Say 'sac iconique'! How France is trying to exert influence over fashion terms


By AGENCY

French speakers shouldn't use the Anglicism "it-girl" but rather "icone de la mode". Photo: AFP

A commission that seeks to act as a guardian of the French language has published a string of recommendations for translations of shopping and style terms, to replace widely-used English ones.

It was perhaps inspired by the recent Paris Fashion Week.

Instead of an "it-bag" – defined as "a handbag in the latest fashion or that stands for a brand" – ministries and businesses are encouraged to write "sac iconique".

Read more: How fashion accessories are finding a new role in the age of social media

An "it-boy" or "it-girl" can now safely be described as an "icone de la mode" and a "must-have" transforms into an "incontournable", while "try before you buy" becomes "essayer-acheter".

There are also more baffling business terms that may be unfamiliar to many native English speakers, like "digital native vertical brand" ("marque integree nee en ligne").

Set up in 2015, the Commission for Enrichment of the French Language aims to "provide French vocabulary appropriate to the need for communication that is clear and accessible to the greatest number of people", it said in the introduction to its 2021 annual report.

Led by a member of the Academie Francaise – founded in 1635 under King Louis XIII to guard "pure" French – the Commission says it "recalls to a broad audience the importance of having and using French vocabulary so as to keep our language functional".

Read more: Menswear is expected to boom, as Paris Fashion Week Men's makes big return

Given the dominance of English in global business and technology, its terms are the most frequently targeted for translation into the language of Moliere.

"These days there's no invention, innovation or discovery that doesn't have its corresponding term, increasingly often in English," the Commission said in its report.

"The flow of new concepts that must be defined and named in French is therefore continuous."

The report cited fields including hydrogen power, the Covid-19 pandemic and malicious digital activities as recent areas to which its 20-odd expert groups have turned their attention. – AFP Relaxnews

Article type: free
User access status:
Subscribe now to our Premium Plan for an ad-free and unlimited reading experience!

fashion , trends , Paris Fashion Week , accessories , bags

   

Next In Style

How the 'coquette makeup' beauty trend is taking romance to the extreme
Sequins are being reinvented through a new, more eco-friendly material
Elevate your shoe collection with designs for every occasion
Slim pickings? Less than 1% of looks at the recent fashion weeks were plus-size
Do fast fashion brands care about a potential backlash to their business models?
Malaysian designer label Fiziwoo launches inclusive Raya collection
What is 'hair painting'? How to transform your hair into a true work of art
Brazil's new first lady champions causes with fashion, and she's praised for it
Rihanna's outfit was the most-searched look during and after the Oscars
How Michelle Yeoh and other celebs accessorised with watches for the Oscars

Others Also Read