Fashion designers frequently looked to historic garments for inspiration in addition to looking at their immediate surroundings, because ideas can come from anywhere. For many designers, looking to the past has produced some ground-breaking work, be it a particular detail, something about the fabric, the pockets or the fits; certain elements are always reproduced somewhere along the line.
From the bold prints to the glamorous silhouettes, vintage fashion allows us to go back in time and experience the elegance and sophistication of bygone eras while contemporary fashion focuses more on versatility and functionality.
Modern fashion is not only about designing and manufacturing clothes; it is also about communicating an image. Fashion is meant to illustrate how an idea, a “look”, or a simple feeling has been given shape, be it in silk, leather, or even plastic and that is why research is paramount to the fashion design process.
Fashion has always been more than just clothing- it reflects people’s culture and identity, it serves as a form of self-expression, allowing individuals to communicate their personality, beliefs and creativity through style. Over time, fashion has evolved from the ancient garments that symbolized power and status to nowadays where fashion is shaped by technology and global influence.
Fashion started when humans began wearing clothes made from plants, animal skin and bones. In ancient times, fashion was a mixture of both function and symbolism. While early clothing served the practical purposes of protecting individuals from the elements and helping to simplify daily activities, they also served as markers of social status, power and cultural beliefs.
In ancient Egypt, the wealthy adorned themselves with intricate gold jewellery, embroidered garments and elaborate wigs. Meanwhile, on the more practical end of the spectrum, clothes were made from lightweight material like linen due to the hot and dry climate.
In the ancient Greek world, fashion was more about simplicity and characterised by draping fabrics. The simple garments made from rectangular pieces of fabric like the peplos, and himation allowed for free movement whilst conveying elegance. The aristocrats wore brightly coloured, ornamental fabrics while the slaves wore just plain garments
The toga worn by ancient Roman citizens represented their identities and political status. The purple bordered toga was reserved for senators and emperors, women wore the stola with elaborate accessories and intricate hairstyles to further distinguish their social standing.
The period spanning the 14th to the 17th centuries which marked the Renaissance, saw an explosion of creativity in art and culture. Creating textiles during the Renaissance was extremely time consuming and expensive. If a dress was torn, became too small or stained it would be recycled to make furniture or children’s clothing.
The aristocrats in Europe played an important role in shaping fashion trends during the Renaissance. Italy was a fashion pioneer at the time and the paintings that the Renaissance is known for beautifully depict the latest trends of that era. Furthermore, the rise of tailoring allowed for more structured garments, with fitted bodices, voluminous skirts and padded shoulders defining the silhouettes of the time.
Tightly laced corsets came into popular fashion in the mid to late 16th century. The introduction of the steel corset into European female undergarments was attributed to Catherine de Medici in 1579. Fashion became a bureaucratic tool that was used to showcase power and affirm dominance. Monarchs like Elizabeth 1 were known for their extravagant wardrobes, wearing gowns adorned with lavish pearls, jewels and embroidery.
The Baroque Fashion
The Baroque is a Western style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry and other arts that thrived from the early 17th century to the late 1750’s. It developed in Italy after the Renaissance and had spread to most parts of Europe. The Baroque is made distinguishable by elements such as contrast, movement, exuberant detailing, deep colour and grandeur. As such, the fashion of the time was met with extravagance. The clothing was made from expensive fabrics with exaggerated silhouettes and over-the-top embellishments. The Baroque era’s fashion was not only a form of art but also about function.
This era saw the rise of couture, tailors and designers gained prominence as custom-made garments became increasingly popular among the elites. They created unique, personalised pieces for wealthy patrons using ribbons, ruff collars, corsets, wigs and fine fabrics like silk and velvet. Clothing was often ostentatious and was made to differentiate the nobles from the lower classes.
Long dresses known as gowns with a close-fitting bodice, were the most common attire for women. The neckline was low and laced with ruffled collars. Virago sleeves were popular. Hairstyles consisted of curls on both sides of the head. Shoes were usually covered by the dress, so they were made simple.
Men’s clothing adopted a militaristic look. Double jackets were popular, and lace decoration was used for collars and cuffs. The lower extremities were cloaked in breeches which were loose and went down to the knee and beyond. Tight knee-high boots were worn, often turned down with lace. Long loose hair was the trend for men and no outfit was complete without a 40 inch sword!
Rococo Fashion
The Rococo era, less commonly known as Roccoco (also known as late Baroque), was a period of exceptionally ornamental and dramatic style that began in France in the 1730’s, following the dark, contemplative Baroque movement and the ascent of Louis XV. This fashion style wielded embellishments, delicate tones, subtle and playful spontaneity which set it apart from past movements. Soft pastel hues such as pink, blue and cream proved to be omnipresent in this movement, as well as luxurious fabrics like the silk and velvet, adorned with intricate lace and floral patterns.
