Description:
Fashion engravings or plates, so named because they were originally engraved illustrations in magazines, were a major sourse of news about changing styles of dress in the late 18th century and all of the 19th century. More economical to produce and ship than earlier fashion dolls, (known as fashion babies in England and poupees des modes in France), fashion engravings cuold be used by amateur sewers and experienced dressmakers alike to reproduce elements of current fashion. Since the mid-late 17th century, France led the way in the innovation of new styles, which were communicated through the publication of new fashion images. These French modes were then enthusiastically copied by English publications as well as other European countries. Fashion engravings made their way to America, where colonists, and later citizens of the United States, still eagerly sought fashion information from abroad. This example is from the Columbia Magazine and informs "Le Follet/ Boulevart St. Martins 61, Coiffure de Normandin pass. Choiseul, 19 - Bonnet et lingerie de Vasslard [?] r. de Menars, 5: Etoffes et sortie de bal du Grand Colbert. r Nue des petits Champs, 6: - Dentelles en Vrolard, r. de Choiseul, 2 [bis?] Mouchoirs de L. Chapran & Dubois, r. de la Paix, 7. Eventail de Vagueur Dupre, r. de la Paix 79 - Essences et Flacons de Guerlain, r. de la Paix 11." This information serves two purposes; it makes stronger French connections to the fashionbale clothing depicted (suggesting closer ties to the center ofwestern fashion in Paris) and also serves to inform readers where they can obtain similar styles, much like modern fashion magazines and blogs today.
Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=HD+2016.9.35 |
