What do you do when you are on the brink of a fashion crisis and need to slay at that last-minute event? You turn to the one saviour in your closet that can transform you into an object of envy in a jiffy? Yes, I am talking about the Little Black Dress or LBD, which has come to your rescue on several occasions.
Let’s agree, it is not just a dress but a statement of panache. Classic, with a side of bold simplicity, and an unmistakable edge that screams elegance. Do you know your accomplice in your fashion escapades is a gift from one of the brilliant minds of the fashion industry and the founder of an eponymous luxury brand?
Image: modasoperandi.com/pinterest
The colour black
Black had been a dominant colour in the wardrobe of women for aeons, relegated to a dark corner or worn only for functionality. During the Victorian era, widowed women were expected to wear black after the death of their husbands as a sign of mourning. On the passing away of Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, his wife Queen Victoria reportedly wore black dresses for the next forty years as a mark of sadness.
The working class during the 19th century also embraced the colour black. Housekeepers, maids, and cleaning women were seen in black uniforms since it helped in hiding dirt and unsightly stains. Historically, the colour black was considered ominous. Hence, a black dress was associated either with mourning, poverty, or other negative connotations.
However, one avant-garde and feisty French haute couture designer changed it all. Yes, it is none other than the visionary creator Gabrielle Bonheur ‘Coco’ Chanel, the founder of one of the biggest luxury fashion brands Chanel.
The fascinating history
Chanel was a French seamstress and cabaret performer who eventually rose through the ranks of high society to become an iconic couturier and parfumier. In 1918 she opened the first Chanel Boutique in Paris. She was defiant and bold in her sense of style and a true trendsetter. Chanel designed menswear-inspired items like trousers, pants and pyjama-style suits that embodied feminity, class, and elegance. She even wore them in public, a dare for women in the early parts of the 20th century.
“In order to be irreplaceable, one must always be different”, she said and different she was.
The Roaring Twenties was an epoch of rejecting social norms and Chanel had no qualms in defying the fashion norms and redefining the way women dressed themselves. Chanel’s statement styles were deemed revolutionary and fashion-forward. This belief was furthered when one of her designs graced the cover of Vogue in 1926 and changed women’s fashion game forever.
The dress designed by Coco Chanel for the cover of Vogue in 1926
In the October edition of Vogue that year, the model adorned a long-sleeved crêpe de Chine dress with a relaxed silhouette and dropped waist. It was teamed with a strand of pearls and a simple cloche hat. Based along the lines of a simple chemise dress, Chanel tended to feature a straight or bateau neckline and hung loosely to the mid or lower calf. Fellow French fashion designer Jean Patou and British designer Edward Molyneux are also credited for popularising the style throughout the 1920s and later in the 1930s.
Banishing the idea of ‘black’ being a negative colour, the piece of garment became the world’s very first official Little Black Dress, which would inspire women for generations and occupy a special place in their wardrobes and the ravines of their hearts. Vogue had heralded the look as, “uniform for all women of taste”.
Ironically, Henry Ford was producing the Model T, proclaiming, “any color… as long as it’s black,” setting the stage for Vogue to dub Chanel’s black dress as the “Ford” of fashion.
It was a subtle yet lavish piece, within reach of the masses. Their foresight was spot-on. Since October 1926, the Little Black Dress has etched its place as an iconic and indispensable facet of every chic woman’s wardrobe.
A historical legacy:
Beyond its sheer fabulousness, the Little Black Dress boasts a rich historical legacy that extends far beyond the runway. Chanel’s iconic creation emerged during the Great Depression when even the affluent sought an elegant yet affordable look. The simplicity of a black evening dress became a style salvation, allowing women across classes and incomes to embrace elegance in their wardrobes.
As the world grappled with the shadows of the Second World War, economic constraints tightened everyone’s purse strings. Luxurious fabrics like silk became rare commodities, unsuitable for everyday wear. However, unassuming black fabrics were in abundance. Enter the Little Black Dress, once again offering women a chic means to dress up without ostentation, respecting the wartime call for conservation.
