Behind the Logos: How Some Top Design Labels Got Their Start

We who possess fashion school degrees know the designer labels and their logos. But the founders who lent their names to these companies are not so well known. Let's take a historical look at these designers for some surprising facts.

 

Louis Vuitton

Louis Vuitton. Born in 1811, Louis Vuitton was a layetier, or luggage packer, for prominent families in Paris. Luggage packing was considered an art because traveling could take months and months, requiring many changes of wardrobe. Eventually, he became the official layetier to Napoleon III's wife, Empress Eugenie. Armed with knowledge about what makes a good packing case, Vuitton began designing his own luggage in 1854. He invented the stackable flat trunk; previously, luggage was dome-shaped, so rain would run off more easily.

 

Salvatore Ferragamo with his client Joan Crawford

Ferragamo. The luxury shoe and clothing brand's founder, Salvatore Ferragamo, immigrated to the U.S. in 1914, eventually moving to California, where he opened the Hollywood Boot Shop in 1923. He earned a reputation as "Shoemaker to the Stars," selling shoes to Joan Crawford and Gloria Swanson, as well as providing the footwear for Cecil B. DeMille's "The Ten Commandments." 

 

 

Thomas Burberry

Burberry. Known for its trademark check pattern, the company was founded by Thomas Burberry in 1856, specializing in outdoor wear. Looking for a water-resistant fabric for his clientele, he invented gabardine in 1880, which withstood the elements yet was still breathable. In 1914, he gave the fashion world his most famous invention: the trenchcoat, patterned after an old officer's coat. 

 

 

Miuccia Prada

Prada. Although a premium status brand today, Prada was founded by brothers Mario and Martino in 1913 as a little shop that sold leather goods and imported English steamer trunks and handbags. The brothers did not approve of women running their company, but it was Mario's granddaughter Miuccia who introduced the classic Prada handbag in 1985, and a women's ready to wear collection in 1989, putting Prada on the luxury map. 

 

Known for its men's suits, Hugo Boss actually began as a uniform manufacturer.

Boss. Founded by Hugo Ferdinand Boss in 1924, the German company did not originally specialize in fashion design, but instead manufactured uniforms. In fact, the company prospered during the Nazi regime as Hugo Boss, a member of the Nazi party, was an official supplier of the black SS uniforms. Shortly after World War II, Boss died but the company continued to produce uniforms for postal and police workers. It did not introduce its first men's suits until the 1950s.

- Jonathan

New Clothes for Easter: A History of the Tradition

 

In Western culture, wearing new clothes on Easter or Passover has been a tradition for centuries. But where did this tradition come from? A look through history shows that its origins are not what we might expect.

Other cultures. Wearing new clothes in spring dates back to ancient times. Pagan worshippers celebrated the arrival of spring with a festival in honor of Ostera, the Germanic Goddess of Spring. They believed that wearing new clothes brought good luck. The Iranian new year, celebrated on the first day of spring, has traditions rooted in the ancient pre-Islamic past which include wearing new clothes to signify renewal and optimism. Similarly, the Chinese wear new clothes for their Spring Festival to convey the idea that they have more than they possibly need. 

 

 A Chinese girl carries on a centuries-old tradition.

Western beginnings. In 300 A.D., the Roman emperor Constantine made wearing new clothes for Easter an official decree, declaring that his court wear their absolute finest. Eventually, the tradition came to mark the end of Lent, when after weeks of wearing the same clothes, worshippers discarded the old frocks for new ones.

Superstitions. A 15th-century proverb stated that if one's clothes on Easter were not new, one would have bad luck. And in the 16th Century during the Tudor reign, it was believed that unless a person wore new garments at Easter, moths would eat the old ones, and evil crows would nest around their homes.

 

The Tudor court in their Sunday best.

 

Post Civil War. Easter traditions as we know it were not celebrated in America until after the Civil War. Before that time, Puritans and the Protestant churches saw no purpose in religious celebrations. But after the war, churches saw Easter as a source of hope for Americans. Easter was called "The Sunday of Joy," and women traded the dark colors of mourning for the happier colors of spring.

