It’s a question that hits my inbox at least once a month, from people all over the world.  Why did French fashion become so important?  Why Paris?  Why not Rome?  Or Athens?  Or someplace else?

If you happen to know a bit about world history, the answer makes perfect sense.  If you used history class to doze or pass notes, you might have missed it.

Still, it’s an excellent question.  For not only is french fashion history interesting, it reveals two undeniable truths:

1. Fashion is fickle.
2. Fashion is extremely vulnerable to war, politics, and the economy.  It’s one of the first things people indulge in when times are good, and one the first things they go without when times are bad.  If you want staying power, you need to build a brand that can withstand these industry-crippling events.

So how did French fashion become so important?

The story begins nearly a thousand years ago in a climate eerily similar to today:  with conflict in the Middle East.

(If you’re not a big history buff, stick with me – this will go pretty quickly.)

Until around the year 1000, most people stayed put.  Travel was tedious and dangerous, and while there were a few adventurous souls here and there – not to mention military campaigns that took soldiers all over — most people lived their entire lives within a few miles of where they were born.

Clothing was what you used to cover yourself and stay warm.  Period.  While the ancient Greek, Roman, and Egyptian cultures had evolved into centers of art, fashion, and learning, that all stopped during the Dark Ages.  In fact, for nearly a thousand years, most clothing styles throughout Europe and the Middle East were simply versions of the classic Roman costume that had been introduced during the vast occupation of the Roman Empire:  tunics, togas, and lace sandals.

People simply adapted the basic costume to the materials, climate, politics, and religious dictates in their area.  And while there were some differences between the classes — like amount of material used and number of garments owned, for example — everyone pretty much stuck with simple shapes that required little assembly.  Textiles were rough, and color choices were few.

The only people who saw any large changes in their dress were soldiers; uniforms were constantly adapted to perform better in battle.  Much as they are today. 

Anyway, when word reached Pope Urban II in 1093 that the Turks were allegedly attacking Christians in and around Jerusalem, he rallied his allies from Italy, France, and England and fought back.  The Crusades began, and would last nearly 250 years.

As is often the case in times of war, trade evolved to service the needs of the soldiers.  Similarly, those returning from the Crusades brought back items from the region that Europeans had never seen before, like silk, spices, and oils.  Soon, demand for more of these luxuries sent European traders further east, where they often had to brave war, illness, and bandits to get their treasures back home.

But those who did return got rich.

By the 13^th Century, the silk trade was well developed and Venice became THE place to sell luxury items from the Mid and Far East.  Its strategic position in Northern Italy could be reached by land or by sea, and goods traded there quickly found their way to surrounding areas like Austria, Switzerland, and France.

Between the influx of money and exquisite textiles, clothing began to take on new importance.  Instead of being primarily a way to protect one’s self from the elements, it became a means to display wealth and status.  A whole industry of craftsmen emerged to create and assemble beautiful clothing for the wealthy.

Thus, the fashion industry was born.

By the late 1400’s, the Italian economy was in such good shape that its citizens could spend their time in pursuits other than those required of daily living.  Interest in the classics like art, sculpture, and music resumed, and The Renaissance was born, with Italy at its center. 

With Michelangelo, Raphael, and da Vinci at their zeniths, these were heady times, indeed.  But like all good things, the Eastern silk trade eventually came to an end.  By the late 1500’s, Spain, with its newfound wealth from the New World, soon emerged as the fashion capital of the world.

While the Italians loved festive colors and flirtatious styles, the Spaniards preferred somber tones in stiff fabrics, to reflect the piety of their Catholic court.  The Spanish ruff and farthingale dominated in the late 16^th and early 17^th centuries, spreading to both France and England.  Queen Elizabeth I’s wardrobe strongly favored the Spanish style.

But something happened in the mid-1600’s that would forever change the course of fashion:  Louis XIV was born.

Louis XIV was, by all accounts, a vain, arrogant man who was nonetheless endowed with an incredible sense of the aesthetic.  He was also obsessed with elevating France’s status in the European community, and used all his available resources to that end.  He ruled France with an iron hand from his palace at Versailles, and spent lavishly on beautiful objects like art, furniture, and clothing.  Anyone who wished to be in his inner circle was required to do the same.

Thus, by the late 1600’s, a large portion of the French economy was derived from clothing and dressmaking goods.  Anyone who was anyone kept up with French fashions, which could be a full time job since they changed frequently.  It was said that men’s jacket styles changed 69 times during Louis’ 72-year reign, compared to just 4 times during his father’s 33-year reign.  France was THE fashion center of the world, and remained so until the French Revolution began in 1789.

