Lijf met schapeboutmouwen, van paars fluweel en paarse zijde met meerkleurige florale applicatie; voorstuk van lichtpaarse zijde c. 1893

This garment, made by Hirsch & Cie, is crafted from purple velvet and silk, adorned with a multicolored floral application, and features a light purple silk front. This dress can be understood as a testament to the transformative power of fashion in the late 19th century. Clothing production had become increasingly industrialized across Europe. In the Netherlands, the textile industries of cities such as Enschede, Tilburg, and Leiden were thriving, though they exploited a workforce of largely underpaid women and children. Hirsch & Cie, a prominent fashion house in Amsterdam, sold luxury items to the elite. This dress represents the aspirations and constraints of women in that time. The elaborate design suggests wealth and status, while the restrictive cut may symbolize the limited roles available to women in Dutch society. Historians can consult fashion plates and social surveys to understand garments like these as a window into the lives and values of the past.