The historic fashion show in Paris of 1973, the Battle of Versailles, which pitted American designers against the French, marks its 50th anniversary this November.
The event was created to raise money for the restoration of the Palace of Versailles but is remembered for its shift in American culture and how it changed how people dressed around the world. A fashion tipping point for sportswear – clothing that mixed and matched, but with a new point of view – a true cultural revolution. It was the impetus for social shifts, racial awareness, and American magic.
Anne Klein, the only female designer invited to participate (her peers were dismissive of her inclusion despite having one of the most successful fashion businesses at that time), stole the show.
We spoke to Stephen Burrows, the last surviving designer of the five American designers invited (Anne Klein, Halston, Oscar de la Renta, and Bill Blass), and execs from Anne Klein, who are keeping her legacy alive in remembrance, and continued great American sportswear.
The event was created to raise money for the restoration of the Palace of Versailles but is remembered for its shift in American culture and how it changed how people dressed around the world. A fashion tipping point for sportswear – clothing that mixed and matched, but with a new point of view – a true cultural revolution. It was the impetus for social shifts, racial awareness, and American magic.
Anne Klein, the only female designer invited to participate (her peers were dismissive of her inclusion despite having one of the most successful fashion businesses at that time), stole the show.
We spoke to Stephen Burrows, the last surviving designer of the five American designers invited (Anne Klein, Halston, Oscar de la Renta, and Bill Blass), and execs from Anne Klein, who are keeping her legacy alive in remembrance, and continued great American sportswear.
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LifestyleTranscript
00:00 [upbeat music]
00:02 - Well, we're here for a couple of reasons.
00:06 The renewal of the brand Anne Klein,
00:09 and the other reason is Versailles, 50 years ago.
00:12 - Five key American designers came to Paris
00:16 to help the Rothschild who did a huge charity event.
00:21 - It showed that we Americans had our own trend of thought
00:24 too, and we could sit at the table of high fashion.
00:28 - Really, we were presenting the bouquet of love
00:31 to our partners in crime,
00:33 which were the other inventors of beauty for women.
00:36 - We've seen so much more diversity and inclusivity
00:39 on the runways and in campaigns,
00:41 so I hope that it continues to go that route.
00:43 - This brand has amazing history.
00:46 It has legacy, and we wanna carry that legacy forward
00:49 and make sure that we're responsible
00:51 in terms of telling the story,
00:53 but telling the story in a way
00:54 that it can help create a better story going forward.
00:58 (upbeat music)