NYFW Spring/Summer 2024: 50th Anniversary of the Battle of Versailles: The Making of Fashion History Revealed
Designer Stephen Burrows, trailblazing models Alva Chinn and Pat Cleveland, former creative director of Saks, Nicole Fischelis, and supermodel Jasmine Tookes sat down for a panel discussion during the NYFW series, "The Talks," about the historic event
From the LifeMinute.TV Team
September 18, 2023
The historic fashion show in Paris of 1973, the Battle of Versailles, which pitted American designers against the French, marks its 50th anniversary this November.
The event was created to raise money for the restoration of the Palace of Versailles but is remembered for its shift in American culture and how it changed how people dressed around the world. A fashion tipping point for sportswear – clothing that mixed and matched, but with a new point of view – a true cultural revolution. It was the impetus for social shifts, racial awareness, and American magic.
Anne Klein, the only female designer invited to participate (her peers were dismissive of her inclusion despite having one of the most successful fashion businesses at that time), stole the show.
We spoke to Stephen Burrows, the last surviving designer of the five American designers invited (Anne Klein, Halston, Oscar de la Renta, and Bill Blass), and execs from Anne Klein, who are keeping her legacy alive in remembrance, and continued great American sportswear.