The History of the Designer Clothes Industry

The designer clothes industry is one that is continually evolving throughout the Western world. The roots of the designer clothes industry, however, date back as far as the middle of the14 th century. It was at this time that it became fashionable for men to wear over-garments that were shorter and tighter than what was previously worn. This changes was so dramatic that the garment changed from covering the man all the way to his calf to only covering the buttocks.

Women’s fashion didn’t actually begin to evolve until the 15 th century. At this time, however, the primary focus was on hairstyles. By the 17 th and 18 th centuries, fashion was becoming more common and even peasants were starting to follow the trends developed by the elite. Since the elite wished to be separate from the fashion of peasants, the styles would change. To this day, many believe that the main driving force behind the designer clothes industry remains the desire to differentiate the elite from what would be considered to be the lower class.

This desire to be continually changing within the designer clothes industry is unique to Western culture. In fact, many other cultures – such as Japanese, Persian, and Chinese cultures – rarely see changes in their fashion. In addition, in these cultures, this lack of change is a source of pride as it demonstrates stability. In the West, on the other hand, this failure to change is seen as boring.

Despite the long history of changing fashion, the first recognized haute couture house to be opened was in Paris in 1858. Since the opening of this shop, the designer clothes industry has truly become an influential societal force.