BA1 CLASS READNG FOR 14/10/13 - COCO CHANEL AND MODERNISM 

HISTORICAL & TECHNICAL (THE EASY BIT) - MODERNISM

Modernism is an umbrella term for a number of movements united in their rejection of historicism during the early 20th century. Modernists embraced progress and sought to enhance human experience of the modern age by breaking with the past... Fashion was a key branch of Modernism and widely adopted its principles after the First World War. ...

This new androgynous style was christened the 'garconne' look and dominated fashion until 1929. Hemlines were raised significantly, peaking in 1926 at just below the knee; waistlines dropped towards the hips; hair was bobbed, shingled or even cropped ... In addition, new comfortable fluid fabrics in a neutral palette of navy, black, beige and grey were utilised. ...

... it is Chanel's legacy that has proved enduring. She is credited with introducing the 'little black dress' and promoting the principle of simplicity as elegance. ...

In keeping with the spirit of Modernism, and aided by the development of rayon and the simple shapes of the garments, rapid dissemination of styles was made possible. What was shown in the couture salons was soon readily available to the mass market via copy houses or paper patterns.

Although Modernism was utopian and the simple, sports-influenced lines of the 'garconne' look suggested physical liberation, this was paradoxical. The new fashion demanded a radical shift in the ideal female form and women endeavoured to become lithe and youthful with a flat bust, no hips and a childlike slenderness. Corsets were replaced by roll-on, reinforced 'flattners' and dieting was vigorously promoted as the best way to achieve a fashionable physique. (Mackenzie, 2009, pp.74-75).

SOCIAL & THEORETICAL (THE DIFFICULT BIT) - THE DEMOCRATIZATION OF FASHION

Chanel deviated from the elitist nature of haute couture both by creating a 'working-class look' through her choice of non-luxuriant fabric - her inspiration being drawn primarily from working-class male attire - and by embracing a philosophy of copying and mass production, which denied exclusiveness and uniqueness. ... With her 'poor boy' fashions and imitation jewellery, she aimed to create an image of middle-class informality rather than emphasising the affectations of the upper classes, yet her garments were consistently priced in a bracket far above the economic means of the average working girl. ... Despite the apparent lack of what Veblen (1965) refers to as 'conspicuous consumption' in her garments, hems were always hand-rolled and weighted chains were inserted into the backs of the jackets. When she dressed her clients in garments of austere simplicity, she would then heap strands of costume jewellery around their necks, on their wrists, hands and ears. Even if the pieces of jewellery were made of rubies or emeralds, Chanel once commented that they would do, 'so long as they look like junk!' (English, 2013, p.41).

REFERENCES

English, B. (2013) A cultural history of fashion in the 20th and 21st centuries. 2nd edn. London: Bloomsbury.

Mackenzie, M. (2009) …Isms understanding fashion. New York: Universe.