Le Moniteur de la mode, juni 1854, No. 399 : Modes de la Maison Plé Horain 1854

Jean-Baptiste Réville created this print titled 'Le Moniteur de la Mode' in June 1854. Produced during a time of significant social change and industrial advancement in France, fashion became increasingly commercialized and accessible. The image presents two women adorned in elaborate dresses, showcasing the ideal feminine silhouette of the mid-19th century. These elaborate dresses and the pursuit of fashion highlights the constraints placed on women of the era, where appearance and social status were closely linked to their worth. It’s hard to imagine how the women wearing them could engage in the increasingly mechanized production of the time. Fashion publications like ‘Le Moniteur de la Mode’ played a crucial role in shaping desires and dictating trends, but they also reflect the limited roles available to women in society. These images acted as both aspiration and confinement, embodying the complex and often contradictory experiences of women navigating a rapidly changing world.