Would you be inclined to purchase a Hermes silk and cashmere scarf for $921? A Chanel suit for $4,835? (I admit to being a bit of a skinflint when it comes to such uber-upscale indulgences.) My own thriftiness notwithstanding, Joan De Jean explains the French dominance in the luxury goods market from a historical perspective. After so many English-language books in the last few years heralding the supposed decline of France, this one bucks the trend by paying tribute to French style and ingenuity. It chronicles French innovation in the invention of chic, style and sophisitication as these concepts exist today. In The Essence of Style: How the French Invented High Fashion, Fine Food, Chic Cafes, Style, Sophistication, and Glamour, De Jean traces the origin of France as an international force in matters of style back to the court of Louis XIV, the Sun King. She argues that today's advertsing strategies were the brainchild of the French stylemakers in the service of the King and Court of Versailles in the 18th century. While the means have changed, the central marketing concept was the same. Stylists under Louis XIV used fashion dolls and engravings or "fashion plates" to promote not only luxe articles of clothing and accessories, but also the lifestyle they represented. France became the uncontested European leader in luxury goods as soon as they began to advertise. For example, by the 1670's, England imported 20 times more luxury goods than it exported to France.
De Jean writes about Louis XIV's love of high-heeled shoes, diamonds, mirrors, perfumes, champagne, and haute cuisine. The Sun King's ritualistic toilette, during which aristocrats were invited to attend the spectacle of his dressing, is well-known. But I was not aware that other stylish aristocrats at Versailles enjoyed showing themselves off during their toilette, and that these scenes were the precursor to today's fashion advertising. The accoutrements of this spectacle included the new casual clothing styles such as the déshabillé négligé as well as shoes, furnishings cosmetics, and perfumes. Engravings of these interior scenes at court provided a showcase for purveyers of these luxe products, who pitched them to those across Europe who aspired to the lifestyle of Versailles. In other words, Madison Avenue and its European counterparts did not create modern advertising with its promotion of a lifestyle. It was Louis XIV with his grand design to redefine France as the capital of glamour and luxury that first made use of this marketing strategy.
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