France is a leading country in the fashion industry, along with Italy, the United Kingdom, Japan, and the USA. Fashion is an important part of the country’s cultural life and society, and the French are well known for good taste. Haute couture and the “prêt-à-porter”, among others fashion styles, remain part of French traditional life. France has many famous designers. French design became prominent during the 15th century through the 20th century, when artistic development in France was at its peak. The fashion industry has been an important cultural export of France since the seventeenth century since modern haute couture originated in the French capital at the 1860s. Paris acts as the center of the country’s fashion industry. Along with New York City, London and Milan, it is considered a lead world’s fashion capital. Paris is home to many premier fashion designers including Chanel, Pierre Cardin, Céline, Chloe, Dior, Givenchy, Jean Paul Gaultier, Hermès, Lanvin, Rochas, Vuitton, Yves Saint Laurent and others. A great number of French cities, including Lyon, Marseille, Toulouse, Lille, Strasbourg, Bordeaux, Nantes, etc., host important luxury districts and avenues. In recent centuries, these cities have transformed into developed cities and heavy producer and customer of luxury goods. Manosque, La Gacilly, Vichy and between other cities lead the cosmetic industry, hosting well-known international beauty houses such as Lancôme, Clarins, Yves Rocher, L’Occitane, Vichy, etc. Nice, Cannes, St. Tropez and other cities of French riviera are known as places of luxury, annually receiving many international media personalities, potentates, billionaires, etc.
