Revue de la Mode, Gazette de la Famille, dimanche 13 février 1887, 16e Année, No. 789: Etoffes de la M.on Le Houssel (...) 1887

This fashion plate by A. Chaillot, published in Paris in 1887, presents two women adorned in the latest styles. Consider the textiles and tailoring on display here: the sheen of satin, the intricate lace details, the plush velvet trim. These materials speak to the rise of industrial manufacturing, where new technologies allowed for the mass production of luxurious fabrics. The cut and construction of these garments also tell a story. Notice the elaborate draping and the tightly corseted silhouettes. These designs demanded skilled labor, from the weavers and dyers who created the fabrics to the seamstresses who painstakingly assembled the dresses. It's a reminder that even in an age of mechanization, the human hand remained essential to the creation of beauty and fashion. Fashion plates like these were not just about aesthetics. They were a window into a world of aspiration, consumption, and the complex social dynamics of the late 19th century.