Lisa's world of shopping ...
Lisa was born in France. Since she left her parents' house, the whole world has somehow become her home. Among other things, she also studied German for several years at the University of Heidelberg in Germany. She would now like to publish her first works, in which she focused particularly on the historical and cultural background of clothing, here!
We don't know which region or culture our readers come from. But perhaps it would be quite interesting for some people to find out about developments in the fashion world from a European perspective.
Lisa would be very happy if you had a little fun reading her texts...
About the history of department stores
The first department store in Germany is probably the Kaufhaus am Brand in Mainz, which was built in 1317. From the 16th century onwards there was a 'Kauffhaus' in many German cities. These buildings provided space for salesmen, butchers, bakers, weavers, furriers and other traders. On the first floor there was usually a hall for weddings and also for dance events.
However, the era of private department stores began in Japan in 1673 with the 'Echigoya', which advertised 'cash sales at fixed prices' with the advertising slogan 'Genkin kakene nashi'. It still exists today as a department store chain under the name 'Mitsukoshi'.
At almost the same time, the first department stores were founded in England and the United States. The first 'people's department store' was 'Howell & Co', which was founded in 1796 on Pall Mall in London.
In 1839, Rudolph Hertzog opened a department store named after him in Berlin. The famous 'Harrods' in London has existed since 1834. In France, the 'Galeries Lafayette' opened in Paris in 1894.
Today, the classic department stores in Germany, such as 'Kaufhof' and 'Karstadt', are increasingly in trouble. Their sales fell by a real 34.8 percent between 2003 and 2023. The number of employees fell by 21.7 percent during this period.
In contrast, stationary retail benefited with an increase in sales of 11.3 percent and mail order and online retail benefited with a 170.1 percent increase in sales in the same period.
The evolution of fashion over the centuries
In ancient times, i.e. in Egypt, Greece and the Roman Empire, clothing was used, in addition to its protective function, primarily to express social status and as a sign of belonging to a certain group. Robes, togas and sandals were the typical clothing of this time.
In the Middle Ages, clothing style was strongly influenced by religion and feudal structures. Floor-length robes and cloaks indicated social status. Elaborate decorations on clothing and jewelry were reserved exclusively for the nobility.
During the Renaissance and Baroque periods, new materials were developed that made it possible to produce clothing more elaborately and magnificently. Corsets, ruffles and opulent decorations are typical for this.
The Victorian era and the associated industrialization in the 19th century had a major influence on the fashion style of this time. High-necked dresses made of stiff fabrics and tight corsets were now popular. The beginning of mass production now made it possible to produce clothing faster and more cost-effectively.
The First World War also had an influence on women's clothing. Women began wearing trousers and preferred comfortable and practical clothing. Everything became more functional and less extravagant.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the 'Roaring Twenties' brought wild parties, dancing and jazz music. Women wore short dresses and the distinctive bob haircut became popular.
The following World War II brought with it rationing of goods and therefore practical and durable clothing was in demand.
Ready-to-wear clothing was developed in the post-war period. This gradually made it possible for the general population to take part in the latest fashion trends.
History of ready-to-wear clothing in Germany
According to the meaning of the word, confection means nothing other than production or manufacture. In France the term 'Prét-á-porter' is used.
In contrast to made-to-measure tailoring, which requires several fittings during production, ready-to-wear clothing is usually mass-produced in an industrially organized manner.
Until well into the 19th century, clothing was made in the traditional way by craftsmen organized into tailors' guilds. They primarily made individual pieces to order.
As early as 1800, individual entrepreneurs began to employ a large number of seamstresses in order to be able to produce clothing in series. But it was still sewn by hand. Such clothing companies initially existed in France and England. In the small German states, this development was delayed by strict guild ties.
The first German clothing store was founded in Hamburg.
The series production of coats began in Berlin in 1836. Around 1900, Berlin and Breslau shone as the most important locations for the German laundry and clothing industry.
However, other centers for the industrial production of cloths also emerged. These include Herford, Bielefeld, Mönchengladbach, Rheydt and Krefeld.
Despite these approaches to industrial clothing production, this industry remained characterized by small businesses and crafts during the German Empire.
After the years of shortages during the two world wars, this industry also initially flourished again in the Federal Republic of Germany. The 'eating wave' was also accompanied by a 'clothing wave'. The population's need to catch up was almost insatiable.
