My first modelling assignment for the Spring Paris Fashion Show was very exciting. The Paris Fashion Weeks that we know today was put together by the French Fashion Federation (Fédération Française de la Couture) and held originally at Versailles Palace.
I was chosen to model for a French fashion brand Huguette Benjamin which was owned by a French lady living in London. The clothes were very chic and sophisticated including long evening dresses and beautiful wool suits; very Parisian. In fact, not a shoulder pad or any taffeta insight!!
At the Shows, there were catwalk shows and also many fashion exhibitors with purpose-built stands to show their latest collections to prospective buyers. Sometimes the models feature in both the catwalk shows and appear on some of the stands or more often a model was hired for the duration of the exhibition by the fashion brand to show their collections. On this occasion, I travelled from London with the owner and modelled this fabulous collection to buyers.
Sometimes the models feature in both the catwalk shows and appear on some of the stands or more often a model was hired for the duration of the exhibition by the fashion brand to show their collections. On this occasion, I travelled from London with the owner and modelled this fabulous collection to buyers.
The very best part of the Shows was taking a well earned break and wandering around the exhibition halls, looking at the other Fashion collections. On the very last day of the shows, many exhibitors would sell their samples at reduced prices and there was no lack of takers!!
Now, looking back I must admit the days were very long but we were so caught up in the buzz of fashion that you didn’t notice. After a long day at the exhibition centre, it was, cocktails with buyers and newly made friends, followed by dinner and sometimes a nightclub and then a repeat of the whole thing again the next day!! Fun times!!
80s Fashion wasn’t all taffeta and shoulder pads, although there was a fair amount of taffeta around! From structured shoulders to the iconic blazer over the polar neck look. The Paris shows made the 80s an iconic period for wearable fashion classics for decades to follow.
The 1980s was to become the period and decade of memorable French styles: Jean Paul Gaultier, who brought underwear to outerwear, with his figure hugging corsets. Christian Lacroix was a pioneer of short full puffy skirts which were a huge trend in the 80s. He also created full and pleated skirts ending just above the knee and layered with colourful tulle. Lacroix’s knee length skirts often resembled wedding cakes!
French designer Thierry Mugler shook the fashion world in the 80s by combining the boxy suit jacket with futuristic lines and angles. He created jackets and dresses with triangular shapes making full use of the shoulder pad craze, with pointed shoulders and very tapered waists.
During this period, French Designers loved bold colours & opulent fabrics. They used a combination of cotton, rayon, and silk with gold or silver lame, lace, or tulle and created the very glamourous gowns worn by Fashion Icons of the time such as Princess Diana, Madonna and Whitney Houston to name but a few. Many designers, including Azzedine Alaia, used a large range of materials from leather and lycra and embellished them with beads and sequins.
Of course, there are many great British Designers who define the 80s and they will be the subject of my next blog!!
Don’t forget to check out our Pre loved designer fashion because EDG adores Pre Loved Designer Fashion.