From the King to the Couturier: Rui Spohr and the Role of the Fashion Designer in Brazil

Abstract

Until the French Revolution, power was manifested through clothing, being strongly subjected to sumptuary laws, in an attempt to protect the appearance/social status of the monarchy. In contrast, the nineteenth century promotes the rise of the couturier, the artist once called artisan. Despite the apparent democratization of taste promoted by consumption, haute couture, which is the domain of the couturier, tags fashion as a virtuous and distinctive creation. This study investigates how the couturier became a sort of arbiter, who determines taste and fashion. If the king uses ceremonial and the etiquette to enhance his sovereign image, the couturier also invents himself. From this questioning, a possible dialogue based on a local action referring to a global dynamics is proposed: a look at the construction-or invention-of Rui Spohr, a Brazilian fashion designer-who studied and lived in Paris. Besides being a fashion designer, Sphor also worked as a journaliste-déssinateur, where he gave fashion tips following international trends and sketched some illustrative models. Shortly after his return to Brazil, his articles were first published only to promote his work. In the early 1990s, he returned to his position at the newspaper company, this time as a great name in his working area, delimiting his acting space.