Fashion has always been a mirror of important social tensions.The triumph of the culture of appearances rediscovers the virtues and at the same time the shortcomings of each era.Therefore, it becomes a dynamic crucible that collects the spirit of time.During the two great wars his transformative power became more visible, altering the codes of clothing to the rhythm of the changes.Reality imposes the functionality of pants instead of the Corsets, while the lack of tissues cuts the skirts.Christian Dior will rescue the European avenues after the 1945 armistice, after years of hardships, after years of hardships.The use of jeans extends after the Vietnam War and May 68.And while in the Spain of the transition the color returns and the women are covered with shoulder pads, the financial crisis of 2008 brings an artificial fashion, with high boots, brightness and leathers, while hoods and sneakers began to homologatethe streets of the world.

Below the corsets, above the pants

During the First World War, when the mobilized soldiers return permission, eager to meet their women who had long for so long - so, dressed in oriental, sensual and lustful prints such as those of the postcards they sent from the front-, they found a very different scenario.While the battle lengthened in the trenches, the women had begun to cool their husbands' pants and monkeys to go to the factories.They had also made costumes with their rough wool coats, and their boots had even worn out.

The French satirical press, such as the Baionette or Le Canard, ridicule the domestic scenes and the impromptu women's costume, whom their husbands barely recognize dressed in their clothes and frowning with their waists with a doubly enrolled belt.It is a reef to exploit the game of absurdities that arises between the terror of the bombs and the sophistication of beauty that high society does not want to miss.It is then when Diaghilev's ballet opens in Paris - with a costume designed by Picasso -, causing a great scandal.But if at first feathers and ornaments were criticized for their apparent frivolity, when the conflict was lengthened the darts pointed against those that masculinized their image even to survive.They are the ones who know firsthand freedom, picing stone in the quarries.Of course, they are also accused of neglecting their children.

Chanel

‘Mademoiselle’ Buy the surplus surplus and designs its first two pieces of long skirts without artifice

The Corsets are set aside by idle and utilitarianism ignites the imagination of two creators: Coco Chanel and Jeanne Lanvin, who take over from seamstresses such as Paul Poiret, Patou or Lucien Lelong, forced to close their fashion houses.Chanel understands that concept must be changed, starting with the fabrics.The industries that produce wool in northern France have been destroyed by bombings, but in Lyon silk continues to be manufactured, which is not too practical for dressing in hospitals or transport, or to support winter ravages in shelters in shelters.

Mademoiselle buys all knit surplus from Rodier's factories - which was used for male underwear - and designs its first two -piece sets of long skirts but without overwhelming or artifice, just a slight embroidery and a shirt neck.The first time the name of the designer in Les Elégances Parisiennes appears, it is written with two Enes (Channel).Run 1916, and Chanel has already opened a store in Biarritz, neutral territory, in the same way that Sonia Delaunay arrives in Madrid and opens a house on Columela Street, fascinated by Tablaos.Lanvin, on the other hand, towards the end of the war, proposes long night costumes that obtain the name of war crinolines because they are less meters than the so -called barrel suits.

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In 2017, an exhibition on the history of fashion and women during World War I was held at the Forney Library of Paris.His curator, Sophie Kurkjian, explained then that “the conflict becomes a marketing argument to present this new silhouette that allows greater freedom of movement to work in hospitals and factories.In 1917, the barrel dress will be sold with the argument that she wears only 4.5 meters of fabric, instead of the 8 of the mane dress ".Lanvin also introduces the pocket effect and apron, both indispensable for work in workshops or hospitals, which have already been sewn by women by adapting their husband's costumes.

There are also reactions in the sector that demand a new ethic, such as the struggle of the so -called small hands of haute couture or Midinettes, which declare themselves on strike and end up obtaining a salary increase.The women's liberation movement is underway.

Interestingly, an object that until then only wore some ladies of high society, the bracelet watch, begins to popular among men, which until then used pocket watches.Wilsdorf Davis, Dimier Cie and Rolex had patent models at the beginning of the century that become a key element for officers who coordinate the movements of the troops in the trenches.

The end of the First World War opens the door to the twentieth years and the effervescence of the Art Deco.Ten years later, in 1929, a brutal global economic recession slowly triggers the outbreak of World War II.

Liquid stockings, ‘zazous’ and ‘new look’

From the German occupation in Paris, women become artisans.The curtains become the most recurring material with which they sew their costumes.It is increasingly tricota, and General Pétain encourages the crafts.Female magazines offer ideas on how to keep wearing without ignoring the ration system.In Marie-Claire, Le Petit écho de la Mode or Figaro offers tips to make dresses with different fabrics: recycling is the only way to release suit.Cafes and theaters are still open, and the will to be elegant still persists.In London and Paris the textile industry has been intervened, diverting its productions for armies.Then no masks, gloves and hydro -alcoholic solutions were manufactured as the LVMH or L’Oréal factories have had to produce in this health crisis, but rough and resistant uniforms in green and blue, whose style will also be extended among civilians among civilians.

