La Mode de Paris, ca. 1871, No. 42 : Robes foulard (...) c. 1871

E. Mille made this print, *La Mode de Paris*, around 1871. It's a lithograph, meaning the image was drawn on a stone and then printed. The result is a relatively cheap, mass-produced image, but one that still depended on skilled labor. Notice how the texture of the dresses is suggested with shading - thin vertical lines to mimic the drape of fabric. The material looks like foulard, a light silk and wool blend, which would have been a new and desirable textile. The other details such as ruffles, fringe and ribbons, signal that a lot of handwork went into the making of these garments. This print offers a window into the world of Parisian fashion and consumption, even in the wake of the Franco-Prussian War. It reminds us that even seemingly frivolous images are shaped by industrial processes, skilled labor, and the circulation of materials. Thinking about these factors helps us connect fashion to wider social and economic forces.