The return of the Battle of Versailles

If you're like us and you're passionate about fashion, then the Battle of Versailles, also known as Le Grand Divertissement à Versailles, is certainly something you're familiar with. Just in case you've never heard it before, here's how it works. On 28 November 1973, American fashion icon Eleanor Lambert, founder of New York Fashion Week, the Met Gala and other prestigious events, teamed up with the curator of the Château de Versailles, Gerald Van der Kemp. The two great minds joined forces to form the ultimate charity competition, pitting young American designers against their French counterparts, who would end up exhibiting their creations in the Opera House of the Château de Versailles to raise funds for the restoration of the château. Needless to say, the palace itself evokes luxury and design, and it would be wrong not to mention Sofia Coppola's 2006 film Marie Antoinette, which emphasised the importance of the style that permeated the rooms of the palace. Now, to celebrate the forthcoming 50th anniversary, a new design competition is already underway, sponsored by two of the most high-profile participants in the original event.

Why the Battle of Versailles matters

Representing the French fashion industry, the 1973 competition saw Yves Saint Laurent, Pierre Cardin, Emanuel Ungaro, Roger Bohan (best known for his 30 years at Dior) and Hubert de Givenchy. Representatives of the American industry included Oscar de la Renta, Stephen Burrows, Halston, Bill Blass and Anne Klein, as well as a young Donna Karan, who was Klein's assistant at the time. Many still consider this event to be the first time that the French fashion industry recognised the talents of designers from across the Atlantic. At the time, Paris was of course considered the fashion capital of the world, and still is in many ways, but the event opened the doors to future collaborations. What's more, it was a cultural gossip columnist's dream, as the event played host to the crème de la crème of the world's social elite. With such an unprecedented past, the battle became much more than a one-night affair, and events dedicated to the meeting of the two industries sprang up all over the city. This ultimately helped launch the career of Stephen Burrows, who was signed by a French company after the presentation of his designs.

The new Battle of Versailles 

Today, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of this iconic event, a similar albeit smaller design competition is taking place, set against the backdrop of a special screening of American director Deborah Riley Draper's 2012 documentary Versailles 73: American Runway Revolution. Finding the need to remind fashion aficionados of the importance of the event as it can give young designers a relevant stage to showcase their work, the American director and her production company Coffee Bluff Pictures have teamed up with two original 'Battle of Versailles' participants. The House of Ungaro  and the With Love Halston Foundation, a non-profit organisation founded by Halston's niece and fashion director Steve Gold to support the next generations of young American fashion designers, are joining forces with the director to sponsor a fashion competition for the Istituto Marangoni - Paris Fashion School. «Young people need to be inspired and they need to know their history,» said Riley Draper in an interview with WWD, adding «We have to expose our young minds to all the places that they can play and all the places that they can innovate and be creative, and make sure that that canvas is available to them.» While many of the details of the competition remain secret, it is known that entrants have already presented their designs to a panel of judges made up of members of the Halston Foundation and the House of Ungaro.

The Battle of Versailles 2023 winners 

The winners of the competition will be announced this Friday 29 at the Ungaro headquarters in the presence of the brand's current creative director, Kobi Halperin. The two sponsors will award grants to the winners of the competition, with the overall winner receiving the 'Prix Versailles 73', along with an undisclosed cash prize. Also on the 29th, Deborah Riley Draper will be screening her 2012 documentary at the Grand Rex cinema in Paris, concluding with a talk by the director herself and members of the film's cast. Although tickets have not yet gone on sale, according to the Grand Rex website, this is certainly an important event not to be missed. The 1973 event was undoubtedly the most important fashion moment of the century, and lessons can still be learned. As we have yet to witness who the winners of Friday's prize will be, one thing is certain: this new initiative will pave the way for the next top designer to emerge from one of the world's top fashion schools.