Born on this day in Fashion History: Rose Bertin, July 2, 1747

Happy birthday to Marie Antoinette’s premiere marchande de modes, Rose Bertin, born on this day in 1747. Bertin’s meteoric rise to success began in 1772, when she opened her own shop, after having apprenticed to a marchande de modes for years. She quickly developed an affluent clientele, but no one would prove as important to her … Continue reading Born on this day in Fashion History: Rose Bertin, July 2, 1747

Fashion Film Friday: Versailles ’73: American Runway Revolution

In 1973, American designers Anne Klein, Stephen Burrows, Bill Blass, Oscar de la Renta and Halston were invited to Paris to show alongside the preeminent names in Parisian couture: Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Dior, Hubert de Givenchy, Emanuel Ungaro and Pierre Cardin. But what began as a fundraising event to restore the Palace of Versailles … Continue reading Fashion Film Friday: Versailles ’73: American Runway Revolution