Promenade Dress, c.1824, Joseph Robins, Source - The Victoria and Albert Museum At the time, this was revolutionary in fashion, and started to alter and impact the relationship between consumer and designer, where the customer was shaping and influencing trends, rather than the maker themselves. Many journals were also created and marketed at being the perfect “pocket size” so they can be carried throughout the ladies’ day and accompany her to scheduled dress appointments. So if a particular dressmaker wanted something in fashion, they could just make it so! Then, they were hand drawn and hand painted to the finest detail, making them a small work of art in themselves. Dressmakers and journals worked closely with artists, dictating to them the styles of the time. December 1875, The Young Ladies Journal, Source - The Victoria and Albert MuseumĪt first, 17th century fashion plates were hand-illustrated drawings that were displayed at high end dressmakers and tailors, but they soon were printed into the quickly developing genre women’s fashion journals. Rather than spending hours and hours at a dressmaker, you could just show them an 1813 fashion plate from La Belle Assemblee, and instantly the dressmaker would do exactly what you want.Ĭhristmas and New Years Party Fashion Plate, c.
Not only did fashion plates show the latest trends, as well as make “trends” a thing in itself, but it made it far easier for a woman’s sartorial wants and desires to be communicated. The arrival of Georgian fashion plates completely changed the communication of fashion. Fabric would be chosen at the dressmakers or bought before, and the appointment with the dressmaker would result in a style of clothing that had been in fashion for the last 20 years or so (with some minute tweaks here and there). New pieces of clothing were only the advent of the rich and aristocracy, and it was usually only in the case of social events like regency balls or promenades. Forget department stores, ready to wear clothing and London Fashion Week, if you wanted a new piece of clothing, you would have to get it handmade. If you travelled back 200 years ago, it won’t be surprising that you couldn’t shop in exactly the same way that you do today. Winter Fashions From November 1834 to April 1835, Mr Benjamin Read, c.1834-1835, Source - The Victoria and Albert Museum Completely designed for the wealthier woman in mind, these plates completely transformed the 18th and 19th century fashion industry. Designed to be disseminated amongst French, English and American fashion journals, these “plates” were almost stylised miniature portrait paintings, not only showing the latest fashion and dress trends, but also creating an idealised vision of whom the woman wanted to be. In simple terms, fashion plates were the 18th and 19th century answer to fashion photography, design and illustration. So, put down this month’s Harper’s Bazaar and we can find out together about the wonderful world of Georgian & Victorian fashion plates. Source - © National Portrait Gallery, Londonĭistinct, beautiful, and a firm part of fashion history, fashion plates are fascinating.