Lisa
was born in France. Since she left her parents' house, the whole world
has somehow become her home. Among other things, she also studied
German for several years at the University of Heidelberg in Germany.
She would now like to publish her first works, in which she focused
particularly on the historical and cultural background of clothing,
here!
We don't know which region or culture our readers come from. But
perhaps it would be quite interesting for some people to find out about
developments in the fashion world from a European perspective.
Lisa would be very happy if you had a little fun reading her texts...
About
the history
of department stores
The first department store in Germany
is probably the Kaufhaus am Brand in Mainz, which was built in 1317.
From the 16th century onwards there was a 'Kauffhaus' in many German
cities. These buildings provided space for salesmen, butchers,
bakers, weavers, furriers and other traders. On the first floor there
was usually a hall for weddings and also for dance events.
However,
the era of private department
stores began in Japan in 1673 with the 'Echigoya', which advertised
'cash sales at fixed prices' with the advertising slogan 'Genkin
kakene nashi'. It still exists today as a department store chain
under the name 'Mitsukoshi'.
At
almost the same time, the first
department stores were founded in England and the United States. The
first 'people's department store' was 'Howell & Co', which was
founded in 1796 on Pall Mall in London.
In
1839, Rudolph Hertzog opened a
department store named after him in Berlin. The famous 'Harrods' in
London has existed since 1834. In France, the 'Galeries Lafayette'
opened in Paris in 1894.
Today,
the classic department stores in
Germany, such as 'Kaufhof' and 'Karstadt', are increasingly in
trouble. Their sales fell by a real 34.8 percent between 2003 and
2023. The number of employees fell by 21.7 percent during this
period.
In
contrast, stationary retail
benefited with an increase in sales of 11.3 percent and mail order
and online retail benefited with a 170.1 percent increase in sales in
the same period.
The
evolution of fashion
over the centuries
In ancient times, i.e. in Egypt, Greece and the Roman Empire, clothing
was used, in addition to its protective function, primarily to express
social status and as a sign of belonging to a certain group. Robes,
togas and sandals were the typical clothing of this time.
In the Middle Ages, clothing style was strongly influenced by religion
and feudal structures. Floor-length robes and cloaks indicated social
status. Elaborate decorations on clothing and jewelry were reserved
exclusively for the nobility.
During the Renaissance and Baroque periods, new materials were
developed that made it possible to produce clothing more elaborately
and magnificently. Corsets, ruffles and opulent decorations are typical
for this.
The Victorian era and the associated industrialization in the 19th
century had a major influence on the fashion style of this time.
High-necked dresses made of stiff fabrics and tight corsets were now
popular. The beginning of mass production now made it possible to
produce clothing faster and more cost-effectively.
The First World War also had an influence on women's clothing. Women
began wearing trousers and preferred comfortable and practical
clothing. Everything became more functional and less extravagant.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the 'Roaring Twenties' brought
wild parties, dancing and jazz music. Women wore short dresses and the
distinctive bob haircut became popular.
The following World War II brought with it rationing of goods and
therefore practical and durable clothing was in demand.
Ready-to-wear clothing was developed in the post-war period. This
gradually made it possible for the general population to take part in
the latest fashion trends.
History
of ready-to-wear clothing in Germany
According to the meaning of the word, confection means nothing other
than production or manufacture. In France the term
'Prét-á-porter' is used.
In contrast to made-to-measure tailoring, which requires several
fittings during production, ready-to-wear clothing is usually
mass-produced in an industrially organized manner.
Until well into the 19th century, clothing was made in the traditional
way by craftsmen organized into tailors' guilds. They primarily made
individual pieces to order.
As early as 1800, individual entrepreneurs began to employ a large
number of seamstresses in order to be able to produce clothing in
series. But it was still sewn by hand. Such clothing companies
initially existed in France and England. In the small German states,
this development was delayed by strict guild ties.
The first German clothing store was founded in Hamburg.
The series production of coats began in Berlin in 1836. Around 1900,
Berlin and Breslau shone as the most important locations for the German
laundry and clothing industry.
However, other centers for the industrial production of cloths also
emerged. These include Herford, Bielefeld, Mönchengladbach,
Rheydt
and Krefeld.
Despite these approaches to industrial clothing production, this
industry remained characterized by small businesses and crafts during
the German Empire.
After the years of shortages during the two world wars, this industry
also initially flourished again in the Federal Republic of Germany. The
'eating wave' was also accompanied by a 'clothing wave'. The
population's need to catch up was almost insatiable.
As a result, the capacities of the factories were initially expanded.
