7 Iconic Moments That Shaped Fashion History
By Alexus Mosley
The phrase “first in fashion” sounds almost absurd in the age of Instagram and fashion blogazines. For the past several years style aficionados have debated whether or not the fashion calendar as we know it is still relevant being that every type of clothing is available to masses with just a click of a button, regardless of the season or how unconventional the design may be.
Prominent fashion publications deliver round the clock updates on what is going on in the industry, you now longer need to be a fashion buyer, journalist or photographer for a first look at your favorite fashion house’s latest collection. They’ll more than likely to livestream it (or the very least your favorite influencer will show the highlights on Tik Tok). Oh, and if you want to know all of the deets on the stunning gown your favorite actress wore on the Red Carpet.. you can just google it.
Believe it or not, things in the fashion industry weren’t always so diverse, acceptable, or accessible. Here are 7 of the most ingenious moments in fashion moments that made the industry just what it is today.
Paul Poiret Pioneers Fashion Editorial
Recognized by The Metropolitan Museum of Art as “The King of Fashion” at the Costume Institute’s 2007 exhibition, Parisian couturier Paul Poiret, notably remembered for throwing the most opulent society balls, replacing the corset for the brasserie, his most glamorous celebrity ambassadors (pre-Instagram) such as French actress, Gabrielle Réjane, and being the first designer to launch a fragrance line made another revolutionary contribution to fashion in 1911 when he collaborated with fine-art photographer Edward Steichen to shoot his collection for the April issue of Art et Décoration magazine, breaking ground for fashion editorial as we know it today.
Coco Chanel Introduces the “Little Black Dress”
Coco Chanel flipped the world upside down with her introduction of the “Little Black Dress” in the October issue of Vogue in 1926. Dubbed by the publication as “the uniform for all women of taste,” the contemporary cocktail dress made its initial debut as a simple illustration as a long sleeved black dress of crêpe de Chine, simply accessorized with only a string of pearls.
Christian Dior’s New Look
In February 1947, Christian Dior revealed his debut collection composed of 90 designs that celebrated hyper-femininity and and elegance. With styles of cinched, hourglass waists, shoulders that were sculpted and round, and full skirts, the SS47 couture collection demonstrated a reset after World War II, ushering in a new era in women’s wear.
Yves Saint Laurent Suits Women
When one mentions women in suits, Carla Delevingne, Zendaya, and Janelle Monáe may come to mind. But it wasn’t until 1966 that French designer Yves Saint Laurent presented the first tuxedo specifically designed for women. Appropriately titled ‘Le Smoking’ for the jacket’s silk folds that made that easily allowed for the ash of after-dinner cigarettes to be easily dusted off, the suit paved the way for androgynous dressing and became a staple for Yves Saint Laurent’s signature aesthetic.
Beverly Johnson is Vogue’s first cover star
Now, it may feel impossible to imagine American Vogue without Black cover stars but it wasn’t until the August 1974 issue that model Beverly Johnson shifted industry norms by becoming the first woman of African descent to appear on the cover of what is often referred to as the “Fashion Bible.” “Every model’s dream [is] to be on the cover of Vogue,” Johnson told CNN. “You have arrived when you [make] the cover of Vogue. And then when I found out I was the first person of color on the cover and what that meant, I was like, ‘Wow, this is really a big deal.’”
Months later Johnson would go on to break another social barrier when she landed the September 1977 cover of French Elle. Becoming the first black woman to do so.
Karl Lagerfeld Takes Over Chanel
In 1983, 12 years after Coco Chanel’s death, Karl Lagerfeld took over a struggling Chanel after being asked by . He would remain creative director until his death. With over 180 runway shows, Lagerfeld introduced ultraglam to the French fashion house with logo mania, golden chains, graffiti in Haute Couture. He also invented the double-C logo that the brand is now recognized for. Lagerfeld is crediting with reinventing not only Chanel but the role of creative director.
J. Lo & the versace dress
Jennifer Lopez had no idea that when she wore the Versace jungle dress to the 2000 Grammy Awards she would be shaping fashion industry (and technology for that matter). On the contrary, overly excited about attending the biggest night in music, Lopez didn’t think think much about the green silk chiffon dress or what she was wearing in general. Ironically, it was a last minute choice that turned out to be one of the most iconic red carpet moments to this date. Quite literally leading to the creation of Google’s search engine.
In 2015 Former Google CEO and Chairman Eric Schmidt wrote on Project Syndicate “People wanted more than just text. This first became apparent after the 2000 Grammy Awards, where Jennifer Lopez wore a green dress that, well, caught the world’s attention. At the time, it was the most popular search query we had ever seen. But we had no surefire way of getting users exactly what they wanted: JLo wearing that dress. Google Image Search was born.”
