'Paris Fashion: The History of Haute Couture' Webinar

From the court of Louis XIV to the 2006 feature film Devil Wears Prada, the word “Paris” has become synonymous with fashion. But how did one nation — and one city, for that matter — become an internationally renowned source of style and luxury? This is the story of the artisans, artists, politicians, writers, style icons, and designers who transformed Paris into the city of fashion.

Join New York Adventure Club for a digital journey through the dresses, workshops, and lives of the storied designers who have played a part in the history of Parisian haute couture.

Led by fashion historian Caroline Elenowitz-Hess, our virtual experience and showcase of spectacular examples of Paris fashion will include:

• Images of historic garments designed by skilled 18th-century artisans, who set the standards for haute couture (creation of exclusive custom-fitted clothing)
• Paintings and photographs of famous Parisian fashion icons throughout history, from Marie Antoinette and Empress Eugenie to Inès de la Fressange
• A look at some of the most iconic garments to ever come out of Paris, designed by couturiers such as Christian Dior, Jeanne Lanvin, Balenciaga, and Jean Paul Gaultier
• Scandals surrounding Paris fashion, including Marie Antoinette’s extravagant spending, Chanel’s affair with a Nazi officer, and John Galliano’s dismissal from Dior in 2010
• The story of how traveling fashion dolls helped haute couture return to international acclaim after the Nazi occupation

Afterward, we'll have a Q&A with Caroline — any and all questions about Paris fashion are welcomed and encouraged!

Can't make it live? Don't worry, you'll have access to the full replay for one week!

See you there, virtually!

*Immediately upon registering, you will receive a separate, automated email containing the link to join this webinar

**For the best possible viewing experience, please ensure you're using the latest version of your internet browser — Google Chrome is the most compatible. Exact technical requirements and a webinar user guide will be shared in the automated confirmation email upon registration.

***A full replay of the experience will be available to all registered guests for up to a week

About Caroline

Caroline Elenowitz-Hess is an independent fashion historian based in New York City. Caroline worked for several years as a fashion designer before pursuing her MA in Fashion Studies from Parsons. She previously received a BA in English Literature from Yale University and an AAS in Fashion Design from FIT. Most recently, Caroline has been a curatorial intern at the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and at the Museum at FIT. Her research is focused on definitions of femininity in the twentieth century in France and the United States.

Testimonials

"Caroline’s knowledge base is wide and she easily is able to communicate to her audience." -Monte

"Wonderful presenter - well organized - great graphics." -Barbara

"I liked the overlay of early locations on modern photos." -Judith

"Extremely well presented program." -Lauretta

"Fast paced, great pictures, organized timeline. My favorite event so far." -Michele

"Fascinating lecture by a very knowledgeable speaker. I learned a lot and enjoyed every minute. Also, the price was reasonable, which makes it possible for me to do more programs from your organization. Great experience!" -Carol

"I loved the history of fashion. Leader was very knowledgeable." -Peggy

"The presenter was knowledgeable and chose images that supported her talk well." -MG

"I don’t have enough superlatives for this webinar! The content, photos and presenter were all fabulous!!! I will be watching it again before my week is up. Also looking forward to Caroline’s future webinars." -Karen

"Caroline did a fabulous job and full of knowledge." -Linda

"Very knowledgeable excellent powerpoint." -Deedee

"I liked the enthusiasm in the delivery . . . in addition to seeing marvelous designs. A great respite from the crazy world." -Robyn

"Subject is fascinating, lecturer was fascinating and knowledgeable, talk was well-organized and easy to folllw." -Norma

"The speaker was extremely knowledgeable-upbeat-experienced and her young and vivacious." -Maria

"Very knowledgeable presenter, great range of interesting pictures over centuries of fashion history." -Karen

"Presenter is interesting, well prepared, knowledgeable and pleasant and passionate about subject matter." -Phyllis

"Everything. Very well prepared, knowledgeable, well organized, great visuals." -Lee

"It moved at a good pace, the presenter was knowledgeable and personable and it felt very “in person”, even though it was virtual." -Deborah

"Very informative presenter & the history of Paris fashion." -Debra

"I loved the slides and the information provided." -Mercedes

"Caroline is extremely knowledgeable and well spoken. Presentation was well organized and very interesting. Thank you!" -Susan

"Excellent presentation: slides, picture quality, information quality. Fantastic!!!" -Natalia

"The presenter was knowledgeable and a good speaker." -Ellen

"Comprehensive expert cohesive knowledgable presentation." -Bill

"The presenter was excellent - very organized! She covered a lot of material very concisely, and with lovely pictures/examples." -Patti

"It was so interesting and Caroline was so knowledgeable." -Victoria

"Excellent artwork examples to compliment history." -Virginia

"The presentation was great, a big amount of information in such a short time. Caroline is very good in what she is doing. Regarding the event and the schedule I was very well impressed that we were very often attentioned." -Calina

"Good pace with spoken info and photos presented. Like that there were lots of photos throughout the presentation." -Deborah

"The overview of the times, establishing the political backdrop of fashion evolvement. Caroline was very good and knew her subject very well." -Nicole

"Caroline was an enthusiastic & well-informed presenter on the subject & had good visuals for the audience. She answered all the questions with ease & grace. It was an enjoyable experience." -Joan

"Caroline is terrific. She has so much great interesting knowledge and she doesn’t read from a script. Her delivery is totally natural. This was another great interesting webinar from her. Looking forward to additional topics from her in the future." -Noelle

"The choice of illustrations, the commentary explaining why fashion changed." -Sylvia

"The pictures, following the evolution of fashion and the presenter’s knowledge of the subject." -Robin

"Excellent speaker. Slides were well done, supporting the discussion. Obviously, she knows her subject matter." -Victoria

"I love learning about the news of how fashion traveled and about the future of Haute Couture." -Lani

"Caroline was very knowledgeable, she had many wonderful photos, and she was so enthusiastic!" -Judy

"Informative and interesting and well presented." -Michela

"Extensive knowledge of presenter. Presentation well organized." -Karen

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Categories: Virtual, Art & Entertainment