Fashion Plates ─ 150 Years of Style

Prior to the invention of photography, European and American magazines used colorful prints to depict the latest fashion trends. These illustrations, known as “fashion plates,” conveyed the cutting-edge styles embraced by the fashion-conscious elite and proved inspirational to the upwardly mobile. This lavishly illustrated book provides a comprehensive survey of 200 color plates from publications dating from 1778 to the early 20th century, accompanied by authoritative and fascinating texts. Organized chronologically and featuring both men’s and women’s garments, these lively and colorful vignettes not only are beautiful, but also deftly illustrate the evolution of fashion over time.

“[A] chronological visual diary of the stylish elite’s favorite looks throughout history . . . many of the illustrations haven’t been seen since they were first printed.”—Architectural Digest

April Calahan is a fashion historian, writer, and art appraiser, as well as special collections associate at the Fashion Institute of Technology, New York.?Karen Trivette Cannell is assistant professor and head of special collections and college archives at the Fashion Institute of Technology, New York.?Anna Sui is a fashion designer living in New York City.