1. By Megan Northfield

2. HISTORY Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel (French, 1883–1971) Silk This suit was made of ruby red silk velvet which was inspired by a costume worn to a masquerade party in 1938. Called 'Watteau" and modeled after the dress of the male figure in a painting by Jean-Antoine Watteau (1684–1721), the suit represents a successful melding of contemporary and historical styles. The suit was intended to be worn with a flared floor-length skirt; the original owner, Diana Vreeland (1903–1989), shortened the skirt when the garment was in her personal wardrobe. Chanel herself wore a version of this suit executed in black velvet.

3. HISTORY Sorbet, a skirt and tunic, Paul Poiret, 1912. Poiret famously dressed his wife in a wired lampshade tunic over harem trousers for his Thousand and Second Night fancy dress ball of 1911.

4. Paul Poiret was one of the very first designers, he was inspired by artists and women. Madame Gaches-Sarrute is very well known for designing the health corset which gave women the distinctive Belle Epoque and Edwardian S-bend which is slightly coming back into fashion recently because of celebrities. DESIGNERS