Fabricating Fashion: Textiles for Dress, 1700-1825

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In 18th-century Western Europe, prior to the Industrial Revolution, textiles were constructed entirely by hand, making them much more highly valued than the machine-made fabrics of today. Clothing from the period was also assembled by hand, either by specialist tailors or by the wearers themselves, making fabric selection the first—and arguably most important—decision. The wealthy patrons who bought or commissioned these delicate fabrics chose what to purchase based on several factors, the most important being the quality of the design, technical execution, and type of material. The rest of the population could not afford to buy fine textiles, yet they had a great deal of firsthand knowledge about techniques and materials, as up to one-third were involved in making fabric. This labor-intensive process spanned all levels of society and included many steps—from raising sheep for wool, growing flax for linen, and spinning and dyeing threads to designing patterns, making lace, weaving, embroidering, and block printing—all of which had to be done before the fabric could be sent off to merchants and markets to be sold. The collaborative nature of making fashionable textiles also extended to the global trading network that brought silk from China and cotton and cashmere from the Indian subcontinent.

Textquelle: Museumswebsite
Bildquelle: Museumswebsite

Veranstalter/ Ort
Art Institute Chicago
Galleries 57–59
Michigan Avenue Entrance
111 South Michigan Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60603
USA

weitere Infos: www.artic.edu/exhibitions/9313/fabricating-fashion-textiles-for-dress-1700-1825