In Paris—the leading arbiter of fashion since the Renaissance—the fading influence of celebrities was coincident with the rise of designer-dressmakers in the mid-19th cent. Paris haute couture has remained preeminent in setting fashions for women's dress. Designers such as Charles Frederick Worth, Coco Chanel, Lucien Lelong, Elsa Schiaparelli, Cristóbal Balenciaga, Christian Dior, and Yves Saint Laurent have had fashion houses in Paris. In the latter part of the 20th cent. such American designers as Norman Norell, Mainbocher, James Galanos, Bill Blass, and Pauline Trigère competed successfully with Parisian designers. London, in the early 19th cent., became the center for men's fashions under the leadership of Regency dandies such as Beau Brummell . In the mid-1960s, London was again for a time the center of fashion influence.

Christian Dior , 1905-57, French fashion designer. He established his main house of couture in Paris (1946) and by 1958 had salons in 15 countries employing more than 2,000 people. Known particularly for the "New Look" of 1947 (a voluptuous style with narrow shoulders, constricted waist, emphasized bust, and long, wide skirt), his designs were nonfunctional but enormously popular as women abandoned wartime austerity in the post-World War II era. He created the short, waistless sack dress (early 1950s) and introduced the A-line dress (1956). His designs represented consistent classic elegance, stressing the feminine look. The Dior tradition of beautiful fabrics led to the creation of international merchandising labels for gloves, furs, and jewelry. An astute merchandiser, he also established ready-to-wear lines that were featured in his own boutiques, and he cultivated the fashion.

Yves Saint Laurent , 1936-2008, French fashion designer, b. Oran, Algeria, as Yves Henri Donat Mathieu-Saint-Laurent. Moving to Paris at 17, he ultimately established houses of couture and boutiques there and in New York. He was the foremost assistant to Christian Dior and became his designated successor as head of the House of Dior at the age of 21. His early collections were noted for their maverick quality, and his work of the 1960s and 70s helped to democratize the world of fashion. His last Dior collection (1960) featured the "chic beatnik" look: knitted turtlenecks, thigh-length boots, and short black leather jackets. He opened his own Paris house in 1961, and in the following years revolutionized the fashion world by creating trousers for day and evening wear and broad-shouldered suits that were images of power for women. His other designs include sophisticated tweed suits.

Oscar de La Renta , 1932-, French fashion designer, b. Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He studied in Madrid and began a career in fashion with Balenciaga . Moving to France in the 1960s, he became known for his luxurious clothes, especially evening wear, of extravagant materials. He designed for Elizabeth Arden in New York and also established his own firm that produced romantic and opulent clothes. His designs encompass everything from bathing suits to wedding dresses, furs, perfumes, and linens.

Saint-Tropez , town (1993 est. pop. 5,760), Var dept., SE France, on the French Riviera . It is a fashionable beach resort and a picturesque small fishing port, made famous by film personalities during the 1960s. From the 15th to the 17th cent. it was an independent republic.

Cannes , town (1991 pop. 69,363), Alpes-Maritimes dept., SE France. An important and fashionable resort on the French Riviera, Cannes also has shipbuilding and textile industries. Napoleon I landed nearby on his return (1815) from Elba. Churches from the 16th and 17th cent. are in the old part of town. An international film festival is held in Cannes each spring.

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