When demand waned, West German clothing manufacturers were now able to
compensate for the lack of demand through exports to neighboring
western countries. The founding of the European Economic Community
(EEC) in 1957 made this easier.
But ultimately the industry had little to counter the imports from the
countries of the socialist world, southern Europe and East Asia. For
example, shirts from Hong Kong were offered at half the price of a West
German manufacturer.
Production was gradually relocated to so-called 'low-wage countries'.
In addition to the commercial company administration, the design of new
clothing and quality control remained in Germany.
Sociocultural
function of shoes
No matter what era, whoever owned shoes
had an advantage. A sign of rich or poor.
Adolescents have always been able to experience this from an early age.
Owning shoes conveyed to them, in their childhood consciousness, that
they had a higher social status than those who did not own shoes.
Until well into the 20th century, shoes also had an influence on the
different living environments of children in the city and in the
country. From April to November it was common to go barefoot in the
countryside. In winter, people used wooden shoes at best, which often
left them with sore ankles. Equipped in this way, the often long
journey to school was also overcome.
In the city, social status was sometimes also reflected in the shoe
costume. If a worker's child owned shoes, he or she was only allowed to
wear them on special occasions and thus felt like he or she belonged to
the better circles of the working class.
If a child owned shoes, they were protected, cared for and often passed
on from generation to generation. So if a child had older siblings,
they would get their shoes when they outgrew them.
Since 1918, when the industrial production of shoes gradually became
possible, it also became possible for broader sections of the
population to own solid footwear.
Even in the recent past, wearing certain shoes expressed belonging to a
certain social group. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, for
example, supporters of the “back to nature” and
peace
movements liked to wear simple sandals. In later youth cultures,
certain branded shoes became an external symbol of group membership.
Nowadays some symbolize, e.g. B. with upscale business clothing
combined with high-quality shoes made of fine calf leather, you don't
have to do any physical work and you feel like you belong to the
establishment.
What wearing certain shoes expresses can be understood as a kind of
“language” interspersed with codes and rules.
Depending on
the respective culture, these are used and interpreted differently.
The profession of
tailor in Germany
The tailoring trade has existed since
around the middle
of the 12th century. In Germany it is an apprenticeship in textile
processing. Since the middle of the 19th century, a distinction has
been made in this profession between women's tailors and men's tailors.
In the master craftsman examination of older guild regulations, the
production of a “woman’s piece” was
required.
The difference in craftsmanship between these two professions lies in
the cutting of the garments. In men's tailoring, the main focus is on
an accurate fit and correct fit. In women's tailoring, modeling the
garments is more important. There is more work with folds, width and
fabric pulls to achieve advantageous effects. The classic hand tools of
the tailor have always been a needle, thread, scissors, elve and iron.
Since the 19th century, so has the sewing machine.
Of course there are specialists in this craft too. The leather cutter
specializes in processing leather. The furrier on processing fur. White
sewing mainly processes white cloth into bed linen, tablecloths, etc.
Embroidering and decorating white textiles, such as handkerchiefs,
underwear, etc. are also part of white sewing. Since 2005, the work of
alteration cutter (previously flick cutter) has also been one of the
apprenticeships in Germany.
In ancient times people dressed with draped cloths. It was only when
the desire for clothing that was tailored to the body arose that the
monasteries first discovered tailoring as a field of activity. Families
have always worked on making clothes. The profession of tailor was
first documented in the middle of the 12th century. At that time, this
activity was considered 'women's work' and had no respect in society
for centuries.
The tailors, also known as 'sewing workers', were often people with
disabilities who could not do heavy physical work. This circumstance
also gives rise to the image, burned into some people's minds, of the
tailor crouching on the table with his legs crossed.
Gradually, tailors were also allowed to organize themselves into
guilds. The 'Association of German Tailors' Guilds' was founded in
Berlin in 1884. A total of 861 tailors' guilds from 15 districts
belonged to this association. These guilds also ran tailoring schools.
At this time there were also clothing academies, mostly privately
organized.
Today, clothing is mostly bought off the rack. The so-called
ready-to-wear clothing. Since the possibilities for automation in
clothing production are limited, production remains labor-intensive.
Therefore, the most important manufacturing activities in the tailoring
profession are now largely carried out by workers in, for example,
China or Vietnam. In these countries, people's work is paid much less
and can therefore be obtained at a lower price than is the case in
Germany. The professions of bespoke tailor, fashion tailor and fashion
designer, which emerged from the work of the tailor, have remained with
us.
I hope I've been able to entertain you well up to this point. But if
you want, I have a few more essays for you on the next page! Interest?
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here!
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