How France became the home of fashion
“Beginning in 1660, the king [Louis XIV], alongside his finance minister Jean-Baptiste Colbert, took charge of the minute details of French clothing, just as he had of all else…
When Louis came to power [aged 5] in 1643, Spain, not France, dictated European fashion.
In the early 17th century; aristocratic style, with its starched ruffs, rigidity, and overwhelming use of black, was a Spanish export. Black gowns were very expensive, made from Mexican logwood, and displayed the extent of Spanish wealth and empire. Louis XIV made France the fashion capital of Europe; the king wielded clothing to enhance the prestige of the monarchy and the French court. Colbert, meanwhile, monetised the king's considerable genius as a fashion director by ensuring that the thirst for French fashion and lifestyle spread, with the profits benefiting local French artisans. The revenue gained from the burgeoning French luxury goods industries would then be reinvested in the military, funding Louis XIV's many wars….
Together, Louis XIV and Colbert reinvented the luxury goods industry. France's luxury industry was not yet capable of producing items of comparable quality to lace and mirrors in Venice, silk in Milan, or tapestries in Brussels, but heavy import duties were imposed on foreign items, while foreign cloth and trimmings were banned outright.
In another policy intended to support French artisans, Colbert mandated that new textiles appear seasonally, twice a year, so that on 1 November, the court was required to put aside lightweight silks and don velvet instead. Thus, the fashion season was born. Colbert's calendar provided a predictable cycle for the textile industry and laypeople alike. To ensure that people bought plenty of cloth, Colbert mandated that textile patterns change each year, so that it would be obvious if anyone was wearing last year's fabric. In 1668, Louis demanded by edict that his courtiers “remain fashionable”, and instituted a strict dress code.”
- from Worn by Sofi Thanhauser, published 2022