The Rise of the Fashion Illustration— From the 18th Century to the 19th Century (1700-1900) -- Part 1

The fashion illustrations were drawn as fashion plates at the beginning,  and the fashion plates are published through newspapers and magazines in the old days, so the development of newspapers and magazines at that time is the barometer of fashion illustrations. From the 18^th century onward newspapers and magazines becoming the most popular medium to flow through the fashion styles especially from France and Italy. 

In the first part, I will illustrate the most famous publishing in four countries – the France, the Germany,  the England, and the America.

In France, magazines the Monument du costume (1775), Galeries des modes (1777), and the Cabinet des modes (1785) were published as the model of fashion periodicals and many of them were translated and published in other countries. Because of the French Revolution, the fashion and publishing industry declined bit by bit until Napoleon encouraged the regeneration of fashion industry in the mid-nineteenth-century which let Paris became the centre of fashion once again. At this time, Le Follet (1829), La Mode Illustree (1860), and Le journal des demoiselles (1883) became the greatest samples of French magazines.­

  Fig. 3-1 the timeline of French magazines

In the Germany, during the period of French Revolution, the centre of publishing was passed on to Germany. The Journal der Luxus und der Moden (1786) is the most famous example of fashion magazines there.

In the England, The Lady’s Magazine (1795) supported by George III is a pioneer of fashion periodical in Britain; Gallery of Fashion (1794) published by Heideloff, La Belle Assemblee (1806), Repository of the Arts, Literature, Commerce, Manufacturing, Fashion and Politics (1809) published by Ackermann are important journals at that time. And Godey’s Lady’s Book (1830) is the first magazine introduces fashion to general public instead of focus on the nobles.

In the USA, the VOGUE (1893), a hugely influential magazine till nowadays, came into being at that time. This magazine contains many excellent fashion illustrations until the 1960s photography replaced illustration step by step.

 Fig. 3-2 the timeline of English & German magazines

 

Just like the fashion magazines we are reading today, the latest popular garments are quite the same in a period, but every publisher hopes that they can have their own style of showing dresses in trend. The styles of the garments might be similar, but the spirits and the styles of paintings are different through the creation of illustrators. These things could be found in details; such as the presenting techniques of lines, the body scale, and the background around the models. 

Next part I will show you the fashion illustrations of each magazine specifically. These fashion plates collected below are ordered as the same sequence of the magazines’ establishment. 
 

Fig. 4-1 fashion plates in French magazine Galeries des modes

Fig. 4-2 fashion plates in French magazine Cabinet des modes

Fig. 4-3 fashion plates in French magazine Le Follet

Fig. 4-4 fashion plates in German magazine Journal der luxus und der Moden

Fig. 4-5 fashion plates in English magazine Gallery of Fashion

Fig. 4-6 fashion plates in English magazine The Lady’s Magazine

Fig. 4-7 fashion plates in English magazine La Belle Assemblee