 

Finely dressed women celebrate the Sunday of Joy. 

The Easter Parade. In the 1870s, the tradition of the New York Easter Parade began, with women decked out in their newest and most fashionable clothing walking between the beautiful gothic churches on Fifth Avenue. The parade became one of the premier events in fashion. People who were poor or from the middle class would watch the parade to see the latest trends. Soon, clothing retailers leveraged the parade's popularity and used Easter as a promotional tool. By the turn of the century, the holiday was as important to retailer as Christmas is today.

 

 

The American Dream. By the middle of the 20th Century, dressing up for Easter had lost much of any religious significance it might have had, and instead symbolized American prosperity. Vintage clothing ads show that wearing new clothes on Easter was something every wholesome, All-American family was expected to do.

 

 A vintage clothing ad urges people to wear their finest.

Attitudes today. Although many of us may still don new clothes on Easter, the tradition doesn't feel as special, not because of any religious ambivalence, but because we buy and wear new clothes all the time. In the past, middle class families shopped only one or two times a year at the local store or from a catalog. But in the last few decades, retailing options have boomed. There's a Gap on every corner, and the internet allows us to shop 24/7.

 

 Today, the NY Easter Parade is more of a satire, like a Springtime Halloween.

But even with changing ties, the custom of dressing up for Easter will surely continue in some form. After all, fashionistas and fashion school students love a reason to shop.

- Jonathan

The History of Mannequins: More than Just Dummies

Walk through any department store, and you'll pass countless mannequins modeling the latest fashions. While we've come to take these visual merchandising staples for granted, mannequins have a rich and storied past that dates back to ancient Egypt.

 

When King Tutankhamen's tomb was opened in 1922, one of the treasures found was a lifelike torso believed to be the first dress form. Mannequins continued to perform the functional role of dress form for kings and queens for centuries, allowing tailors and dressmakers to to create clothes without having to bother the monarchs with fittings.

 

 

In the 18th century, France was the fashion capital of the world, and "fashion dolls" were created to show off the latest styles. These dolls were sent abroad so people could see what the French were wearing and copy the styles.

 

 

 

During the Industrial Revolution, mannequins made a huge leap forward with the invention of large glass-pane windows, which every retail store wanted to display its wares. People began window shopping, gazing at the fantasy worlds displayed in the windows. The first mannequins created for this purpose were made of wax and wood. Weighing between 200 to 300 pounds, some had real hair, glass eyes, and false teeth. By today's standards, they were a little creepy.

 

 

In the 1930s, mannequins began to be produced with plaster and reached a new level of realism. Sculptor Lester Gaba even created a mannequin named Cynthia for Saks that became a pop culture sensation. He took her to nightclubs and the opera, Cartier and Tiffany lent her jewels, and Life magazine immortalized her in a photo spread.

 

 

 

 By the 1950s, plaster mannequins were being replaced by plastic and fiberglass models. When women's roles started changing in the 60s, mannequins depicted the shift. The housewife mannequin with a bouffant was joined by the casual, confident woman. 

 

 

 

The 70s saw the introduction of Black, Asian and Latino mannequins, reflecting the growing ethnic mix in the country. Today, mannequins are different colors, crystal clear, ethnic, headless, backless, and every form of abstraction. And those old, vintage mannequins? They're selling for thousands on eBay. 

Mannequins are a beautiful and classic example of fashion merchandising and visual communication in fashion design! 

- Jonathan

 

 

Event: Fashion for Ingres Lecture at the Norton Simon Museum, Pasadena

Fashion for Ingres Lecture at the Norton Simon Museum

Date : Saturday, November 14, 2009
Time : 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Aileen Ribeiro examines the often-complex views Ingres had with regard to fashion during his long career; though he had a traditional bias toward history painting and allegory, he nevertheless became one of the supreme artists of clothing during the rise of haute couture and the cult of the designer in mid-19th-century Paris. Find out more about this event.

Rare Yves St. Laurent Couture Exhibition at San Francisco's De Young Museum

If you happen to find yourself in San Francisco, you'll wow yourself if you take a detour to San Francisco's de Young Museum, where there's a retrospective of Yves St. Laurent's long career as a couture designer in Paris.

