In this course we will consider the political, social, historical, and artistic importance of French fashion through a series of case studies. We will explore a number of sources such as ancien régime costume design, realist novels, memoirs, impressionist paintings, 20th century advertising, and archival fashion magazines. Attention will be paid not only to what was being worn, but also to those who helped make fashion materially possible, for instance textile workers both in France and in colonized areas. |