Close to the body—with tails

– Trousers– Pantaloon (fitting)

• Stirrup under instep of foot

Early 19th Century (Women)• Simplified and streamline

– Similar silhouettes• French—white muslin• English—delicate floral muslin

• Flat heelless sandals• Color of shawl

– Had basic motifs and patterns (paisley)• Indian inspired

– And the way the bow was tied

• Favorite fabric: Cashmere– From Kashmir– Goats are the main source until

Napoleon got into war (difficult trade)– Scotland—mountainous—goats—

copied paisley motif

• Wet down muslin dresses– Clings to body and shows figure,

exhibitionism– Resembled folds of statues

(Neoclassical style)– Caused sickness of upper respiratory

infections (“The Muslin Disease”)

• Accessories– Loved to carry things around

• Little pouch “reticule” (handbag)

– Turbans/turban hats– Bonnets– Parasols– Ostrich plumes– Fan and gloves– Large muffs

Regency Period• Fashion icon of the time:

“Beau” Brummell– The ultimate dandy– Witty and sarcastic– Streamline fashion– Modern day “Metrosexual”– Friends with the Prince and

attended parties to help men dress

– Hygiene—take milk baths

• Lord Spencer– Women adapted “the

Spencer” (high-waisted jacket)

• “Beau” Brummell– Gloves “The Glover”– Carvat– Black coat with bottle green

pantaloons/trousers– Navy jacket (cutaway) with

red waistcoat– No to wild colors– Best tailors in London—he

hung out with the prince

• Men wore a sort-of corset– “Man corset”

“Beau” Brummell

MOVIE: THE YOUNG VICTORIA

HTTP://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=TTDNDRYOEHM

MOVIE: THE YOUNG VICTORIAHTTP://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=TTDNDRYOEHM