Petit Courrier des Dames, 1829, No. 644 : Chapeau de paille de riz.. 1829

This fashion plate, made in 1829, is a lithograph, printed in Paris and then carefully hand-colored. The textures are delicate, but there is a lot of work implied. The image is a document of skilled needlework: the puffed sleeves, lace trim, and floral details, with layers of pleated fabric on the skirt. These dresses were made by highly skilled dressmakers, or “Modistes”, and cater to the fashion-conscious consumer. Fashion plates like these played a key role in promoting Parisian style across Europe and beyond, but it also reminds us of the intense labor required to produce fashionable garments. From fabric production to sewing and embellishment, clothing manufacture relied on a network of workshops and skilled artisans. The plate served as a form of advertising, an early example of branding, and as a means of circulating images of fashionable women. So next time you see a fashion plate like this, remember the people who made it, the materials they used, and the stories they tell about labor, skill, and consumption.