Fashion as a Form of Visual Communication

Introduction

• Speaker: Amber Bouchard, Fashion Historian.
• Quote: "Fashion is the mirror of history" - Louis XIV.
• Objective: Recreate historical clothing using authentic methods to explore what they reveal about society and individuals.

Historical Context

• Painting: Jan van Eyck's double portrait (1434) - complex, insightful into Western art.
• Period: Emergence of mercantile capitalism and social mobility.
• Significance: Clothing as a reflection of wealth, status, and societal changes.

The Arnolfini Portrait

• Subject: Wealthy couple involved in luxury trade.
• Clothing Details:
  • Fabric: Broadcloth (now called doe skin), lined with arctic fox fur.
  • Color: Green, associated with wealth and banking.
• Social Implications:
  • Sumptuary Laws: Determined what different classes could wear.
  • Display of Wealth: Challenged social hierarchies.

Green Dress Analysis

• Complexity: Heavy fabric, intricate design with hanging sleeves and layers.
• Materials:
  • Wool: High-quality English wool, a luxury fabric.
  • Fur: Opulent, possibly arctic fox (substituted with faux fur).
  • Coloring: Weld and woad used for dyeing.

Historical Clothing Recreation

• Challenges:
  • Tailoring Techniques: Authentic 15th-century methods tested.
  • Material Handling: Broadcloth is heavy and requires careful cutting.
  • Dyeing Process: Traditional methods using weld and urine for vibrant green.
• Outcome: Gown recreated with historical accuracy, reflecting wealth and status.

Social and Gender Implications

• Gender Politics: Dress signals social status and constraints on women.
• Cultural Meaning: Clothing as a status symbol in mercantile society.

Conclusion

• Experiment Outcome: Realized the complexity and significance of historical fashion.
• Broader Insight: Clothing from the period reflects economic, social, and gender dynamics in 15th century Europe.

Summary

• Fashion as Communication: Reveals personal and societal narratives.
• Importance of Authentic Recreation: Provides tangible insight into historical contexts and the evolution of societal norms and practices.