Having bother keeping up with the previous fashion vogue ? you may blame seventeenth one C French monarch Louis XIV for that . According toThe Atlantic , before Louis train the throne in 1643 , high fashion was relatively unchanging . The Spanish style of habiliment — sober , spartan , and predominantly black — was popular amongst the upper classes throughout Europe , and flush Gallic aristocrat imported most of their clothing from Spain . The upper classes rarely changed their press for anything but the weather . Black was in , and that was that .
But Louis had an eye for fashion — and for business . With the service of his finance minister , Jean - Baptiste Colbert , he set up an immense wearable and textile industry in France , which created colorful and elaborate rig and accessory for his wealthier subjects . Not only that , but he outlawed the importation of alien textiles , guarantee that French depicted object spend their money at Gallic businesses .
At the Palace of Versailles , Louis instated a exacting apparel computer code , requiring that inspect nobleman look in only the late fashion . to insure an ever - switch array of clothing options , Louis and Colbert mandated that fresh fashions be designed bi - annually , with new fabric — as well as accoutrement like parasols , fans , fur , and capes — released in summer and winter .
Louis also came up with the idea to advertise each season ’s new fashion , commissioning the production of mode plates engrave with French clothing available for purchase both domestically and abroad . Soon , other countries start copying Louis , recognize that the planned obsolescence of upper - category habiliment was a in force economical input .
By the end of Louis ’ sovereignty , a third of Parisian workers were employed by the textile and fashion manufacture , and all of France ’s most stylish patrician were bribe new Gallic train of thought each season . To this day , France is a major trend - setter in the world of high mode , and Louis ’ legacy is alive and well — it can be seen in everything from fashion powder store to the elaborate , often Laputan outfits posture on runways each time of year .
[ h / tThe Atlantic ]
