Tout-Paris

During the 19th-centuryBelle Époque(beautiful era),le Tout-Parisoften attended horse races as fashionable entertainment at Paris'Bois de Boulognepark. (Édouard Manet,Courses au Bois de Boulogne,1872).

LeTout-Paris(lit. 'All-Paris') is a French expression referring to the stylish and affluent elite ofParis,who frequent fashionable events and places, and establish trends in upper-class culture. It is equivalent to thejet setelsewhere.

History

A dinner for fashion designerCharles Jourdanat the trendyPlaza Athénéehotel in Paris, 1962.

The popular understanding of fashionableTout-Parishas grown to include celebrities such as actressBrigitte Bardot,here inSaint-Tropezon theFrench Riviera,1963.

The expressiontout-Pariswas used in the 17th century to refer tohigh societyamong the aristocratic inhabitants of the city of Paris. It was used in 1660 byNicolas Boileauin hisSatiresto refer to the influential members of Parisian society who madePierre Corneille's playEl Cidpopular, in the famous sentence, "In vain, a minister sought support against El Cid—Tout Paris supported Chimene in love with Rodrigue".Boileau also used the expression inChant III:"Where tout Paris as a crowd bears its sufferings".VoltaireandJean le Rond D'Alembertalso used the expression in their correspondence.

The current use of the expressionTout-Parisdates from theBelle Époqueera of 19th-century Paris. Historian Anne Martin-Fugier dates it to the beginning of the 19th century, when in the aftermath of theFrench Revolutionand the rise ofNapoleon,when the non-aristocratic elites of the city began playing a role at the top of the city's affluent culture, forming a new social class.

A group made up of writers, politicians, bankers and prominent artists, this community lived in fashionable neighbourhoods, went to the theatre, and attended receptions at embassies. It also embodied a certain idea of Parisians' "good taste" (bon goût), setting trends with its pastimes, such as horse racing and holidays at the seaside. The activities ofTout-Pariswere noted in the mass media.

An article inLe Gaulois,from August 24, 1895, titled "Mondanités: Paris hors Paris" (Worldly events: Paris outside of Paris), noted that composerCamille Saint-Saënsarrived at the coastal resort ofDieppeand gave a detailed list of other noteworthy social figures also present in the town: "It is tout Paris, that can be seen: Count and CountessLouis de Talleyrand-Périgord,M. Josselin de Rohan, MmeMadeleine Lemaire,M.Marcel Proustet M.Reynaldo Hahn,who are the hosts of the eminent artist. "

Evoking the year 1841, poetCharles Baudelairesaw inTout-Parisabove all the passionate followers of literature and poetry: "During this time, tout Paris was made up of this elite group given the role of fashioning others' opinions, and who, when a poet is born, are always the first to be notified."

During theBelle Époque,Tout-Parisbecame a sort of club with its own rules. In 1901 theAnnuaire du Tout Paris(Tout Paris Annual) appeared, counting writerMarcel Proustamong its readers.Upon its creation in 1903, theBottin mondain(fr) directory of high societyin fact presented only a list of Parisian personalities.Le Tout-Pariswas associated with particular fashionable places in the city, such as the restaurant (Maxim's,the large urban forest theBois de Boulogne,Deauville,and so on, defining trends, giving an artist or writer their blessing, making or unmaking the reputation of a politician.

Beginning in the 1950s,Tout-Parisbecame increasingly associated with personalities connected with certain trendy nightclubs, such asRégine,creating notable discos where celebrities could be seen, among themFrançoise Sagan,Jean-Claude Brialy,Jacques Chazot,Françoise Giroud,Yves Saint-Laurent,and so on.

Tout-Paris today

Today, the expression is sometimes used to refer to subgroups of Paris culture's elite (the "literary tout-Paris", the "political tout-Paris", and so on), somewhat losing its original meaning, now referring to a broader group of arts personalities, athletes, media figures, or politicians covered in thepopular media.Their attendance is covered at events such as concerts, galas, premiers, art galleryvernissagesand nightclubs in the capitol.

With global travel and fashion, it is often used interchangeably with the globaljet setof trendsetters. The rise of the tabloid press in the 20th century, and the blending of entertainment and current events news in publications such asParis Match,has added to this public perception of Parisian celebrity.

See also

• Belle Époque
• Culture of Paris
• Fame in the 20th Century
• Paris Match

Bibliography

• Françoise Giroud,Françoise Giroud vous présente le Tout-Paris,Gallimard, 1952