When Napoleon took control and started to rebuild in 1804, the French economy was in shambles after 15 years of war.  Looking for ways to stabilize and rebuild, Napoleon turned to the fashion industry to stimulate the economy.  He imposed a blockade on trade with Great Britain, who was the world’s leading textile manufacturer at the time, and insisted that all dressmaking goods be made in France.  He then instated a rule that no one could come to the French court twice dressed in the same thing.  Thus, frequent visitors to the court spent their days – and a lot of money – with their dressmakers, creating clothes that could be worn to court.

When Napoleon was defeated at Waterloo in 1815, French fashions, particularly for men, fell out of favor.  The bespoke tailors of Savile Row on the West End of London, who had been fashioning military uniforms for 100 years and had clad the dapper Beau Brummel and his devotees, were ready to answer the call.  Heads of state who had been shopping in Paris soon took their business to London. 

France again regained its international reputation for fine fashion when Napoleon III married Eugenia of Spain in 1853.  Cultured, beautiful, and a lover of fine fashions, Eugenie quickly garnered followers from all over Europe.  It was then that a talented young British designer named Charles Frederick Worth decided to make his move.

Worth started his career as a bookkeeper in a dry goods shop, but soon found that creating women’s clothing was far more interesting.  After moving to Paris when he was 20 and apprenticing in an accessories shop, he opened his own salon and quickly caught the eye of the discerning Eugenie.  With her influence and his talent, Worth’s reputation and fame quickly spread.

He was the first designer to show his clothes on live models, the first to put his name on a label inside the clothes, and the first to set a schedule for showing seasonal clothes.  Called “The father of Haute Couture,” he also started the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture, which is an organization that sets the standards for designers of haute couture.  Soon, he was gowning queens, princesses, and the wives of industrial barons.  France was once again THE center of fashion, with the House of Worth THE place to go.

Other designing luminaries soon made their mark on French fashions as well, including Poiret, Chanel, Dior, and Balenciaga, among others.  Paris haute couture enjoyed its best years following World War II, when the industry employed 35,000 people to create clothes for 15,000 regular consumers of couture, including women like Babe Pauley, Gloria Guiness, and The Duchess of Windsor, all of whom would order complete collections at a time.  Today, only about 200 women are regular consumers of couture, with 5,000 people regularly employed in the couture industry.

So what happened?

Well, first it was the British invasion.  Right after the Beatles made it big, so did British mod fashions, with Mary Quant and her mini skirts leading the charge.  The daughters whose mothers wore French fashions were looking for something completely different and found it in the fashion-forward British styles of the 60’s.

Then, Pierre Cardin decided to make his clothes available to a larger audience by offering Ready-To-Wear collections.  Other French houses gave a collective gasp before sharply criticizing Cardin for being so bourgeois, but before long they were all either offering RTW themselves or closing their doors for lack of business.

Finally, designers in other countries began to make their international mark in the 1970’s, including Halston, Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, and Diane Von Furstenberg in the United States, and Armani, Valentino, and Versace in Italy.

Today, Paris still enjoys a reputation for fine fashions, but it’s not the “only game in town,” so to speak.  The Italians continue to excel in fine silk and leather goods, having honed their techniques over eight centuries, while the British own the market in bespoke tailoring, woolen goods, and fine outerwear.  Americans and Australians are known for their sportswear, while the Japanese have perfected the art of combining drama, form, and function in everything from lingerie to evening wear.  Given the availability of local talent, consumers no longer have to head to “the City of Lights.”

But Louis XIV would have been delighted to know that for nearly 300 years, his influence held such sway over the world that fashion lovers from queens and princesses to industrial barons felt the need to go to Paris…or bust!

Diana Pemberton-Sikes is a fashion writer and image consultant and a contributing author to FabJob’s Guide to Become A Fashion Designer.

They design apparel.

Now this seems obvious.  But while most aspiring fashion designers dream of seeing their luxurious creations on the backs of the rich and famous, the truth is that fashion designers design many different types of apparel at many different price points.

Who designs the clothes you see at Target?  JC Penney’s?  Neiman Marcus?  Yep, fashion designers.  They may not all be household names, but their function is still the same:  to design clothes.  And when you think of all the different categories of apparel, you begin to understand just how large the world of fashion design really is.

For example, what kinds of clothes would you like to design?

