Magazines in 19th century

Fashion magazines are an essential component of the fashion industry. They are the medium that conveys and promotes the design's vision to the eventual purchaser. Fashion magazines arose mainly in nineteenth century as La Belle Assemblee (1806), The Englishwoman's Domestic Magazine(1852) and Vogue (1892). The changing role of nineteenth century women from a worker to the form to a woman of the society, was reflected in fashion transformations, with fashion magazines that spoke directly to women. Meanwhile, during the Victorian Era the rise of the economy allowed the common man to afford more clothing. Cloth making was easier and cheaper during the industrial boom of this time: Sewing machines and factories were used for the first time in history to provide mass qualities of clothing. Hence, magazines stressed the novelty and desirability of clothing picture.

                                             Victorian wedding dress from Harper Bazaar
                                                                   June 13, 1868

                                                    La Belle Assemblee 1826
                                                    

In addition the rise of department stores, the advert of mass-product clothing and the explosion of the fashion press had made the latest fashion knowledge more affordable and accessible to stylish women of all classes. The woman as consumer became a recurring feature of fashion plates and illustration after 1875 (Breward,1994) and remains until today the main consumer of fashion magazines.

                                                                 Vogue, June 1913