Revue de la Mode, Gazette de la Famille, dimanche 27 décembre 1885, 14e Année, No. 730: Toilettes de Mme Delannoy (...) 1885

This is a print created by A. Chaillot, published in France in 1885 in the Revue de la Mode, Gazette de la Famille. What we see is an image of two affluent women modeling the latest fashions, and we get a glimpse into the aesthetic values and social codes of the late 19th century. Let's consider this image as a cultural artifact embedded in its time. The dresses themselves, with their elaborate designs and rich fabrics, speak to the economic prosperity and social stratification of the period. The ‘Revue de la Mode’ itself, as a publication, served as a tastemaker, shaping desires and dictating trends among the upper classes. Fashion magazines were a rapidly expanding industry as the technology to reproduce images developed. This one served as a powerful tool for reinforcing social hierarchies and promoting consumerism. By examining sources such as fashion plates, periodicals, and social histories, we can unpack the complex interplay between art, commerce, and society in late 19th-century France.