• Baby clothes
• Christening clothes
• Children’s school clothes
• Children’s athletic wear
• Children’s outerwear
• Men’s business wear
• Men’s casual wear
• Men’s formal wear
• Men’s outerwear
• Men’s sleepwear
• Men’s sports wear
• Women’s business wear
• Women’s casual wear
• Women’s formal wear
• Women’s lingerie
• Women’s outerwear
• Women’s sleepwear
• Women’s sportswear
• Wedding dresses

Obviously, this doesn’t include every fashion design category out there, but you get the idea:  there are lots and LOTS of opportunities.

Yes, the world of fashion design is very competitive, and yes, you need to be VERY good in order to compete in the “big leagues” as a fashion designer.  But if you start small and hone your skills, including sketching, draping, and sewing, you’ll soon find your creative voice.

So how do you get started?

The best way to get started is simply to create a few sample garments and see if you can sell them to people you know.  If you can, expand your client base by advertising in the newspaper or in local target-specific publications that cater to your target market (bridal, pageant, business men or women, etc.).

If you want to expand your reach, call specialty and department stores in your area that sell the types of clothes you design.  Schedule an appointment with the store’s buyer and show them completed samples of your work.  If you have a portfolio of sketches, take that along to show what else you can do.  If they place an order, make sure you can finish it on time and on budget.  Since most buyers impose a hefty penalty on tardy orders, never promise more than you can deliver.

Once you have four or five local stores selling your clothes, you may find that you want to expand your reach even further.  If that’s the case, arrange to have a booth at a local or regional trade show.  You’ll be able to show your designs to dozens of buyers at one time, and can increase your income substantially by adding more stores to your distribution network.  Again, never take orders for more than you can deliver.   If you won’t be handling all the manufacturing yourself, make sure whomever will be doing the manufacturing has the ability to meet your deadlines.

For a list of trade shows in your area, visit:

• Apparel News
  http://www.apparelnews.net/Links/tradeshows.html
• Apparel Search
  http://www.apparelsearch.com/calendar.htm

Becoming a fashion designer is hard work, but it can be a satisfying career both creatively and financially.  Start small, hone your skills, carve your niche, and go for it!  Success may be closer than you think.

Why?

When mothers migrated to the work force en mass in the early 1970’s, it left very little quality time with the kids.  Family dinners soon gave way to fast food dinners, and meals that were eaten together around a table were replaced by meals eaten in the car en route to the next stop on a demanding schedule.

By the 1990’s, technology also began to chip away at the manners once so important to our grandmothers.  Phone calls and emails have replaced invitations and letters, and with everyone always in a rush, the niceties like “please” and “thank you” have become endangered species.

Yet good manners never go out of style, particularly among the elite.  So the higher people climb on the social and business ladders, the more polished they need to become.  And the more they interact with other cultures, the more they realize that while everyone may not speak the same language, good manners translate well world-wide.

Enter:  the etiquette consultant.

Etiquette consultants perform a variety of training tasks, working with children, individuals, and corporations.  You can choose to work at all levels, or concentrate on a particular area of interest.

Here are some examples of what an etiquette consultant teaches:

Business Etiquette

Teach people how to behave in business settings, including how to shake hands, make introductions, conduct meetings, handle emails, and properly give gifts.  Classes or session can be given for individuals or corporations.

Children’s Etiquette

Teach children how to use their manners when eating, speaking to adults, talking on the phone, or writing thank you notes.  Lessons can be geared to specific age groups, preschoolers through high school students.

Communication Etiquette

Teach individuals or corporations how to speak on the phone, handle emails, write thank you notes, make introductions, and make small talk.

Dining Etiquette

Show people in a hands-on environment which fork to use, how to use a knife, how to hold a wine glass, how to convey your eating status to the wait staff, etc.  This is one of the most popular services provided by etiquette consultants.

International Etiquette (or international protocol)

Teach people how to behave appropriately when visiting or conducting business in foreign countries, including the importance of status and the proper forms of address, what to wear, how to make introductions and how to give gifts.

Social Etiquette

Show people how to behave properly in social settings, including how to make introductions, be a good host, be a polite guest, give toasts, and how to send or respond to invitations.

Wedding Etiquette

Teach people how to behave properly at weddings, including how to dance, give toasts, extend invitations, arrange seating, and the like.

As you can see, the opportunities are wide open as an etiquette consultant.  Use a little imagination, and start booking your time.

Question:  “I see a lot of clothes in runway fashion shows on TV that never seem to make it to my local stores.  Why is that?”

Answer:  It all boils down to money.

In the competitive world of fashion, apparel companies generally adopt one of five merchandising philosophies:  innovate, interpret, imitate, research, or real time.  Each has its place in the fashion market, and each succeeds based on its philosophy.