This exhibition contains nearly 130 accessorized garments and sketches illustrating the lines, colors, and fundamentals of Saint Laurent’s work.

This is the only U.S. venue hosting the exhibition, and it runs through April 5, 2009.

To read a cool article on Yves and the world of couture, click here. --Belissa

Adorable Gothic Lolita/Victorian Dress and Capelet, Plus A Skirt For A Lady

For those of you who enjoy appearing a bit off-beat, what a perfect dress for the holidays, whether you're going out with friends or staying in with family!

And can you believe it, this Baby Doll Victorian Puff Sleeved Dress is only $49.50 from GothicPlus.com.

It would look great with this Victorian Capelet for $32, also from GothicPlus, which comes in red, black, and white.

If it's a rainless day, you might consider carrying this Battenburg Lace Parasol for $40.

I adore Gothic Lolita and Gothic Lady fashions, and I'm always on the lookout for them.

For instance, if the Babydoll look isn't for you, perhaps this more somber Victorian Bustle Skirt creation will suit you. It's from ChicStar.com and it comes in black, red, and white for $44.95.

More Gothic and Victorian treats to come! --Belissa

Interview with FIDM Museum & Galleries Curator Kevin Jones

FIDM Museum Curator and Fashion Design Program Grad Kevin Jones was lunching with The Gamble House curator Anne Malleck when he came up with the idea for the FIDM Museum & Galleries latest exhibition Aesthetes, Bohemians & Craftsmen: Artistic Dress, 1880s-1920s. "It popped into my head that perhaps the FIDM Museum could be involved somehow and I asked if she might be interested in 'dressing' The Gamble House rooms with mannequins wearing garments from the Museum's historic collection," explains Kevin, who had been collecting rare examples of clothing from the era for FIDM over the last five years.

Soon the two curators had expanded on the idea and a joint venture was born. The Gamble House would provide the environment for the Fashionable Dress of the period, while the FIDM Museum & Galleries would host the Artistic Dress exhibition. Read our Q&A with Kevin to find out which pieces are his favorite and other details about the inspiring exhibition. Click here for more info on the exhibition. --Kim

Do you have a favorite piece in the exhibition?
I have three:  1. An extremely rare c. 1900 evening gown recently donated by a friend of mine that is in the "Aesthetes" section of the exhibition. I've never seen an actual example before...only in a few fashion plates.  It is embroidered with mercury-lined glass beads and it is covered over with a "himation" which is a Greco-Roman-inspired mantle that only covers one shoulder.  It is embroidered in a Greek-key design in silver and has handpainted lilies encircling it.  Very beautiful.

2. In the "Craftsmen" section is an amazing tie-dyed caftan unlike anything I've ever seen before.  It is from c. 1918-20 and is basically a rectangle of fabric with a hole in the center.  But this one is made from very delicate silk chiffon crepe and its edges are finished with picots and drawn-thread work, just like fine lingerie.  I've never seen a tie-dye example this early and it resembles hippie caftans fifty years later.  It is on loan to us.

3.  FIDM College and the FIDM Museum joined together to buy an extreme rare tunic by eccentric artist Raymond Duncan.  He was the brother of famous dancer Isadora Duncan.  I know of only three Duncan tunics in the world (one in a private collection, one in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and ours).  Duncan handcrafted the fabric (silk and wool, with the wool shrunk somehow to create a spongy, stretchable material) and created the hand-applied pattern to the material.  He lived in a commune in France and always dressed as an ancient Greek.

How many people worked on the exhibition and how long did it take to pull together?
Five Museum staff members (plus an outside text editor and digital/photography editor), three Gallery staff members (plus extra help to build/paint the galleries), three people in the Director's office, and a graphics designer worked on this project for a year and a half.

What do you love most about being Museum Curator for the FIDM Museum & Galleries?
The creativity that goes into each of our presentations.  I love to convey my passion for historic dress to others through educational exhibitions, tours and lectures.  It's such a privilege to work with very interesting people and to examine very rare objects.  It's challenging to find historically valuable garments/accessories for our Museum and it's exhilarating when we are able to acquire and show-off new acquisitions.

