by Leonore Dicker
From Karl Lagerfeld’s everyday attires to Kim Kardashian’s go-to tint, black has truly managed to become fashion’s favorite color. It is simple, chic and makes anyone look good – but did you ever wonder how the obscure tint made it to the top?
Black was originally the color of mourning – which was almost exclusively reserved for the aristocracy until the 19th century. Widows and mothers would wear the dark color for a significant amount of time, after a loved one’s death.
Once the post-industrial middle class emerged in England and America – and fashion magazines took the world by storm (including Vogue and Harperʼs Bazaar), stylish mourning became essential, and a business. Following the high demand, department stores –like Manhattan based Lord & Taylor– even started to develop mourning departments where only black clothing was sold. This very much commercialized the dark shade and somewhat made it mainstream.
Another huge milestone was Coco Chanel’s revolutionary “Little Black Dress”, which was created in 1926. The chic dress very quickly became a must-have for the elite lady of style and invaded wardrobes. In the 50’s, Christian Dior took the reins and crafted the black afternoon dress and jacket – which was again reserved for the upper class.
The 60s’ and their “Beatnik” movement were a turning point, where black became the favored color among artists and intellectuals. Black turtlenecks were particularly common during this era.
Nowadays, many wear black as it is slimming and truly suits everyone. Over the years the color has been worn by gothics, as well as by the crème de la crème, because, as Christian Dior so rightly said, "You can wear black at any time. You can wear it at any age. You may wear it for almost any occasion”.
In the meantime, "I'll stop wearing black when they invent a darker color." – Wednesday Addams
