Les Modes Parisiennes, 1878, No. 1759 : Modèles des Grands Mgasins (...) 1878

This fashion plate, titled "Les Modes Parisiennes," was made in 1878 by E. Bracquet. It is a print – a means of mass-producing images that became widespread at this time. Consider what's being represented here: not just fashionable dresses, but the *idea* of fashion, reproduced and circulated as a commodity. The image shows two women wearing elaborately designed dresses with multiple layers of fabric, trimmings, and embellishments; all created by skilled laborers. Each dress represents countless hours of work, from the weaving of textiles to the cutting, sewing, and finishing touches. The long train on the blue dress is impractical, speaking to the wearer's wealth and status. Note how these garments are presented as desirable objects, available for purchase. By understanding the labor and materials involved in their creation, and their circulation as printed images, we can better understand the social and economic contexts of fashion, and its relationship to industrial production and consumer culture.