As a result, the capacities of the factories were initially expanded. When demand waned, West German clothing manufacturers were now able to compensate for the lack of demand through exports to neighboring western countries. The founding of the European Economic Community (EEC) in 1957 made this easier.
But ultimately the industry had little to counter the imports from the countries of the socialist world, southern Europe and East Asia. For example, shirts from Hong Kong were offered at half the price of a West German manufacturer.
Production was gradually relocated to so-called 'low-wage countries'. In addition to the commercial company administration, the design of new clothing and quality control remained in Germany.
Sociocultural function of shoes
No matter what era, whoever owned shoes had an advantage. A sign of rich or poor.
Adolescents have always been able to experience this from an early age. Owning shoes conveyed to them, in their childhood consciousness, that they had a higher social status than those who did not own shoes.
Until well into the 20th century, shoes also had an influence on the different living environments of children in the city and in the country. From April to November it was common to go barefoot in the countryside. In winter, people used wooden shoes at best, which often left them with sore ankles. Equipped in this way, the often long journey to school was also overcome.
In the city, social status was sometimes also reflected in the shoe costume. If a worker's child owned shoes, he or she was only allowed to wear them on special occasions and thus felt like he or she belonged to the better circles of the working class.
If a child owned shoes, they were protected, cared for and often passed on from generation to generation. So if a child had older siblings, they would get their shoes when they outgrew them.
Since 1918, when the industrial production of shoes gradually became possible, it also became possible for broader sections of the population to own solid footwear.
Even in the recent past, wearing certain shoes expressed belonging to a certain social group. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, for example, supporters of the “back to nature” and peace movements liked to wear simple sandals. In later youth cultures, certain branded shoes became an external symbol of group membership.
Nowadays some symbolize, e.g. B. with upscale business clothing combined with high-quality shoes made of fine calf leather, you don't have to do any physical work and you feel like you belong to the establishment.
What wearing certain shoes expresses can be understood as a kind of “language” interspersed with codes and rules. Depending on the respective culture, these are used and interpreted differently.
The profession of tailor in Germany
The tailoring trade has existed since around the middle of the 12th century. In Germany it is an apprenticeship in textile processing. Since the middle of the 19th century, a distinction has been made in this profession between women's tailors and men's tailors. In the master craftsman examination of older guild regulations, the production of a “woman’s piece” was required.
The difference in craftsmanship between these two professions lies in the cutting of the garments. In men's tailoring, the main focus is on an accurate fit and correct fit. In women's tailoring, modeling the garments is more important. There is more work with folds, width and fabric pulls to achieve advantageous effects. The classic hand tools of the tailor have always been a needle, thread, scissors, elve and iron. Since the 19th century, so has the sewing machine.
Of course there are specialists in this craft too. The leather cutter specializes in processing leather. The furrier on processing fur. White sewing mainly processes white cloth into bed linen, tablecloths, etc. Embroidering and decorating white textiles, such as handkerchiefs, underwear, etc. are also part of white sewing. Since 2005, the work of alteration cutter (previously flick cutter) has also been one of the apprenticeships in Germany.
In ancient times people dressed with draped cloths. It was only when the desire for clothing that was tailored to the body arose that the monasteries first discovered tailoring as a field of activity. Families have always worked on making clothes. The profession of tailor was first documented in the middle of the 12th century. At that time, this activity was considered 'women's work' and had no respect in society for centuries.
The tailors, also known as 'sewing workers', were often people with disabilities who could not do heavy physical work. This circumstance also gives rise to the image, burned into some people's minds, of the tailor crouching on the table with his legs crossed.
Gradually, tailors were also allowed to organize themselves into guilds. The 'Association of German Tailors' Guilds' was founded in Berlin in 1884. A total of 861 tailors' guilds from 15 districts belonged to this association. These guilds also ran tailoring schools. At this time there were also clothing academies, mostly privately organized.
Today, clothing is mostly bought off the rack. The so-called ready-to-wear clothing. Since the possibilities for automation in clothing production are limited, production remains labor-intensive. Therefore, the most important manufacturing activities in the tailoring profession are now largely carried out by workers in, for example, China or Vietnam. In these countries, people's work is paid much less and can therefore be obtained at a lower price than is the case in Germany. The professions of bespoke tailor, fashion tailor and fashion designer, which emerged from the work of the tailor, have remained with us.
I hope I've been able to entertain you well up to this point. But if you want, I have a few more essays for you on the next page! Interest? - Then please click here!
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