Saint Laurent, Hubert de Givenchy, Emanuel Ungaro, Pierre Cardin, and the house of Christian Dior, where Marc Bohan was at the creative helm, all signed on. And for the French, only haute would do for this unprecedented fete. Yves Saint Laurent had opened his first Rive Gauche boutique in 1966. A social introduction to Versailles curator Gerald Van der Kemp sparked her idea for a benefit.Īt the time, prêt-à-porter was emerging in France. The Versailles extravaganza, held in the palace’s Royal Opera (inaugurated for the 1770 wedding of Marie Antoinette and the Dauphin), was the brainchild of the intrepid public relations maven Eleanor Lambert, who by 1973 was eager to promote American fashion abroad. “The energy we brought was new, fun, and exciting.” “Versailles was the beginning of American fashion being recognized as fashion,” Chinn says.
Like Chinn, Bethann Hardison, Pat Cleveland, Norma Jean Darden, and Billie Blair were among those who went on to major careers. She was one of 10 Black models on the American roster of more than 30 who commanded the stage brilliantly, moving with a joie de vivre that captivated the audience. Also, recent collections have emphasized clothes rooted in the core traditions of American chic-practical, relaxed, polished without stuffiness-clothes such as these worn by the glorious Alva Chinn. Walter ChinĪnniversaries cause us to look back and reassess, and 50 is a big one. Stephen Burrows vintage top and skirt ($1,800) Lorraine West Jewelry earrings ($21,230) David Webb ring ($28,000). It resonates now as a one-night Camelot-en-France, a shining moment of ascendency for American fashion that continues to fascinate, inspiring two documentaries, a pivotal episode of Netflix’s Halston, and Tom Ford’s installation at the Metropolitan Museum’s “In America: An Anthology of Fashion.” In addition, HBO optioned critic Robin Givhan’s seminal book on the event. And indeed, it raised more than a few francs for the cause.īut the Grand Divertissement à Versailles (its official name) is remembered not for its philanthropic premise but as a watershed moment when American gusto trumped French grandeur.
Ostensibly, the soiree was to benefit the venue’s restoration–even the grandest of digs get dusty-musty after centuries.
It occurred 50 years ago this November, when five masters of elegant French haute couture and five purveyors of easy American ready-to-wear staged an event in one of the world’s most extraordinary enclaves. The term refers not to the young Marie Antoinette in a fit of pique over palace protocol, but to a fashion show for the ages.
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