Silk begins to disappear, and the German government demands that it be reserved for the manufacture of parachutes and networks.But the imagination always supplies the shortage, and many women stain their legs with tea infusions in order to imitate the twilight of the deniers.Elisabeth Arden launches a dye lotion- calling on the self-incenders- next to a black pencil with which he encourages a false leg sewing to paint;She is called liquid socks.

The Germans want to standardize the street, give it an air of gravity and discipline.But there are resistant to the Vichy regime, they are the so -called Zazouus, Jazz lovers and swing who take their nickname from the song by Cab Calloway, Zah Zuh Zahby.They are fond of carrot and grenadine salad, they carry long hair as a protest and frequent the Pamen coffee the elisseos and boul’mich fields in the Boulevard Saint-Michel.His outfit reflected a bohemian and cosmopolitan spirit, influenced by Harlem clubs.

‘Americanism’

"It has entered our customs.We must dedicate greater efforts against these transgressions of taste, ”says the chronicles of the time

They, with levita -style jackets, picked pants, chamberlain umbrella even when it sunbathe;They with marked rouge, short skirts and oxygenated hair.The collaborative newspaper La Gerbe published on June 25, 1942: “We are having great difficulties in eliminating the poison of Americanism.Has entered our customs, impregnated our civilization.We must dedicate our greatest efforts against these transgressions of taste and porte: the decline of critical faculties, the crazy things of black jazz and swing, the spread of our youth by US cocktails ”.The Zazouus began to be persecuted, detained and even some taken to the concentration camps.His style survived and was the base of the urban style that would represent the protest again in the 70s.

Austerity fell into closets after World War II.There were barely fabrics, the military inspiration garments still remembered the bombings, and the attire were austere: pencil skirts, bags with a bike strap, wedge shoes and hats, because covering the head had become a symbol of occupant resistance.

On February 12, 1947, at number 33 of Avenue Montaigne a small miracle occurs.Devastation and conflict encourage more than three million French to strike.It is a gray, cold day and in fashion stores there is hardly a novelty.At 10 in the morning Christian Dior summons the press to show his Corolle collection, with the intention of reviving a lost beauty.The attendees, before the skirts of twenty meters of flight, were instinctively stretching their short suits to their knees and exclaimed "is the revolution".

The so -called New Look is born, and the press of the sector resurrects, asking the designer what he wanted to show.Dior announces that he wants to be a seller of happiness through his works: "This that you have greeted as a new style is the natural and sincere expression of fashion I want: the art of liking".Pamela Churchill says Dior changes her life and Nancy Mitford defines her costumes as a "magical potion".Among his audience there are many English and Americans: Vivian Leigh, Laurence Olivier, Olivia de Havilland ... and Rita Hayworth, who is in charge of the night dress that will wear at the presentation gala of her latest film, Gilda.Dior's parade is considered as the first great Soirée Post -war.The sign of a recovery of artistic and mundane life.

Juventucracia, globalization and sweatshirts

The Vietnam War and the Student Movement of May of the 68 rejuvenate the silhouette, emphasize it in jeans and sprink it with small flowers as a pacifist symbol.Countercultures are creating trends, although the fashion born from rebellion is getting bolted, more and more devoid of its original meaning.

In the 21st century, after the financial crisis of 2008, great firms let themselves be loved by Asia thanks to the marquis fever of a system based on meritocracy and logos.The twentieth century are helping the trends: creators are inspired by the archives, under the mandate of reinterpreting the codes of the past.Increase the desire for beauty and maintain and even shoot sales becomes the formula of luxury holdings: past, desire, money.

Fashion of the future

The laboratories of the creators look for answers in times of social distance where the clothes will be seen two meters away

The so -called Athleisure converts the streets and airports into a new species of gyms.Globalization havoc.At present, our 20 years seem to be well far from the fringes and the flappers sequins.After the irruption of the coronavirus and the crisis that unleashes, it is expected that they will be even more crazy: monkeys, masks and gloves, dystopian garments that have come to stay.The laboratories of the creators, despite the air of Apocalypse and the rupture of the current model, look for answers in times of social distance where clothing will be seen two meters away.Is the prophylactic futurism inspiration?Will we return to Greece or will we play circus as Galliano in 2009?

Françoise Giroud wrote it: "Every fashion dies of disgust, it is born of a desire and crystallizes what excites on the surface of a society".The time of technological and recycled fabrics, ethical garments, more closet bottom, and waist bags - not to carry the gas mask, as in World War II, but to leave hands free in order to put and removeThe mask–.Although this time we cannot check the reliability of the so -called Lipstick Index, that romantic idea of Leonard Lauder to consider the lipstick an economic indicator according to which, in crises, women paint more lips.Now they will remain covered.If Googlean Fashion Mask will appear one thousand two hundred million tickets, including those of girlfriends with lace masks.