This final thesis presents the French fashion design of the 20th century and is focused on an overview of the development of the Paris women's fashion due to the fact it is the period where changes in dressing style have been the most obvious. The 20th century was a turbulent one, politically and socially, and fashion faithfully kept up with the events and interpreted them in its favor. France realized the importance of the fashion as early as in the times of Louis XIV and it soon became the main leader in the fashion novelties. The Splendor of Versailles was gradually substituted by Parisian streets where haute couture came to life on the grounds of patterns from the royal court, thus allowing Paris to start its slow, but safe conquest of the fashion world. Charles Frederick Worth is considered to be the father of haute couture because he had realized the importance of cyclical representation of his work, hence making his clients follow changes in fashion and spend more. This is why he has been considered to be the first true fashion designer. Haute couture conquered the world and Paris became the leading fashion force, while ready-to-wear created finished fashion garments modeled on haute couture since the 60's of the 19th century, allowing less rich women to acquire modern look. At the beginning of the 20th century Paris had already become the capital of haute couture and luxury, whose designers filled the pages of the world fashion magazines thanks to their works, and foreigners visited the city twice a year to enjoy themselves while shopping for Worth, Callot, Paquin and Doucet. Women changed their attire several times a day, while the rich dresses were tamed by S-bend corsets which began to loosen up gradually by the end of the decade, mostly thanks to the designers Margaine-Lacroix and Poiret. The women proved their strength in the WWI when they replaced men in their work positions - due to this, long dresses with corsets were substituted by shorter ones, and rigid corsets were gradually replaced by the lighter, less limiting ones. Coco Chanel stepped onto the fashion scene with its jersey suits, combining high fashion and cheap materials, while chemise dresses of simple cut took over the streets of Paris. The twenties were marked by the liberated female sexuality, but also by accentuated boyish look. Women had fun, drank alcohol, smoked cigarettes and danced in short shiny beaded dresses with fringes. The Great Depression ended the carelessness of the twenties, thus marking a return to femininity in the 30's. Madeleine Vionnet became known as the “queen of the bias cut” which embraced female body emphasizing its curves, while the influence of Hollywood glamour on the world became stronger at the same time. The first half of the 40's were marked by the WWII which brought limitations to fashion industry. Still, fashion houses of Paris found their way of coping in these difficult times, and Parisian women once again proved their dominance in following fashion trends. However, it is the mentioned resourcefulness in times of severe war suffering that caused bitter criticism of high fashion thus placing it on shaky ground. Christian Dior created the New Look which caused much stir due to its “outdated silhouette”, but this did not stop him from achieving world glory. Ready-to-wear industry manufactured numerous versions of his Corolle line, even housewives imitated him creating their own versions of it. The fifties marked the return of the haute couture which was full of opulent and feminine clothes made by the designers such as Balmain, Givenchy and Dior, however the end of the decade had announced new changes which were to follow in the sixties. London overthrew Paris from the position of the capital of the fashion with its uneducated designers who took over the youth of Paris. Mini skirs, trousers and cuts hiding female figures became among the most popular pieces of attire, and haute couture was relentlessly tried to repair the damage that was done to it. Yves Saint Laurent imposed himself as the leader of the Paris fashion by creating ready-to-wear line called Rive Gauche, showing his devotion to the street fashion. The seventies additionaly empowered the manufacture of ready-to-wear, and everybody wore everything: from the short mini skirts, over midi and maxi dresses and flared trousers to YSL's safari suit. Hippies, which emerged in the latter part of the sixties were replaced by the Punks and terrorist chic style that emphasized sexuality and fetishism, while discomania stirred up fashion even more. Excessiveness, luxury and opulence marked the eighties in which haute couture made a huge comeback. Strengthened by foreign designers, French haute couture set the fashion trends once again, but ready-to-wear manufacture did not cede since almost all of the fashion houses started their own ready-to-wear lines. Women worked in big corporations and dressed in power suits while Japanese and Belgian designers made an ironic approach to fashion and state of affairs in the world with their conceptual clothing. The nineties were an amalgam of different cultural influences;nthey accentuated women’s features by drawing inspiration from the past. Different styles were represented in fashion and each person was able to find something for himself: from plain white T-shirts and jeans to luxurious dresses and even unconventional clothes, while fashion houses introduced their brands and lured buyers with ads. The supermodel era did not last for too long and Paris spread its influences together with New York and Milan. Carrie Bradshaw, the main character of the TV-show Sex and the City, emerged from the eclecticism of fashion styles as a new fashion icon who, as a true, modern New York girl, successfully combined haute couture with ready-to-wear and travelled to Paris, the city of love and fashion.