The beginning of fashion magazines
When you think of fashion, you may think of the popular, haute brands like Versace, Dior, Armani and plenty more. While these designers revolutionized the fashion market across the world, the beginning of the industry was far before these brands came into existence.
In fact, according to researchers, nobody can truly confirm when humans began wearing clothes. We do know that clothes were originally created to keep people warm, and they eventually emerged as a creative and expressive outlet for billions of aspiring and current designers, models or just fashion lovers worldwide.
The gap between the caveman era and the boom of the fashion industry is quite gigantic. The “first” fashion designer is considered Charles Frederick Worth who was born in 1825. The English man dominated fashion in Paris throughout the 19th century, according to Glam Observer. Worth founded the fashion House of Worth and is widely considered the “father of haute couture” for revolutionizing the early industry with his elegant designs.
Worth started in England as an apprentice for two London textile merchants, according to the MET. This experience helped him gain extensive knowledge of fabrics and the layout of the business. He moved to Paris in 1845 and landed his first professional position as a dressmaker for a textile firm called Gagelin. Worth’s major, prize-winning success lead him to open his own firm in 1858.
Worth’s luxurious designs are best known for the lavish fabrics and trimmings, historic elements and attention to fit. Worth designed many unique pieces for European royalty as he grew more popular such as some of the dresses below.
By the 1870s, Worth became featured in many fashion magazines. Yet, his family reign ended in 1962, shortly after the first Milan Fashion Week was held, after his grandson retired from the business and put the name “Worth” to rest.
Along with the birth of major fashion designers like Worth also came the emergence of major fashion magazines. The first fashion publication is recognized as Mercure Galant in France. The magazine was first published in 1672 by Jean Donneau de Vise. It offered opinions and comments on the latest clothing styles across Europe and played a pivotal role in the spread of fashion news.
Following this publication, three of the world’s most notorious and admirable magazines came next including Harper’s Bazaar (1867), Cosmopolitan (1886) and American Vogue (1892). Along with fashion trends, Harper’s Bazaar wrote about social etiquette, politics, music, fiction and literature. Cosmopolitan originally began as a family home magazine with articles about home decor, cooking, the care of children and of course, fashion. Lastly, American Vogue emerged and targeted the upper class in New York City with articles about their habits, leisure activities, and luxurious fashion trends. The magazine also included sports coverage for its growing population of male readers. It also grew as a resource for inspiration for many beginning fashion influencers, businessmen and more.
Fashion magazines have evolved tremendously since the first few publications reached the hands of readers. Not only has the copy and look changed, but their impact has certainly had its ups and downs. For many fashion lovers, the pages are much more than informational entertainment – they represent hope, inspiration and dreams for a new life. In the iconic movie, The Devil Wears Prada, Nigel tells Andy that fashion magazines have always meant so much more to him and they deserve to be treated that way.
“This is not just a magazine,” Andy said. “This is a shining beacon of hope for a young boy growing up in Rhode Island with six brothers pretending to go to soccer practice when he was going to sewing class and reading Runway under the overs at night with a flashlight. You have no idea how many legends have walked these halls.”