Icons: Notre Dame Cathedral and the Fashion Houses of Paris

By: Danielle Cooke

Long legged models walking runways with grace represent an embodiment of human perfection just as the cathedral embodies architectural perfection. And just as Paris houses iconic art and architecture, it is world famous for its role in the fashion industry. The cathedral’s central location on the Parisian map places it directly in the middle of a plethora of famed ateliers and designer showrooms. Paris is the center of the fashion world, and Notre Dame is the center of Paris.

When tragedy struck on April 15th, 2019 and the spire of Notre Dame collapsed dramatically into itself, it struck a chord in the hearts of many. Beyond the sadness, there was an immediate call to action for those concerned for the structure’s well being. Promises of large sums of money began pouring in from prominent and wealthy figures all over the world. This philanthropy was not entirely well received by the rest of the world, who looked on incredulously as unfathomable amounts of money were shoved towards the restoration project even before a full assessment of the damage caused to the building. Amongst the top contributors to the cause were prominent members of the fashion industry, Francois-Henri Pinault and Bernard Arnault.

Francois-Henri Pinault leads Kering, a luxury group that owns Gucci and Saint-Laurent amongst others, immediately pledged 100 million euros to the cathedral’s restoration. This generous offer was then exceeded by competitor Bernard Arnault of the LVMH group, who offered 200 million euros to the cause. If the reader is unfamiliar with the LVMH group’s holdings, Fendi, Givenchy, Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs and Christian Dior are a mere portion of what this company manages.

These generous donations were heavily criticized by the public. In France, charitable giving is received with a 60 percent tax deduction. So just how generous exactly were these donations? Francois-Henri Pinault was quick to quash any rumors regarding the authenticity of his intentions, declaring that he and his group would not be accepting any deductions gained by his charitable endeavors. Others criticized the donations in themselves; they felt that the money was better served elsewhere, like aiding the homeless and impoverished population of the country or remedying issues of ecological or social justice. Nonetheless, many followed in the designers’ footsteps, and a total of nearly 850 million euros was pledged to the cathedral’s restoration.

In years prior to the tragic burning of Notre Dame, the fashion industry and the Catholic church had become increasingly involved with one another. In 2018 the theme of the infamous Met Gala was based on the exhibit “Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination.” Designers took inspiration from the art, architecture, and vestments of the Catholic tradition in order to dress celebrities accordingly.

Pigeons in front of Notre-Dame.  Mike Prince from Bangalore, India, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Designers have also taken inspiration from other aspects of the church in the past and cathedrals are no exception. It can even be as unusual as the pigeons that gather in front of Notre Dame du Paris. The first thing you may think of upon viewing this bizarre fabric likely depends on where you are from. A Parisian may immediately be reminded of the busy plaza of Notre Dame, but a New Yorker will likely think otherwise.

Some more obvious sources of inspiration may be the sharp angular and curving cathedral architecture. This is exemplified in Guo Pei’s Fall 2018 collection that embraces the permanence of architectural majesty. His designs echo the vaulted ceilings of Gothic cathedral interiors, the round curves of tympanums just above the entryways, and the striking projectile silhouettes of spires that climb upwards towards the heavens

Outside Notre-Dame.  Bui Thanh Minh, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Either way, as Notre Dame belongs to a collection of famous cathedrals, its influence on fashion, no matter how small, must be acknowledged. We owe a nod to the enduring structure that has become a trademark of Paris, whether it be monetary as in the case of Pinault and Arnault, or an appreciative glance as art enthusiasts. The fashion world’s recent infatuation with religion and iconography has only encouraged the relationship between Notre Dame and high fashion. It is a coupling that is unlikely to split up any time soon; the best designers tend to like things to look a little bit broken anyways (see anything by Yeezy). So next time you find yourself in Paris with an urge to pose for a photograph in front of Notre Dame Cathedral, think about why that might be. Almost any answer can lead you to the structure’s identity as an icon, and a beautiful one at that.