French nobility dictated fashion, influential figures like Madame de Pompadour set the tone for this era. The hallmark curved lines and ornate details reflected the aristocracy’s desire for luxury and refinement. The disparity between the wealthy’s obsession with their riches further revealed underlying flames of tensions.
As the style developed, it reflected the shifting social dynamics of 18th century France. With the unfolding of the French Revolution in 1789 came the rejection of Rococo, which was the beginning of the end of the aristocracy led fashion.
The Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period of great transformation that brought scientific and technological development to Europe and North America. It started in the 1830’s -40’s in Britain, soon spreading to the rest of the world including the United States. Before this time largely everything was done by hand, including clothes-making which was done either at home or by skilled tailors, making the process time-consuming and expensive.
Innovations like the Spinning Jenny and the power loom revolutionised the textile manufacturing industry; they made weaving cloth and spinning yarn and thread easier. Producing cloth became faster and required less time and human labour.
This shift transformed fashion from a luxury for the elite, to an accessible commodity for wider society through mass production of garments.
The Industrial Revolution also brought about the extensive use of cotton, a fabric that became fundamental in the fashion industry. The invention of the cotton gin by Eli Whitney in 1793 was very important because it drastically reduced the amount of time it took to separate cotton seeds from the fibre. Cotton being cheaper and more versatile than materials like silk and wool, became highly sought after, enabling its dominance in the textile industry.
With the rise of industrialisation, the fashion design process itself improved. Designers relied on newer technologies to facilitate the production of more precise and consistent clothing patterns. Department stores also became popular at this time, allowing consumers to purchase ready-made items as well as custom pieces.
The 20th Century
The history of fashion design is a history of people. The 20th Century was a transformative era in the world of fashion. This period saw the evolution of fashion trends that continue to influence contemporary fashion designers. If you have been following the changes in fashion, you would have noticed that various trends reappear, and to some extent new events are a repetition of previous ones.
Early 1900’s
The industrial revolution helped technology progress in the first decade of the 20th century. Fashion for women followed the fashion of the previous century. Still immensely popular at the time is the highly structured silhouette of the Gibson girl, modest dresses, flamboyant ornamentation. Bodies moulded by corsets dominated women’s fashion throughout the first decade of the century.
Evening dress followed the same silhouette; while day dresses had blousy high-collared bodices, evening gowns had more fitted bodices with low decolletage, and short sleeves and the sleeve length was offset by the wearing of long gloves.
The early 20th century also saw the rise of haute couture. Pioneers like Coco Chanel revolutionised women’s fashion, her elegant and uncomplicated designs inspired women to abandon uncomfortable clothing like petticoats and corsets.
As the decade progressed, fashion silhouette began to soften, the rigid S-bend popular in the early part of the decade gradually straightened out into a more natural shape. The loose tops and skirts became narrower, waistline was higher and the tubular silhouette that would become popular in the next two decades gradually emerged.
For men, the most formal option was the frock coat during the day and tails in the evening. Neckties were considered essential and allowed for a little pop of colour. Though the suit was still the primary daywear, sportwear became increasingly more acceptable as daywear. Knickerbockers and tweeds worn on the golf course were also deemed acceptable daywear.
Children were always dressed as mini adults. Both children and adults wore light-coloured clothing, and even for young children, clothing had the ability to give an insight to their family’s wealth and social standing.
The 1920’s -1950’s
The world was still reeling from the First World War. The conflict which ended just over a year before the new decade began had a fundamental and irrevocable effect on the society, culture as well as fashion.
The 1920’s (also known as the Jazz Age) saw a startling and dramatic shift in women’s fashion, it helped develop a more convenient, simplified female wardrobe and a rejection of rigid formality of previous decades. Flappers welcomed shorter hemlines, loose-fitting dresses and bold accessories as fashion mirrored the exuberant and free-spirited mood of the era.
Another trend for women that enjoyed massive popularity in the 1920’s was that of sportswear worn as daywear. Tennis was the most popular sport for women at the time and thus the most popular inspiration for women’s fashion. In the 1920’s fashion was all about the total look and there also emerged trends in how the body itself was fashioned.
While men moved away from starched collars and formal three-piece suits during the day and adopted soft collars and one or two button suit jackets. The most significant development in men’s fashion occurred in two unique kinds of trousers: the Oxford bags and the plus-fours.
In the 1930’s and 40’s, Hollywood had a profound influence on fashion. Men, women and children’s fashion were based on screen stars like Shirley Temple, Katharine Hepburn, Clark Gable and Greta Garbo amongst many.
