Of course World War II had an enormous impact also on fashion. The London monument about women’s clothes during the war testifies (testimonia) the change: ladies could no longer think about their elegance!
Before 1939 the United States copied and imported fashion from Paris, the capital of elegance. Then American designers were cut off from French couture and developed a new market, sportswear, which soon became fashion for teenagers.
Soon after the war Paris took back its high position in high fashion (alta moda) a new trends started. The designers who led this change were Christian Dior and Cristóbal Balenciaga.
Television, films and magazines helped the diffusion of the new silhouettes.
Besides a great number of synthetic textiles – nylon, orlon and dracon – became very popular.
Here are some examples of the new women fashion.
