The Renaissance Through the 18th Century
when there were only the royalty and the peasants.
Artisan craftsmen were in demand and they formed
guilds to protect the secrets of their trade. From this, the
Renaissance was born and through the paintings during
this period, we are able to study the details of the colors,
textiles, and accessories used in dress.
Catherine
de' Medici famously brought the ruff to
France from her native Italy when she was crowned as
Queen of France. Venetian laces spread throughout
Western Europe thereafter. But it was a French king 100
years later who pioneered the notion of "fashion" trends.
King
Louis XIV required the members of his court
and the noblemen visiting his newly built palace in
Versailles to keep up with his latest style of dress. From
his buckled, red-heeled shoes to his full-bottomed wig,
they followed his lead. He also introduced the idea of
"seasonal" textiles advocating that only Lyon silks be
worn. France became the "fashion leader" thereafter.
Ladies
of nobility dressed extraordinarily fashionable
in the 18th century. The fine dressmaking techniques of
this period were adopted by haute couture designers of
following centuries. Madame de Pompadour was the first
fashion leader for women. Her rococo-inspired
style of delicate silks trimmed with bows and ribbons was
embraced by women around the world.
The
excessive flamboyance exuded by Queen Marie-
Antoinette led, in part, to the French Revolution and the
end of the French monarchy. Meanwhile, the Industrial
Revolution was in full swing in Britain and America's
own revolution in the New World culminated in its
independence and the beginning of its cotton industry.