At the beginning of the 1910s gowns (vestiti) became agile, fluid and soft.
An example which inspired designers and stylists was the Ballet Scheherazade (Paris, 1910) which paved the way (preparò la strada) to the oriental trend and consequently influenced fashion.
Paul Poiret was one of the first designers to adopt this trend into fashion. Women started wearing flowing pantaloons (pantaloni larghi); on their heads were lively coloured turbans, and the gowns became exotic kimono.
The Art Nouveau which flourished in the same age also influenced the designers of the time.
It must be underlined (sottolineato) that, in this period, the first fashion shows ( atelier) were also organized and the profession of the couturier (stilista) started being mentioned.
Among the most famous fashion designers were:
Jeanne Paquin, a woman, who opened his fashion show in Paris and then in London, Buenos Aires, and Madrid;
Jacques Doucet who imposed pastel colours and elaborate gossamery ( a ragnatela) dresses;
Mariano Fortuny y Madrazo from Venice created a special pleating process (modo di fare le pieghe) and new dyeing techniques ( tecniche di colorazione) [his Delphos were long adhering (aderenti) dresses undulated with colour made of a single piece of the finest silk (seta) ].
They dressed women like Eleanora Duse, Isadora Duncan, Cleo de Merode, the Marchesa Casati, Emilienne d’Alencon, and Liane de Pougy.