With the stock market crash of 1929 and with the beginning of a new decade, hemlines returned to ankle length and waistlines moved back to their natural place. While women’s eveningwear was influenced by the body-skimming silhouette, daywear was all about romanticism and femininity.
Sports and physical activity continued to influence men’s fashion. Blazers and sports jackets with flannel trousers and open necked shirts were also very popular at this time. Trouser legs continued to be wide at the bottom, though not as wide as Oxford bags, they were worn creased and cuffed. Plus-fours continued to be worn by many, and tweed continued to be a popular material.
However, with the onset of World War II, fashion became more practical due to rationing of fabric. Both men and women were often seen in their uniforms during the war and if not, their clothing styles were dictated by utility clothing.
In the US, clothes rationing was never as severe as the in the UK. This became more evident with the lack of French designs coming out of Paris allowing American ready-to-wear designs to thrive during the war.
World War II ended in 1945 and clothes rationing stayed in place in Britain until 1949 as there were still shortages of materials both in the UK and the US. The launch in February 1947 of Christian Dior’s “New Look”, defined the post-war style. This look was characterised by rounded shoulders, a cinched-in waist and the most significant part is the long full skirt.
The New Look silhouette continued to be popular into the late 1940’s and stayed that way well into the 1950’s.
The 1960’s -1980’s
The 1960’s saw the influence of subcultures and the countercultures of the time and fashion became progressively more casual across all genders and ages. Significant events in 60’s fashion include the popularisation of the mini skirt by Mary Quant and the rise of Mod fashion in London, which was characterised by bold colours, geometric patterns and short hemlines. Menswear saw an increasing amount of colour and pattern, military influence and new fashion icons in the form of rock stars.
As the Swinging Sixties turned into the 1970s, the influence of boutique stores made ready-to-wear easily accessible. New synthetic fabrics meant that fashionable styles could be bought at any price point. As a result, the 1970’s were dubbed the “Polyester Decade”. The decade also witnessed the emergence of hippie fashion. This meant an emphasis on handmade materials and decorations, long flowing dresses, fringe, bell bottoms and tie-dye reflecting the peace and love ethos of the period.
The 1980’s was a decade typified by its power dressing, there was nothing understated about fashion in the eighties. One of the icons of eighties style is Princess Diana, the young lady who famously married into the British royal family in the summer of 1981. The world instantly embraced the new princess, and her fashion style reflected popular trends throughout the decade.
From bold colours to oversized silhouettes, power dressing also made it into men’s style with the ‘power suit’. These were the pin-striped, double breasted suits with wide lapels. They were worn with wide ties and complemented women’s power dressing. Later in the decade, the rise of hip-hop culture brought trends like tracksuits, sneakers and gold chains into the mainstream.
Another history obsessed designer is Dame Vivienne Westwood. It is common knowledge that the British designer singlehandedly reinvented the historical undergarment. She transformed the corset into a piece of outerwear coveted today as it was in the 1980’s.
Vivienne Westwood took inspiration from this article of clothing that has been around for several centuries; the term “corset” is a French word which means “a kind of laced bodice”. When the waistline returned to its natural position during the 1830’s, the corset reappeared and served the dual purpose of supporting the breasts and narrowing the waist, making the focus of the fashionable silhouette of the mid and late 19th century an hourglass figure with a tiny waist.
Fashion also took a more commercialised tone as designer labels like Armani, Ralph Lauren and Versace became synonymous with luxury and status.
The 1990’s -2000
Fashion continued to move towards minimalism and a more casual style of dressing in the final decade of the twentieth century. Both men and women adopted grunge fashion in the early 1990’s and loose, oversized clothing and jeans became staples, the desire for vintage clothing encouraged the spread of second-hand clothing stores. A style that emerged in Seattle in the late 1980’s became widespread by the early 90’s and was based on baggy and worn-out jeans, flannel shirts and Doc Martens boots. For women this also included slip dresses often worn with chunky boots.
In the mid-nineties, styles became more feminine again, and as the decade progressed, simple streamlined silhouettes, neutral colours and a focus on clean lines became de rigueur.
Like womenswear, men’s fashion became more and more casual. Trends in music like Britpop, hip-hop and grunge influenced style. Jeans and untucked shirts became typical casualwear. The prevalence of urban sportswear in men’s fashion became more acceptable for everyday wear.
At the same time, the fashion industry saw the rise of supermodels like Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, Linda Evangelista and Christy Turlington. When these four strutted down the catwalk arm in arm during Versace’s 1991 Autumn/Winter fashion show in Milan, they became more famous than the clothes.
The 1990’s also witnessed the birth of fast fashion, as brands like Topshop, H&M and Zara capitalised on trends by manufacturing cheap and trendy clothing at breakneck speed.
