QUESTION: Popularity in FRANCE of 1930s-1940s vintage styles

[Cousin Hepcat]

Can anyone comment on the current [or "recent"] popularity in FRANCE of 1930s-1940s vintage styles? (i.e. the popularity of Movies, Music, & Clothes from those decades)

Does anyone know of any French-speaking equivalent of the Fedora Lounge? (tried googling "France 1930s[1940s] forum", no dice.)

Since everything's relative... from what I've seen just here on the Lounge, there seems to be a relatively decent "fan base" for styles of the 1930s-40s in the USA, UK, Germany, and others... Regularly-occurring open-to-the-public swing dancing events, live swing band music concerts, occasional swing-era-influenced music videos by pop stars like Christina Aguilera, regular Fedora Lounge contributors, etc...

Anyone know how France currently compares to the above countries in terms of general current 1930s-40s-style enthusiasm & activity?

[EDIT] Browsing the interwebs a bit, it seems those years were particluarly bleak in France... Which leaves me wondering, if the reason I haven't seen the same volume of 1930s-40s-era-styled output from France is simply because I'm living in a non-French-speaking society, or because of a lack of enthusiasm within France for anything reminiscent of that era.... One individual described it as, "France exhibited a morose and clearly identifiable mood in these years [from the great depression to WWII], a "nightmare of fear," and a sense of vulnerability."...

So, are 1930s-40s styles, then, perhaps particularly UNpopular in France?...

Thanks,

- CH

[V.C. Brunswick]

It seems we have a few members in France, but though I could be mistaken, I get the vibe that they're mainly expat Americans or Brits who live there.

[Flat Foot Floey]

I don't know. There is Mr French Can Can who has a great workwear blog. He also plays in a small swing/jazz band. Great guy.
http://fcancan.blogspot.de/


I also searched for other french sites but only found some resistance reenactment. I don't like military reenactment much ...but the resistance style is basically cilivilan attire...


here



PS: If you are interested in Swing dancing...sometimes they also mix with the vintage crowd
www.spiritoflindy.asso.fr/

[Flat Foot Floey]

It would be interesting if some collectors have original Zazou Outfits...compared to the american Zoot Suits and the german Swingjugend. It's a similar important part of Jazz history and youth culture imo.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zazou

[Cousin Hepcat]

It would be interesting if some collectors have original Zazou Outfits...compared to the american Zoot Suits and the german Swingjugend. It's a similar important part of Jazz history and youth culture imo.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zazou

Thanks, Flat Foot Floey; that led me to some fascinating (if morosely depressing) books on WWII-era France, and interaction with American swing & jazz culture-- More to add to the ever-growing Amazon wish list...

[Louise Anne]

It seems we have a few members in France, but though I could be mistaken, I get the vibe that they're mainly expat Americans or Brits who live there.

I agree , it's a very difficult subject in Europe 1930 to 1950 , if I meet any one from Europe I would not talk about that period to them at all unless they brought it up first.

[dhermann1]

I know for sure the Parision fashion designers continued showing excellent new styles during the occupation. I've seen newsreels produced in 1943 in Paris that showed them. God knows Coco Chanel thrived during that period (becoming the mistress of a German officer).

[Cousin Hepcat]

I know for sure the Parision fashion designers continued showing excellent new styles during the occupation. I've seen newsreels produced in 1943 in Paris that showed them. God knows Coco Chanel thrived during that period (becoming the mistress of a German officer).

Unfortunately, I've since read that many of that artistic output, including fashion shows and seemingly-appealing photos of well-dressed Parisians walking about the streets during WWII, were actually part of the a propaganda machine to make it APPEAR that "everything was OK" and it was "business as usual" in Paris to the rest of the world...

Sorry I brought up the topic; Apologies all around, I really "stepped in it"; will suggest to mods that this thread be deleted...

[dhermann1]

I don't think there's anything wrong with bringing it up. You had no intention of offending anybody. It's very interesting. I'm not surprised about the German propaganda thing.

[rocketeer]

I have not been for ages but in Paris there are many stall in the flea markets selling old clothes from these era's, stores specialising in leather jackets, shoes etc. Somewhere is an Aero outlet, or was, but that was a high end gentleman's outfitters.
Near Bastille there is a shop specialising in 'vintage' mens clothing, I was after an old camel hair belt tied overcoat and found this shop with about 50 of them. Unfortunately the shop owner was chain smoking cigars and everything stank of tobacco(Boulevard Beaumarchais for those interested)
Cant remember the stores name but it was full to the brim of second hand clothing ranging from very good to very bad, lots of old leathers, textiles and coats from lots of era's all presided over by an old French guy that spoke no English.
French, 'vintage' fashion and dance/music enthusiasts though have a different outlook to us lot. I spoke to a few people visiting the Retromobile car show, they said people to follow French style rather than the more popular Hollywood glamour look. I think the European look is much more suited to Paris, cafe, accordion, Piaf, Chevalier. Hmmmmm I'm coming over all Frenchified
J