The Little Black Dress first made its appearance in May 1926 in an American issue of Vogue. It was a small pen and ink sketch of the calf length silk dress by Gabrielle ‘CoCo’ Chanel. Vogue compared the dress to Ford’s shiny new black motor car, both sleek, stylish and available to the masses. The dress suddenly caused uproar in the fashion industry as the colour black was previously associated with servants or morning.
“Simplicity is the keynote of all true elegance. (Gabrielle ‘CoCo’ Chanel) To her modesty was the chicest way of proclaiming one’s superiority. she wanted to get rid of everything that put women at the mercy of convention, that got in their way, that slowed them down.” Edelman (1997 p20)
Chanel is now known as the creator of the Little Black Dress but it was not until 1961 that it really took off when the young Audrey Hepburn wore the definitive Little Black Dress in Breakfast at Tiffany’s designed by Hubert de Givenchy. This was not the first black dress Givenchy had designed for Hepburn, he also created two other successful pieces for the actress to wear in her films Sabrina 1954 and Funny Face 1957 but it was the iconic Breakfast at Tiffany’s dress that was named their chic style master piece. It was an instant hit and started a new craze for women in the 60’s.
Black appealed to Chanel with its practical nature, her attachment to the colour is said to be related to her moaning the death of her true love Arthur ‘Boy’ Capel. Some people say that her ‘desire to put the world into moaning for him’ led her to create the Little Black Dress. (Edelman 1997 p24).
Life in the 20‘s had started to change waist lines and the bust disappeared along with a shorter hem. For those who could afford it, they attend...
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...nything, the colour forgives the few extra pounds, compliments the figure and becomes a canvas of self expression and individuality.
“ Because of its sober styling the little black dress enhances the personality of the women wearing it.” Hubert de Givenchy
The little black dress solves every women’s problem of a closet full of clothes and nothing to wear, keeping up with latest trends while creating a fashion that has took off on its own. Every women can now own a Little Black Dress with technology and manufacturing of clothing changed over the years from the high street to haute couture there is a Little Black Dress for everyone.
The Little Black Dress is still appearing in the current designers collections including Chanel, Givenchy, Yves Saint Laurent and many more.
Works Cited
Amy Holman Edelman- The little black dress 1997
www.onlydayinfashion.com
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