Here’s a breakdown:

INNOVATORS are companies that rely on their innovative designs to attract their market—which generally consists of other fashion innovators.  These are the cutting-edge clothes that you see covered by the media on television and in magazines, and you may secretly wonder who in their right mind would be caught dead in such an outfit.  Yes, there are people who buy these clothes—but not enough to make much money.  So these clothes become the bait that draws buyers in for a look at the more mainstream clothes that the designer has to offer.

INTERPRETERS watch the innovators carefully and “interpret” the successful innovative designs for their own niche markets.  Rather than risk unsuccessful designs, they see what trends appeal to the consumer, and adapt them for their own markets.

IMITATORS are the knock-off artists who reproduce popular designer fashions in very affordable price ranges.  They rely on quick timing, cheap fabrics, and low-cost labor to get their products to market fast.

RESEARCHERS do extensive consumer research before heading to the design table.  While they do keep popular trends in mind, they rely more on costumer preferences than creative elements.

REAL-TIME companies also rely on heavy consumer research, but they don’t produce mass quantities of anything until they see what sells well.  They have the production facilities in place to fill orders quickly and efficiently.  They produce only the styles that consumers want and that sell well, greatly reducing overruns and returns.

So unless you have the bank account to buy clothes directly from the runway, your chances of seeing many of the styles locally are virtually slim to none.  While some popular styles DO make it to the local stores via interpreters and imitators, the truly innovative clothes are for show purposes only. 

Call it the old “bait and switch.”  Lure them in with the cool designs, then sell them clothes they’ll actually wear…

Diana Pemberton-Sikes is a fashion writer and image consultant and a contributing author to FabJob’s Guide to Become A Fashion Designer.

Question:  “What exactly happens during fashion week?”

Answer:  Fashion week is your basic industry trade show…on steroids.

While one might think it’s all about celebrities, socialites, and superstar models, the basic purpose of fashion week is to sell clothes.  Designers present their latest collections, and buyers place orders for the clothes they want.

Seventy-five to a hundred years ago, retail buyers would go to major fashion cities twice a year to see the latest lines and place their orders.  In the United States, that meant that buyers from places like Neiman Marcus (Dallas), Marshall Fields (Chicago), Wannamakers (Philadelphia), and the May Company (Denver) would go to New York to see and buy.

As mass production techniques improved and Hollywood began to have a major impact on clothing consumption in the 1920′s and 30′s, the fashion industry responded by developing trade shows at set times during the year to bring as many buyers and sellers together in one place at one time.  Major designers held fashion shows during these trade show weeks, but for many years, they were limited to private haute couture clients and select retail buyers.

By the early 1960′s, the market for haute couture clothes began to dwindle.  When Pierre Cardin showed his first Ready-To-Wear collection in Paris in 1960, the fashion industry gave a collective gasp.  Fashion shows for the masses?  It simply wasn’t done!

Around the same time, the old Hollywood studio system was coming to an end.  Whereas the studios once cultivated its talent, doing everything from fixing crooked teeth to changing names to dressing its stars for movie premieres and award shows, the actors were suddenly left to fend for themselves.  Some, like Audrey Hepburn, gravitated toward specific designers to help them define their look (she liked Hubert de Givenchy).

When these popular actors appeared someplace wearing a designer’s clothes, the designer’s sales immediately went up.  When Giorgio Armani dressed Richard Gere for “American Gigolo” in 1980, his then 5-year old Italian atelier exploded onto the international scene.  He’s been a major fashion force ever since.

Today, fashion weeks around the world are staged by fashion marketing professionals who have taken all of these lessons learned and honed the system for maximum sales.

But as many large fashion houses faltered for lack of private clients, The House of Cardin expanded rapidly.  Perhaps Pierre was on to something, the others thought.  Within five years, most of the major designers were showing their RTW collections during Trade Week fashion shows.  Others, like Balenciaga, simply closed their doors and retired.

Major designers are tapped to present fashion shows.  This is no small undertaking.  In addition to designing the clothes and getting the samples ready for viewing, the designers have to hire and fit the models, hire and consult with the hair and makeup artists, arrange for show space, design the set, determine the music, and hire the crews to set up and take down the runway and chairs.  And that’s BEFORE the curtain rises.  Many designers have someone on their payroll to oversee all the details.

Once the production plans are in place, the designer then has to agonize over the guest list and the limited seating.  In addition to their major retail accounts, he or she will also usually invite his orher biggest couture clients, who are usually socialites and celebrities, and the biggest names in fashion journalism.

