Journal des Luxus und der Moden 1790, Band V, T.31 1790

Friedrich Justin Bertuch created this print for *Journal des Luxus und der Moden* in 1790. These fashion plates, made in Germany, capture the sartorial tastes of the late eighteenth century. The journal wasn’t simply interested in dressmaking. Bertuch, its editor, used the periodical to promote the economic and political interests of the upper classes. It offered a vision of fashion as a mark of distinction, setting the elite apart in a moment of growing social and political unrest. The journal helped to create a sense of shared identity among elites across Europe. Fashion, like any cultural product, is shaped by the society that produces it. What does it mean that French fashions were so widely adopted in Germany in the 1790s? You can discover more about the culture of fashion by looking at surviving examples of clothing from the era, as well as paintings, letters, and novels. Through interdisciplinary research, we can begin to understand the complex social meanings of dress.