THE 5 RINGS OF FASHION Chapter 1.4

The First Ring: Roots

CHRONICLES

Chapter 1.4

Before the advent of department stores, clothing sales took place through various channels and methods. Many families produced their own clothes, using purchased fabrics or recycled materials. Women often sewed garments for themselves and their children. Some clothing was custom-made by local tailors. Customers would bring their own fabrics or choose from those available in the shop, and the tailor would create a specific garment that fitted perfectly to the customer's measurements. Street vendors often roamed neighborhoods, offering clothing and accessories.

These merchants carried samples with them and sold directly to customers. There were stores dedicated to specific types of clothing, with tailors making bespoke outfits, shoe stores, and fabric retailers. Customers would visit these shops to purchase specific items. Fairs and markets were common places to buy clothing. During these events, vendors displayed their products, and customers could bargain over prices.

The sales and production model of fashion underwent a radical transformation beginning in the 18th century with the advent of the Industrial Revolution, continuing with significant changes throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. The introduction of weaving machines, such as the power loom, and spinning machines, like the Spinning Jenny, greatly increased the speed and efficiency of textile production, making fabrics more affordable and accessible.

Mechanization enabled the mass production of garments, significantly reducing costs compared to traditional tailoring. The emergence of centralized factories concentrated production in single locations, fostering economies of scale. Additionally, clothing began to be manufactured in standardized sizes, minimizing the reliance on custom-made garments.

The Galeries de Bois, the archetype of modern shopping centers, were built around the Palais Royal in 1770. This ambitious project was conceived for both commercial and social purposes, with the intent of creating a covered and protected space where Parisians could stroll, shop, and meet, away from the chaos and discomforts of the city streets. The initiative was promoted by Louis Philippe II d'Orléans, known as Philippe Égalité, who transformed the palace's properties into commercial spaces to generate economic income.

The galleries, constructed of wood, represented an architectural innovation for the time and foreshadowed the concept of the modern shopping mall. Additionally, they were inspired by the souks of Arabia and the forums of ancient Rome, establishing themselves as a model for the covered passages that would later characterize 19th-century Paris, such as the Passage des Panoramas.

The Galeries de Bois quickly became a landmark for the social, artistic, and political life of the French capital, hosting bookstores, boutiques, restaurants, and cafés. During the day, they were frequented by aristocrats, intellectuals, and members of the emerging bourgeoisie, who visited not only to purchase luxury goods and admire the latest fashions but also to attend theatrical performances, such as those of the Comédie Française.

This urban microcosm provided a refuge from the chaos of central Paris, characterized by miasmas and incessant noise. However, as night fell, the Galeries underwent a transformation: the daytime elegance and sophistication gave way to an atmosphere of decay and libertinism.

Honoré de Balzac, in his novel Lost Illusions, describes this duality, observing that "the poetry of this extraordinary bazaar shatters at nightfall." At night, the galleries became a place of excess, animated by charlatans, gamblers, ventriloquists, prostitutes, and soldiers spending their money. This promiscuous environment was described by historians as a capharnaüm of dissolution, symbolically representing the tension between civilization and debauchery in an era of profound social and cultural changes.

The Galeries de Bois were not just a physical location but also a symbol of 18th and 19th-century Paris, embodying the city's evolution towards a more modern idea of public and commercial space. Their success directly inspired the creation of other covered galleries and marked a fundamental milestone in the history of urban development in Paris.

To be continued...