The nail-biting starts when they begin seating assignments.  Who should have a prominent front-row seat?  Who belongs in subsequent rows?  It’s an agonizing exercise in diplomacy, because in the ego-filled world of fashion, if you tick off someone of influence, you risk losing prominent press coverage, a major retail account, or a socialite or celebrity with a loyal clothes-horse following.

The show itself is a whirl of beautiful clothes, “Who’s Who,” and countless flashing cameras.  Video crews are there filming everything, from the clothes to the celebrities to the chaos backstage. 

Once the show is over, the buyers, press, and couture clients move on to the next show on their list.  The designer goes back to his or her showroom to get ready for the onslaught of buyers.

Buyers go to the trade shows knowing how much they can spend.  If they’ll be buying from several designers, they must keep track of what they’ve ordered at each stop so they don’t exceed their budget. 

Celebrities and socialites go to see and place orders for clothes and to be seen in the press.  Since the cameras are already there, why not grab a little PR?

The press goes to see what the designers are showing this year.  They’ll get enough pictures, film footage, and interviews to show in their respective media for several months. 

If a designer is really lucky, he or she will have one or two items from the collection that will create a buzz.  Everyone at the show will talk about it, and the media will feature it in news shows, magazines, and newspapers.

The end consumer will then learn about this new item, and decide that she simply MUST have it!  She’ll call the department store or boutique where she regularly shops, and place an advance order.  By the time the designer is finally able to deliver the goods to the buyer months later, the store could already be out of stock on the item before it ever hits the store floors. 

So do ALL designers have fashion shows during fashion week?  No.  As you already read, there’s a lot of time and expense that goes into producing a show.  While major designers can afford this—or can find eager sponsors to foot the bill—it’s out of the reach of most newcomers.

So what do they do? 

Sometimes they’re able to find sponsors to underwrite the show.  Some joint venture with other up-in-coming designers to put on a show featuring all of their designs.  But most rent tables or booths at the convention hall or hotel where the trade show is going on.  Buyers then stop by their booths, look over their offerings, and place their orders…or not.

Since major department store and mail order catalog buyers frequent these trade shows looking for rising talent, it’s a great place to set your sites on when you’re ready to take your local business to the next level.  Just be prepared to fill the large number of orders you’re likely to get, or they won’t do business with you again.  Never take on more than you can deliver.

So what’s the purpose of fashion week?  To bring buyers and sellers together in one place to do business AND to create enough interest and excitement about an upcoming fashion season that the end consumer is ready and waiting for the goods, charge card in hand.

Glamour, celebrity, and the aura of privilege all lead to massive sales.  The brand-name designers know this…which is why the fashion industry is one of the top ten in the world.

Diana Pemberton-Sikes is a fashion writer and image consultant and a contributing author to FabJob’s Guide to Become A Fashion Designer.

You know, opening their mail, running errands, planning trips, and shopping for clothes? What if you could travel the world with them, enjoy first class accommodations, and “live the life of Riley?”

Sound incredible?

It’s not.  For every successful celebrity, pop star, clothing designer, politician, or athlete out there, there’s usually a celebrity personal assistant behind the scenes, taking care of details. From scheduling appointments to dealing with fans, personal assistants keep those in the spotlight looking spotless.

In fact, because many celebrities spend so much time working, they have very little time to attend to details. They rely on their personal assistants to do things like:

* Shop for Clothes
* Organize their wardrobe
* Shop for and wrap gifts
* Take care of travel arrangements
* Set up appointment
* Plan parties
* Handle routine paperwork
* …and much, much more!

Many celebrity personal assistants cite getting to know the celebrity, getting to know other celebrities, and making invaluable contacts as the biggest perks of the job. No two days are alike, so variety is definitely part of the job. If you are organized, have excellent people skills, can work with a variety of people, and are flexible, becoming a celebrity personal assistant could be the job of your dreams!

Sound incredible?

Actually, it’s easier than you think.  Because whatever you make, you’re sure to find SOMEONE who’s interesting in selling them for you, whether it’s a boutique, specialty shop, mail order company, or online retailer.  All you have to do is match your product to a hungry market, and you’re well on your way to making money doing something you love.

So what are some of the most popular crafts in demand by the fashion and home interior industries?

• Garden and outdoor items
• Country gifts
• Christmas items
• Fashion accessories
• Infant and children’s gifts
• Holiday gifts
• Home décor
• Jewelry
• Unique gifts
• … and much more!

That’s right.  You can actually sell those wonderful and unique vests / hats / earrings / purses you love to make, just by knowing where to look.  It’s a great way to pay the bills.