Moniteur des Dames et des Demoiselles, septembre 1863, No. 718 : Toilettes de la M.on Gagelin (...) 1863

This fashion plate, created in France in 1863, is a lithograph, a printmaking technique using a flat stone or metal plate. The image depicts women's fashion, showcasing the latest styles from Parisian designers. What stands out is the sheer amount of work embedded in these dresses. They are constructed from textiles and trims: labor-intensive lace, precisely pleated fabric, and hand-stitched embellishments. The production of these garments relied on a complex network of skilled artisans, from weavers and dyers to seamstresses and embroiderers. These fashion plates were tools of the fashion industry, designed to fuel consumption and desire. They also reflected the rigid social hierarchies of the time, where clothing served as a visual marker of status and wealth. They remind us that fashion is always deeply embedded in social, economic, and political contexts. These dresses were certainly aspirational objects.