 

Getty Virtual Exhibit Lets You Roam Marie-Antoinette's Rooms

If, like me, you've ever wished you could spend just a few hours sashaying through Marie-Antoinette's private salon, you now have your chance. Please Be Seated, a video installation by Nicole Cohen at The Getty Museum in Brentwood (Los Angeles) allows you to partake of just that pleasure... "virtually entering historic recreations of 18th-century French spaces." Read more about the exhibit, which runs through January 11th.

Meanwhile, in San Francisco ... This glamorous sofa is just one of the items on display at the San Francisco Legion of Honor's Marie-Antoinette and the Petit Trianon at Versailles exhibit. It was a piece in a suite created for the queen's private study. More details on this and other pieces here. The exhibit runs through February 17, 2008. --Kim

Speaking of virtual tours, get a closer look at FIDM Los Angeles or FIDM San Francisco.

Related FIDM Majors: Theatre Costume Design, Film & TV Costume Design, Interior Design  

Brits Have Followed French Fashion Since the 6th C.

According to The Times historians have found evidence that the English were looking to the continent for style clues as far back as the 6th century. Here's why:

"The British have long been fascinated by French fashion and, by extension, French women. One explanation for the long-standing love affair is that while we traditionally associate fashion with vanity, the French regard it as an important cultural expression.

It was in the 17th century that France built its chic reputation and the periodical Mercure Galant pioneered the concept of fashion seasons. After 1660 female fashion in England was strongly influenced by exotic French motifs such as wigs, decorative face patches, ribbons and lace; a look that peaked with Marie Antoinette in the late 18th century."

Read more on the subject here. Yearning for more things French? Visit one of my favorite blogs, La Coquette, to see Parisian life through an American fashion lover's eyes and for a blog about French food (in English), visit Chocolate & Zucchini. --Kim

Dame Vivienne Westwood's Collection at the de Young Museum

The de Young Museum, located in the heart of San Francisco's Golden Gate Park, is currently housing the incredible "Vivienne Westwood: 36 Years in Fashion" exhibit, which will run until June 10th, 2007.

I couldn't pass up the chance at seeing the exhibit, so I grabbed a couple of my friends, and headed over to the museum.

The exhibit opened with a large black wall, containing a clock with 13 hours in which the hands whirled furiously backwards. Next to the clock, was an inscription that caught my attention. It was a quote from Vivienne Westwood herself, and it read, "I have a kind of in-built clock which always reacts against anything orthodox." I immediately knew that I was in for a real treat.

The exhibit was massive, spanning over more rooms than I can remember with wall to wall tweeds, tartans, cottons, silks, and every other fabric known to mankind.

Autumn/ Winter 1987-1988 collection,
Harris Tweed

The exhibit began with an introduction to Dame Vivienne's early life, and then progressed in chronological order towards her more recent endeavors. It left no Westwood collection without a presence and left me in sheer awe.

1971, Vivienne in her store, Let it Rock

What was so astounding about the body of work... was it's ingenuity. Dame Vivienne's instigation of the punk rock movement and manipulation of various materials can be considered nothing short of genius.

For me, some of the highlights included...

* The Harlequin and Columbine outfits from the Autumn/Winter 1989-1990 collection, Voyage to Cythera...
Harlequin, Voyage to Cythera collection

* The infamous 10-inch, 'mock croc' platform shoes that caused Naomi Campbell to take a topple on a London catwalk...

*  The myriad of Westwood's romantic and historically accurate trademark corsets...
                               

as well as an innumerable amount of other decidedly unique and exceptionally beautiful pieces.

Remember, in the words of Dame Vivienne Westwood herself, "...it's so important to look to the past. Because people did have taste, and they did have ideals of excellence, and those things are not going to come unless people look at the past."

Go, explore the past! See the epic "Vivienne Westwood: 36 Years in Fashion" exhibit and appreciate the past of one of fashion's most distinguishable and influential figures.
--Alaythia