The women of the fifties embraced elegance, thanks to a group of fashion designers whose influence not only shaped the fashion industry of the 20th century but also set the stage for modern fashion.
7 Legendary Designers of the Fifties
The top designers who ruled the world of couture in the 1950s are:
- Christian Dior
- Cristóbal Balenciaga
- Pierre Balmain
- Jacques Fath
- Hubert de Givenchy
- Charles James
- Coco Chanel
Christian Dior
Christian Dior’s designs emphasised women’s curves. With cinched waists, full skirts, and structured bodices, his creations brought the feminine silhouette back in vogue.
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| Christian Dior (Image used under license from Wikimedia Commons) |
His “New Look” bell-shaped silhouette reawakened the world’s love for luxury and championed post-war optimism. Celebrities like Grace Kelly wore his designs, which consolidated his recognition as a master of form. Three-quarters of a century after his death (in 1957), his legacy lives on through the timeless elegance of his designs.
Cristóbal Balenciaga
Balenciaga, often called “the master’s master,” was revered for his structured designs. Where Christian Dior was all about curves, Balenciaga was sleek minimalism.
In the early fifties, Balenciaga's styles, typified by broad shoulders and vanishing waistlines, were a deviation from the norm.
The tunic dress, a structured design introduced in the mid-fifties, evolved into the minimalist chemise and tunic dress.
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| Balenciaga Dresses (Image used under license from Wikimedia Commons) |
His minimalist designs have inspired today’s fashion brands of Céline and Jil Sander.
Pierre Balmain
Pierre Balmain embodied what we know today as French chic. His designs were refined, graceful, and synonymous with elegance. He founded the famous Balmain fashion house and played an important role in postwar France's fashion design.
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| Pierre Balmain and Ruth Ford during a dress fitting. (Image used under license from Wikimedia Commons) |
- Daywear: Tailored suits with peplum jackets and pencil skirts.
- Evening wear: Opulent ballgowns with dramatic skirts.
Balmain also designed stylish fashion accessories like:
- Stoles. They add instant glamour to any outfit.
- Opera (long) gloves. Add a sense of drama to Balmain's formalwear.
- Pillbox hats. These fashion accessories were often custom-made to match women’s suits and dresses.
- Brooches.
Jacques Fath
This fashion designer was more inclined to design clothes for younger women and is credited with bringing youthful glamour and sensuality to Paris couture.
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| Jacques Fath (Image used under license from Wikimedia Commons) |
Celebrities like Moira Shearer and Rita Hayworth wore Fath’s creations with grace and flair. This soon helped him capture the attention of a younger, style-conscious generation who preferred Fath’s vivacious apparel.
Jacques Fath may be less remembered by name (he died in 1957, at 42), but he certainly was a trendsetter for the youth.
Hubert de Givenchy
Givenchy is another designer who launched his fashion house in 1952. His clothing designs were simple but elegant.
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| Hubert de Givanchy (Image used under license from Wikimedia Commons) |
While his style had similarities with Balenciaga’s structured patterns, it possessed a youthful freshness that made him stand out among his peers. Designers are still inspired by his signature couture outfits of elegant designs and sleek, clean lines made popular by his friend, the famous actress Audrey Hepburn's sack-like chemise dresses.
Today, some of Givenchy's designs are direct forebears of streamlined dresses and minimalist but chic eveningwear.
The most iconic designs that defined Hubert de Givenchy include:
- Audrey Hepburn's Little Black Dress in the 1961 movie Breakfast at Tiffany's.
- The Bettina Blouse is an elegant white cotton blouse with broderie anglaise and ruffled sleeves.
- Sabrina Ball Gown. A full-skirted evening gown with a fitted bodice and floral embroidery.
- Sack Dress. This was a loose-fitting shift dress without a defined waist. The style was a total departure from the hourglass shape.
- Pink embroidered organza gown (1959) that was worn by Audrey Hepburn at the Oscars.
- Ball gown for Jacqueline Kennedy. A sleek white satin gown with a minimalist but regal cut. It was custom-made for her in 1961.
Charles James
Although Charles James was based in America, he was no less a top couturier of his time. He was a genius known for his sculptural gowns, which can be described as wearable art.
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| A Charles James wedding dress design, 1934. (Image used under license from Wikimedia Commons) |
From complex construction techniques to innovative cuts, his creations gave garments a dramatic presence with spirals, shells, and pleats. He specialised in structured prom dresses, red-carpet gowns, evening and bridal wear, and costume pieces.
While he wasn't much of a success commercially, Charles James's technical influence in the fashion scene was profound. Christian Dior credited him as a key influence on the New Look.
Known as a couturier who brought architectural precision to fashion design, his creativity has taught generations after him to think of clothing as structure and form.
Today’s structured evening gowns, red-carpet attire, and bridal couture owe much to his sculptural vision.
Coco Chanel
Following the 2nd World War, Coco Chanel stepped back from haute couture. While her wartime activities remain controversial (she was involved with the Nazis and had a romantic relationship with German intelligence officer Hans Gunther von Dincklage), her vision remained fearless.
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| Coco Chanel (Image used under license from Wikimedia Commons) |
She made a comeback in 1954, and it was nothing short of spectacular.
She continued her influence with her classic, elegant designs, including her timeless iconic Chanel suit. She reintroduced simplicity and designed practical, easier-to-wear clothes for women. Her stylish boxy suits and chemise dresses offered enough ease for comfortable movement, without sacrificing style.
Some clothes and fashion accessories popularised by Chanel include:
- Chanel Suit (1954 Revival). A collarless tweed jacket with a straight-cut skirt.
- Jersey trousers.
- Two-tone slingback shoes (beige leather with a black toe cap).
- Quilted leather handbag (with a chain strap and rectangular flap).
- Little black dress (first introduced in the 1920s and reintroduced in the 1950s).
Coco Chanel also made costume jewellery become a fashionable accessory. From layered faux pearl necklaces to layered chains, and bold statement brooches, her beautiful creations encouraged women to express their style boldly through inexpensive and attractive jewellery.
She believed that style must rise beyond trends. This philosophy continues to guide modern fashion designers in creating timeless styles.
By the end of the fifties to the early sixties, the fashion world began to change. The new order was the production of ready-to-wear clothing that offered stylish clothing to the masses at an unprecedented affordable scale.
However, before mass production diluted haute couture, the seven designers had carved a legacy of style and elegance.
Their names have become synonymous with excellence and their designs are reminders of fashion’s golden era.
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