Why the 'Battle of Versailles' still resonates 50 years later

<p>In 1973, Americans triumphed in a fashion smackdown that earned the country respect and admiration among critics worldwide.</p> <p>On that day 50 years ago, American and French designers went head-to-head in a creative competition dubbed the “<a href="https://www.townandcountrymag.com/style/fashion-trends/a43529068/battle-of-versailles-50-anniversary-history-alva-chinn/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Battle of Versailles</a>." The fashion show was held at the historic Palace of Versailles, the former residence of King Louis XIV.</p> <p>The Americans won with cutting-edge ready-to-wear and stunning <a href="https://www.instyle.com/fashion/battle-versailles-interviews-pat-cleveland" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Black models</a>. A half-century later, the legacy of the once-obscure event continues to shape global fashion.</p> <p><strong>GUESTS</strong></p> <p><strong>Robin Givhan</strong>, senior critic-at-large for the Washington Post and author of “The Battle of Versailles: The Night American Fashion Stumbled into the Spotlight and Made History”</p> <p><strong>Alva Chinn</strong>, actress and model from the 1973 "Battle of Versailles"</p> <p><strong>Jay Calderin,</strong> founder and executive director of Boston Fashion Week and co-director of education at the School of Fashion Design in Boston</p>