Kabinet van mode en smaak 1791, pl. XI

This fashion plate from the Dutch periodical "Cabinet of Fashion and Taste," dates to 1791. It’s an etching, with some hand coloring added to bring out the details. Consider the labor implicit in this image. The garments would have been made by skilled hands using fine materials, underlining a clear distinction of class. The dress appears to be constructed of lightweight cotton, imported from afar, while the elaborate hat with its feathers would have required the work of a milliner. Note the use of textiles, feathers and found objects, indicating the creative economy emerging at the time. Fashion plates like these represent the rise of consumer culture, and the networks of production and consumption that were transforming European society. But it is important to remember the human element in all this finery, both the wearer, and the many hands required to bring it into being.