Contrary to popular thought, the “Fashion Police”, so called, are not concerned with seemingly vulgar acts of dressing – mismatched colors, cheap accessories, gross fabrics, etc – but they do consider knocking-off the work of other designers as a serious violation – and when it comes to ripping-off the designs of Christian Dior or Pierre Balmain, that is when the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Coutre and police inspector Jacques Besson step in.
“In Paris the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Coutre, French fashion’s trade association, considers that every year Paris designers suffer a loss of $13,000,000 to $15,000,000 at the hands of those who copy their designs and don’t pay for them.”
In 1960, renown U.K. journalist Rene Lecler paid a visit to Inspector Besson and got a few great stories.
Click here to read more 1940s articles about
Christian Dior and his “New Look”
