Revival of Parisian Haute Couture after WWII Essay

Revival of Parisian Haute Couture after WWII - Essay Example World War II is considered to be the dark years of otherwise richest fashion industry, Paris. Before the war, the whole world looked towards Paris for fashion, accessories, fabrics, and inspiration. On the other hand, Pre-WWII America was merely a Parisian fashion admirer and consumer (Murgia 2013).It is quite interesting to explore how Paris made such remarkable comeback on international scene, despite the unparallel decline in prominence, social life differences between US and Europe, and most significant of all, momentous progress of American fashion industry during the 1940s. No doubt, WWII marked the end of European supremacy in the visual arts, and increasing momentum of New York art scene, however, equivalent enhancement of fashion scene couldn’t take place. Rather, United States’ magazines published articles like â€Å"How to buy a Dior Original† that presumed French couture as every American woman’s dream. Despite the time-consuming and expensive process of dressmaking by a French designer, American women found it priceless (Steele 1998). In addition to state efforts, and clever marketing strategies of French couturiers, â€Å"the sheer prestige of Pars fashion contributed to its post-war revival,† as Steele (1998) puts it. ... Hats made their ways into an otherwise politically correct dress. They found a creative outlet in the use of feathers, raffia, and different leftover items (Peterson et al. 2008). America was nearly disconnected with Paris during War years, therefore, most American couture houses and ready-to-wear manufacturers incorporated American designers in their teams. It provided Americans with freedom to create new styles without getting influences by Paris. In that period, American designers like Gilbert Adrian secured the leading position one fashion scene2 (quoted in Murgia 2013). After liberation from German occupation, French designers who showed association with Nazis were ignored. Even though Channel closed her Paris fashion one year before the war, her love affair with a high official of Nazis created unfavourable situations that made it difficult for her to open salon in Paris for many years after the war. Unlike Americans, French designers rejected the war related non-French frugali ty (due to rationing) and made luxurious use of materials. Such attitudes and emerging American designers’ popularity triggered a shift from Paris as the arbiter of all fashion (Peterson et al. 2008). During 1945, in their efforts to revive French fashion and regain the lost status of Fashion capital, fifty-three French couturiers joined hands to organize a travelling exhibition, called Theatre de la Mode. Some of the prominent names of this group included Cristobal Balenciaga, Jean Patou, Robert Ricci, Jacques Fath, and Elsa Schiaparelli. They revived an old-age exhibitions style of dressing up 200 dolls with complete dress, undergarments, hats, shoes, gloves, jewellery, handbags, and umbrellas

Modern Furniture Evaluation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Modern Furniture Evaluation - Essay Example Preferred stock is a class of ownership in a corporation that has a higher claim on the assets and earnings than the common stock. Preferred stock generally has a dividend that must be paid out before the dividends to common stockholders and the shares usually do not have voting rights. Each company can work out the details pertaining to the issue of preferred stocks. However preferred stock can be considered as a financial instrument that possesses the characteristics of both debt (with fixed dividend) and equity (potential appreciation). (Investopedia) A convertible debt or security is a bond or a share of preferred stock that can be converted at the option of the holder into common stock of the same corporation. The investor is provided with a fixed return from a bond or with a specified dividend from the preferred stock. In addition the investor has an option to covert it to common stock. As a result the company is able to sell a convertible security at a lower yield than it would have to pay on a straight bond or preferred stock issue. This is an advantage for issuing convertible securities. (James C.Van Horne) A Warrant is an option to purchase a specified number of shares of common stock at a stated price. When the holder of a warrant exercises his option he surrenders the warrants. Warrants are often employed as 'sweeteners' to a public issue of bonds or debt that is privately placed. As a result the company should be able to obtain a lower rate of interest than it would otherwise. For companies that are marginal credit risks the use of warrants may make the difference between being able and not being able to raise funds through a debt issue. Occasionally warrants are directly sold to investors directly against cash. On other occasions they are used in founding of the company issued as compensation to underwriters and venture capitalists. Mostly warrants are issued in connection with a debt issue often a private placement. (James C.Van Horne) A primary financial instrument evidences a direct claim against some other party. These instruments often are traded in the spot market with prices set by the usual forces of demand and supply. In contrast a derivative security derives its value from an underlying primary security. One of the examples for the underlying security for derivatives is the stock option. Movements in the price of the underlying asset, the stock in this case drive the value of the derivative instrument, the option. Derivatives may take the form of simple put and call options on stocks. These options were traded in relatively illiquid over the counter markets. However with the tremendous financial innovations occurred in the last two decades the role of derivative securities in the financial markets have increased manifold touching new heights. (James C. Van Horne) Modern Furniture Company Total Number of shares outstanding: 3,000,000 Cash Dividend Proposed: $ 1.60 per share Total Earnings of the firm $ 12,000,000 Earnings per share $ 4.00 Market Value of the Share $ 88.00 P/E Ratio P/E Ratio is given Market Value per Share Earnings per Share 88.00 4.00 = 22 Dividend Yield and Dividend Payout Ratio Dividend Yield is given by Annual Dividends per