Style and Fashion

"Under the reign of Louis XIV, fashion, in particular the manner of dress, follows the court. The French change style every day. Foreigners follow French fashion with the exception of the Spanish, who never change their style."

— French scholar Antoine Furetière (1619–1688) in his Dictionnaire Universel

Fashion Illustration at Court in the 17th Century is part of Images of Fashion from the Court of Louis XIV, an exhibition online from the Los Angeles County Museum of Art:

"Information about the lifestyle at Versailles was disseminated by visitors, through letters and journals, and most commonly through single-sheet engravings of fashionably dressed courtiers, widely distributed with the encouragement of the crown. One hundred ninety of these engravings are collected in Recueil des modes de la cour de France (Collection of fashions from the court of France), the centerpiece of this exhibition. Such images from the late 1600s are generally accepted as the genesis of our modern concept of fashion and fashion illustration. They featured the latest apparel, worn with elegance by French courtiers, who were the celebrity trendsetters of their time."

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The Museum of the Rockies, Montana University, has organized an online exhibit, The Shape of Fashion and Its Underpinnings, 1870 - 1960. Here are a few paragraphs from the exhibit:

"The study of costume — fabrics, style, construction and cut — informs us of both a fashion and social history, and provides a refreshing and enlightening look at human history. The costume collection at the Museum of the Rockies spans from the 1860s to the 1960s and marks the earliest settlement in the Gallatin Valley."

"Underpinnings are the foundation upon which the shape of fashion is built, and similarly reflect the swing of the fashion pendulum. Perhaps more fascinating than the costume itself, these foundations for The Shape of Fashion reflect more earnestly the essence of the feminine realm. From a tight corset and layer upon layer of undergarments to a simple brassiere, the transition in women's foundations tells the story of their journey toward liberation.

"Hoop skirts of the early bustle period were trimmed down considerably from the absurd diameters of the 1860s. A tight bodice and corset, contrasted with a bustled skirt, characterized the silhouette of this period. The fashions of this era reflected the notion that costume was an indication of personal success, and that corseting was a healthy means of controlling the shape of the body."

...

"Women's activity levels were limited due to multiple layers of clothing: most dresses required at least two petticoats, along with drawers, a chemise and a corset cover. In addition to the corset, a woman endured up to 25 pounds of dress and accessories. The advent of new technologies — particularly the sewing machine (patented in American in 1848) and paper patterns (Butterick, c. 1860) — and the emergence of the department store contributed to mass production and increased availability of fashionable clothing."

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An exhibit currently at the Chicago History Museum spotlights Mrs. Bertha Honoré Palmer with glimpses of her wardrobe and jewelry through a Flickr slide show.

"On the anniversary of Bertha Palmer’s 160th birthday, the Museum presents a selection of her clothing and other personal effects to honor one of the most significant figures in Chicago history. On display in the Costume and Textile Gallery, the exhibition features fourteen ensembles. The gowns are among the most opulent examples of late-nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century dress."

Palmer followed fashion custom and trend, yet her own strong opinions were her ultimate guide. Her personal style was nothing short of extravagant, de rigueur for the new American rich, and by embracing this tradition Palmer commanded attention and respect in all of her endeavors. For example:

Callot Soeurs, Evening gown, 1921

"This stunning evening gown is one of the most beautiful creations from the House of Callot Soeurs in the museum’s permanent collection. It is one of dozens of Callot Soeurs pieces worn by Mrs. Potter Palmer II and then later donated to the Chicago History Museum. Unfortunately, the beautiful gold lame brocade fabric, micro-seed bead trim, and large brooch are so heavy that the very light and sheer shoulder straps started to disintegrate. Furthermore, the weight of the gown was so heavy on the straps that the lame started to split under its own weight. Although conservation will eventually fix these problems, staff could simply not fix it in time for the opening in Chicago."

"Mrs. Palmer was the undeniable queen of Chicago society in the late-nineteenth century and into the twentieth, but her renown reached well beyond this city. This was a woman who entertained three American presidents at her home. She was the only woman in the United States’ official envoy at the Paris Exposition of 1900. She was related to European royalty, she golfed with King Edward, she dominated Paris and London’s elite social circles. An American leading London society?! She was in no uncertain terms a celebrity."

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The Museum of Arts Decoratifs in Paris has published a Visitor's Guide for the exhibit. The Museum possesses one hundred and twenty-two Vionnet dresses, copyright albums, hundreds of patterns made out of cloth, and all the documentation relative to her fashion house. The following are paragraphs from the Guide:

"Madeleine Vionnet drew inspiration from certain dancers favouring the use of flowing fabrics, such as Loïe Fuller who inspired many objects belonging to the Art Nouveau Department of the Musée des Arts décoratifs, or Isadora Duncan who accustomed her public to a free and supple figure. No more vehemently than her colleague Paul Poiret, known for having altogether discarded corsets, Vionnet criticised these undergarments dismissing them as orthopaedic devices."

"Even though Paul Poiret espoused many avant-garde ideas often derived from Oriental dreamlike imagery, his designs were ill-suited to the lifestyle of modern women. Nevertheless, the new lines developed within all the decorative art domains of the 1910s, echoed Madeleine Vionnet’s artistic vision. A less rigid, less ornate, and gradually less constricted figure emerged."

"Dress architecture was at the core of Vionnet’s experimentation. A famous photo shows Madeleine Vionnet striving to create a certain shape for a smallscale wooden mannequin with articulated joints. Given its scale, the fabric was less cumbersome allowing for easier manipulation. In the blink of an eye, the designer achieved an overall vision."

"Dispensing with preliminary sketches, she envisioned a three-dimensional malleable sculpture shaped out of fabric."

"Madeleine Vionnet pursued draping variations, yet abandoned the use offlowing fabric panels in favour of a pared-down approach. Two-meter wide textiles enabled her to eliminate side seams. The fabric was twisted, coiled up, and draped), while cowl collars softly emphasized the chest or the shoulder blades. By the mid 1930s, despite retaining a penchant for graphic interplay), fashion took on a romantic look distancing itself from the rectangular dress shape of the Roaring Twenties, and adopting rounder contours in keeping with contemporary jewellery designs. Skirts cut in the round, puff or balloon sleeves, and wide capelike collars bordering low necklines - known as berthes in French - challenged the antiquity vogue, while stiff fabrics conveyed a historicizing effect."

The 6th and 7th pages within the guide contain photographs from the exhibit to enjoy. English Vogue has 13 articles on the House of Vionnet.