Another distinct designer that is well-known for his highly original collections and breath-taking fashion shows which frequently evoked historical themes is Alexander McQueen. He took apprenticeships at the Savile Row tailors Anderson & Sheppard and then Gieves & Hawkes where he learned traditional British tailoring techniques. He later worked as a pattern cutter at the theatrical costumiers Angels and Bermans where he further focused his training on historic garment construction. McQueen’s 1995 Highland Rape collection, which placed him firmly on the world stage, was inspired by his own family history and the Highland Clearances.
His radical representation of historical narratives continued throughout his career alongside his innovative combination of contemporary and historic cut and materials. ‘I like to challenge history’, he stated in the 2008 BBC series British Style Genius, in which he emphasized the semi-autobiographical nature of some of his historical subject choices.
Beyond using historic clothing as a source for primary research, knowledge of the history of fashion and design is an important base for many designers.
This broad awareness of fashion history, together with solid, original and personal research is, in part, what enables some designers to permeate their collections with real meaning. Their ability to take elements of the past to create something new can make a successful graduate collection, produce highly inventive ideas, and even reinvigorate a heritage brand, making it relevant to the modern-day consumer.
Surviving garments, whether in museum collections, vintage shops or company archives provide invaluable knowledge of reference material to draw from. The dialogues these designers create between past, and present engender a new set of narratives.
Narratives which will, in due course, return to the archives to be re-used by the designers of the future. Whether challenging history, fostering dialogues between past and present, offering an escape from reality or bringing long-standing traditions up-to-date, studies of the past have lent an authority and a deeper meaning to the work of many designers.
Through their innovative and often ground-breaking approaches, these designers have devised complex narratives by nurturing unexpected relationships between the historic and the contemporary and between seemingly divergent individuals and styles.
21st century
As the new millennium dawned, fashion looked to the future, as technology began seeing the rapid development of the use of smartphones and social media. Fashion embraced celebrity culture, with red carpet events and designer collaborations shaping trends, while fast fashion brands continue to dominate the mainstream market.
However, the tragic events of 9/11 and the mortgage crisis of 2001 turned fashion back to conservatism, marking the rise of jeans for every occasion. Jeans were worn on the red carpet as well and were a hallmark of the era, making it acceptable as appropriate attire in nearly all situations during the decade.
The 21st century made the integration of technology in fashion design possible, transforming how clothes are produced, marketed and consumed. Technology has revolutionised every part of the fashion industry, from the use of advanced software to the rise of digital platforms, ` leading to new creative advancements and better and interactive customer engagement.
Another significant technological advancement in fashion design is the use of the Computer-Aided Design (CAD). This software enables designers to create detailed, precise sketches and prototypes on a digital platform, it provides fashion designers with the ability to visualize garments in 3D, experiment with patterns, fabrics and textures and make quick real-time amendments without the need for physical samples, thereby streamlining the design process.
The emergence of 3D printing has also been a cutting-edge innovation in fashion. This groundbreaking technology allows designers to create complex, high-tech or customisable pieces layer by layer, granting a level of accuracy and creativity that is difficult or almost impossible to achieve with traditional methods.
The Dutch fashion designer, Iris van Herpen is known to have pioneered the technology of 3D printing, creating avant-garde garments by blending steel with silk or iron filings with resin, pushing boundaries of conventional fashion with laser cutting and robotics.
The upsurge of social media has influenced the fashion industry profoundly, changing the way trends circulate and how brands connect with customers, it has also allowed smaller brands and independent designers to reach global audiences without the need for expensive marketing budgets.
Platforms like Facebook, Pinterest, Tik Tok and Instagram have enabled influencers, celebrities and everyday users to showcase the latest trends in real time.
E-commerce has essentially changed how fashion is consumed. Online shopping has made fashion more accessible, allowing consumers to buy items of clothing from anywhere in the world with just a few clicks.
Virtual Fashion Shows and Digital Collections
The Covid-19 pandemic brought about massive changes, almost overnight fashion brands became completely reliant upon digital solutions for sales. Designers had to adapt to changes with producing and showcasing their fashion products by streaming presentations online without a live audience. Virtual fashion shows have allowed brands to reach a wider audience, making runway events more accessible to the masses.
Sustainable Fashion
The sustainability of fashion is at the forefront of the industry’s priorities. The movement believes that clothing companies should endeavour to incorporate environmental, social and ethical issues into their manufacturing processes. Sustainability in fashion encompasses a broad range of factors which includes the reduction of CO2 emissions, overproduction, waste and pollution, as well as ensuring workers get paid fairly and have safe working conditions.
The merging of Virtual Reality (VR) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) is bound to revolutionize not only how fashion is designed and produced, but also its consumption and customer experience.
As fashion continues to make headway, the future seems exciting as it will make way for new opportunities and directions that will be driven by sustainability, innovation and technology.
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