Ensemble 1886 - 1896

This ensemble was made by B. Altman & Co., a New York-based department store that operated from the late 19th to the late 20th century. The design of the jacket points to the ways European fashion trends were translated and consumed in the United States. With its high collar, fitted waist, and rows of buttons, the jacket evokes military styles popular in Europe, yet it also speaks to the rise of consumer culture in America, where department stores like Altman's played a key role in shaping taste and desire. Consider how the department store itself was a social institution, one that catered to a growing middle class, particularly women. Stores offered not just goods but also a space for leisure and social interaction. Fashion, in this context, becomes a form of self-expression but also a marker of social status. To understand this piece better, we can look at archival materials like store catalogs and advertisements, which tell us about the values and aspirations of the time. Fashion is never just about clothing. It's about the complex interplay of culture, commerce, and identity.