When Clothing was Couture

The exceptionally fashionable woman of the early 1900s changed throughout the day from one lavish outfit to another. Her clothes were constructed by skilled seamstresses and embroideresses and each garment was a highly skilled creation both in construction and decoration of ornate concoctions – skills still required in the ateliers of today’s great embroidery and couture workshops. However, once urban living increased its pace, the world changed to one where speed and accessibility became key elements in our daily lives.

The Event of Utility Wear

Modern living has developed into a throw-away society where things are made to be replaced. Most clothing produced is low cost and has a short life span. When a fashion has waned or a garment is past its best it is simply thrown out. The quick-turnover high street market feeds on mass production in which, to ensure survival, the depth of every seam and every element of trimming is calculated, cosseted and minimised.

Mass Production

Dictated by practicalities and budget most women’s wardrobes contain mass-produced or limited edition day clothes with perhaps one or two ‘special occasion’ dresses. On the whole, women buy ready-to wear garments in which cost has necessarily limited the quality of finish and decoration; fabrics are used that will withstand the washer, tumble dryer and dry cleaners and therefore are of inferior quality.

The History of Fashion preserved