In the post-war years, black dresses continued to reign for various reasons. Hollywood played a pivotal role, with technicolour films requiring actresses to don black dresses to prevent colour distortion on the screen. The mystique of the Little Black Dress found its way into the wardrobe of onscreen Femme Fatales, symbolizing their enigmatic allure. Thus, from economic resilience to cinematic influence, the Little Black Dress remained a timeless and versatile icon in the ever-evolving tapestry of fashion.
The Little Black Dress evolving with time:
1940s: After enjoying its initial success, Chanel’s LBD received a new look in Christian Dior’s collection. The iconic Little Black Dress rose to fame in the post-war era. Featuring full skirts and cinched waists, it offered a sexier upgrade to the classic LBD, catching the attention of numerous Hollywood stars. The wasp waist and opulent full skirt brought a fresh perspective to the Little Black Dress, earning widespread appreciation. Regarded as a symbol of hope after the war, it became a fashion statement embraced by all.
Image: Pinterest
1950s: Renowned actress Marilyn Monroe frequently donned the little black dress, showcasing her style on various occasions. One standout moment was during a movie promotion, where she effortlessly rocked an off-shoulder black dress. This particular off-shoulder ensemble captured a place in fashion history as one of her most iconic and memorable fashion moments.
Marilyn Monroe in a LBD
1960s-1070s: While the older generation leaned towards conservative styles, the younger generation in the ’60s craved bolder statements with shorter lengths, daring slits, and intricate netted details. A quintessential example of this era’s iconic Little Black Dress is Audrey Hepburn’s look in the movie “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.” Designed by Givenchy, the sheath black dress donned by Hepburn became an enduring symbol of ’60s fashion and one of her most iconic looks. The dresses of the ’60s exuded a shorter and more modern aesthetic, reflecting the dynamic style preferences of that era.
Stars like Bridget Bardot and Jane Birkin also played key roles in popularizing LBD throughout the 60s and 70s.
Audrey Hepburn in the Givenchy dress
Bridget Badot on the set of Come Dance with Me
A fan of the Little Black Dress who wore it often, in this photograph
1990s: Shoulder suits and pouffe dresses took the spotlight in the vibrant ’80s. Transitioning into the ’90s, the era embraced the minimalist allure of the slip dress. Who can forget the Revenge Dress, Princess Diana wore to a Vanity Fair party after her husband, the Prince of Wales, admitted to adultery on national television.
Princess Diana in the Revenge Dress
In that very year, Elizabeth Hurley made headlines when she adorned the safety pin Versace dress, a bold choice inspired by her reported snub from other designers who were unfamiliar with her. This defiant fashion statement not only turned heads but also solidified Elizabeth as an enduring icon.
Elizabeth Hurley in the Versace dress
Actors like Jennifer Anniston and Cindy Crawford and musicians like Madonna also deserve credit for making the Little Black Dress throughout the 90s and 2000s.
Jennifer Anniston
Cindy Crawford
Madonna
2000s: In the first decade of the 21st century, the market was flooded with an array of black dresses, ranging from the simple and elegant, a la Victoria Beckham, to the more modern and minimalist bodycon styles that gained popularity thanks to numerous Hollywood actresses.
Victoria Beckham in two of her iconic LBD looks. Image: Times of India
Today, every major designer has included a little black dress in their clothing lines. Amy Holman Edelman, who devoted an entire book, ‘The Little Black Dress’, to Chanel’s creation, has called the dress “emblematic of a woman’s freedom of choice, her equal participating in the world and her declaration that this time, she is dressing for herself.”
Popularized by Coco Chanel, the little black dress has come a long way but has not lost an ounce of the attention it garnered in its heyday. To this day, it stands as every girl’s enduring favourite.
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