Ema and fashion in the 20th century

After the third industrial revolution and during May 68, fashion entered a new phase, turning no longer to the tastes and customs of bourgeois and aristocratic life, but to the trends of the street.

Starting in the 14th century, fashion, exclusive to nobility and the clergy, allowed for not just social distinction, as well as the expression of individuality through clothing.

Jean Patou revolutionized the concept of dressing up for women in the 1920s, he favored somber color palettes and pale tones from blue to beige, renewing the feminine image with influences of the vanguard, the art deco style and jazz.

The tailleur is now considered a classic in women’s wardrobes. Suffragette and composer Ethel Smyth was one of the first to smash the gender barrier by using a jacket-style coat with full skirts.

Asian art has always piqued Ema Klabin’s interest and caught her attention, forming one of the most expressive cores of her collection. Used at parties and fancy dress events onboard cruises, these traditional Chinese dresses present highly refined examples of silk embroidery. 

In the history of clothing, the use of the floral motif has its origins in India, the cradle of the  art of dyeing. The technique made its way to Europe in around the 1640s, appearing in Marseille, France, through the hands of Armenian merchants.