La Mode, 30 mai 1835, Pl. 449 : Rédingote à un seul rang (...) 1835

This print, made by Jean-Denis Nargeot in 1835, is deceptively simple; it shows two men displaying the height of Parisian fashion. But consider the production of these images; printmaking was central to the fashion industry at this time, crucial for disseminating styles across distances, setting trends, and fueling consumption. The technique here is crucial: these prints were typically made by layering engraved lines with hand-applied color. Note the intense detail in the clothing: the cut of the coat, the fall of the trousers, the texture of the fabric. It suggests that the image might have acted as a template, to be copied by tailors in the making of garments. So the print is not just a representation of fashion, but also an instruction manual, a step in the industrial process of clothing production. Fashion prints like these show that techniques we now associate with 'craft' were completely integrated into the burgeoning capitalist system. They are a reminder that ‘making’ has always been about more than just aesthetics.