Journal des Dames et des Modes, editie Frankfurt 18 août 1806, Costume Parisien (34) 1806

This is a print from the Journal des Dames et des Modes, made in Frankfurt by Friedrich Ludwig Neubauer, in 1806. Its subject is Parisian fashion. The image presents two women in the high-waisted empire silhouette popular at the time. But this wasn't just about clothes; fashion magazines like this one were powerful cultural arbiters, dictating taste and reinforcing social hierarchies. Produced in Frankfurt, it speaks to the international reach of Parisian style. Consider the political context: Napoleon's empire was at its peak, and Paris was the undisputed capital of culture and fashion. Fashion was serious business. Sumptuary laws had once regulated who could wear what, but by 1806, it was more about keeping up with the latest trends. To truly understand the image, we can investigate publications from the time, explore the history of fashion, and examine the economics of the textile industry. These resources show us just how much these seemingly simple images had to say about the culture of their time.