Haute Couture is a creation of exclusive high fashion clothing or knows as high dressing made by atelier/fashion houses. It may have started in France but it was a concept born of an Englishman. The origins of it is attributed to Charles Frederick Worth he began his training in London before moving to Paris in 1845, in 1858 founded the first Couture House in Paris. Charles realised that women would want more if it was shown the dress made by the materials from scratch, he is the 1st fashion designer to have a fashion show and also, he started to showcase his outfits on mannequins.
Christian Dior founded a Couture House in Paris which easily get fabrics due to having a fabric company backing him. The launch of Christian Dior 'New Look ' in 1947 which establish a beginning of historic fashion decade, which Dior called 'Golden Age '. Therefore, he was the right designer at the right period of the time because it was the end of the 2nd world war and for celebrating the end and the birth of the new era, therefore, Dior brought back more a feminine look which is reflecting more positive note in reflection to the war. During the era french couturiers such as Pierre Balmain, Jacques Fath and Cristobal Balenciaga dominated fashion with their unique styles creations. Therefore, in London there were new competitor designers arrived Norman Hartnell , Hardy Amies and Digby Morton they were identified with glamour of the royal family.
As I said in 1947 Dior launched his collection called 'New Look', his collection was the contrast of masculine wartime fashions. With sloping shoulders, full bust and cinched-in waist above full and long skirts. London couturier John Cavanagh define as 'a total glorification of the female form'. One of the most famous suit from his collection is the The Bar Suit which is manifest an attributes of Dior's dramatic atavism.
The Bar Suit was made with four yard of silk shantung in a soft ivory shade and padded at the hipline for a more rounded and feminine shape. The suit was a successful sales which it was copied and replicated but also, Dior reworked and updated his piece and made different versions in all of the 22 couture collections.
In my opinion, there was an immigration with the country became very multicultural, between 50s and 60s. Therefore, there were changing of attitudes because after the war finished men came home and started to work, meanwhile, women starting back to stay home while the men went to work. On the fashion side, men used to wear suits which made with heavy woven. Therefore, for women had to wore old clothing due to lack of materials. Because of it I assumed for the society men were icons with their quality of clothes and the good position of their jobs. Meantime, women were treated not good as they used to be treated, because women used to help their countries too for examples they were: nurse, ambulance drivers and doctors. Some women were enrolled to the army as well. Another reason, after the war and the destruction that caused, men not only had better job but they had even higher pay than before. Which they spend it to buy new clothes for look nice and increased the money.
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