Old Age Fashion Dissemination : Fashion Traveller.... the role of fashion dolls (Pandora)s can't go ignored
Old Age Fashion Dissemination :
Fashion Traveller.... the role of fashion dolls (Pandora)s can't go ignoredWritten by: Nayana Mhatre
Going back to the era of fashion evolution for understanding the selling of fashion in those times. As french fashion has been always appealing to the world for ages, let's understand how this business of fashion reached it's wider audience?
When it comes to finding the latest updates on the fashion industry, today we have multiple options to go to. The technology has developed to a level where we can be informed about the changes happening in fashion industry all over the world and follow it. With a click or a swipe we get closer and closer to the changing scene in fashion business.
But how the fashion business survived in the old era where fashion was at boom and with little mediums to reach customer how it still thrived? Mankind has always been resourceful, right? So, this is to find out how it happened?
We all have been playing with dolls since our grandmothers or their grandmothers time. Fashion dolls now reflect upon the fashion diva of today aka, Barbie doll. But they had their counterparts in old days known by names like fashion baby, fashion doll and most prominently Pandora dolls. A doll , who ruled world of fashion for a long time and was the sells person of trends that time.
The pandoras, were the wooden figures ranging from 3 feet to life size dolls adorning latest fashions of the times. In fact they were much more of importance in the history of fashion marketing and selling than what we think of them to be. They were the most influential fashion sellers managing the fashion consumption in the time when fashion was at its peak in Europe.
The reference of these fashion dolls dates back to 2000 BC in Egypt, where the mention of a wooden torso being found in King Tutankhamen's tomb close to his clothing chest in 1345 BC. It is said that the dolls were just not a plaything for the younger ones but also served in multiple roles, such as selling fashion, sometimes serving in religious depictions of characters from Bible too.
Existence of these fashion dolls is connected with french fashion dating back to 14th Century. as we come across references of French royalties sending the fashion dolls, later named as Pandora, to other queens and the royal courts promoting Parisian Fashions. In 14th Century references of dolls being manufactured in Nurenberg, Germany are mentioned. The court records show references of Queen of France sending Fashion dolls to Queen of England. and the queen preferred the Parisian fashion over her own country fashion.
The fashion babies were made of wood but the heads and hands of theses fashion travellers were made of wax, cloth, kid leather... sometimes ceramic or plaster too. The head and hands were made of wax and body was carved in wood. the legs were later attached to the carved body. The face was painted in creamy colours with focus on eyes, cheeks and lips etc. The body was painted with the mixture of plaster of paris and glue.
A letter dated 1515 was sent by Federico Gonzaga on behalf of King Francis I of France to his mother Isabella d'Este asking her to send fashion dolls to the French court so the copies of her style can be made for the french women.
By 15th Century , these known as Fashion Baby and by 17th Century it started doing rounds in the french higher circles and were gifted by French royals and sent by French fashion houses to the royal of England, Germany, Spain and Italy.
A lady use to have minimum 2 of these fashionable dolls, namely en grand toilette meaning full dress and en dishabille means in the state of undress. They are also call Grande Pandora and Petite Pandora respectively. By 17th Century they were dressed head to toe in the latest trends, sporting the Matching jewellery, Hairstyles & undergarments too.
The invention of railroads made it possible for the Pandoras to travel from France to Britain. With the development of transport services, the business of fashion flourished to another level all together. The technological development led to expansion of businesses, including fashion. Products reached customers, and marketing of fashion was enhanced. And the Pandoras become the most appreciated salesgirls. Nouveau riche, the new rich class started spending on latest fashions too. So the market for fashion boomed and by 18th Century Paris became capital of fashion.
This is where dissemination of fashion trends started, wherein not only the lifestyle and attitude was followed by most of the world but clothing also. Styles in clothing started reaching out to people of different origin globally. The Pandoras were travelling on their own passport and were given special immunity in the times of wars. Pandoras were the rulers of the fashion business and at one point they ruled Europe single handedly.
The death of Pandoras came in the name of paper dolls in late 18th Century. Paper dolls are figures cut out of paper or thin card, with separate clothes, also made of paper, that are usually held onto the dolls by paper folding tabs.
Photo Credit:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paper_doll
The pandoras lost their appeal and the most loved doll of france was no more in the limelight. But she got revived after second world war, on 28th March 1945, with exhibition of styles Theatre de la Moda. It was a step that got Paris on the map of world again as capital if fashion. The loss after 2nd World War was massive and this exhibition of figurines of 1/3rd size of mankind, draped in finaries of the who's who of Parisian fashion arena got applauded and well received. Paris got it's charm back, as the fashion trend setter. This exhibit travelled the world, and crowned the parisian fashion as the queen of International Fashion.
Theatre de la Moda, 28th March 1945
The world will remember these dolls, as fashion influencers who ruled the fashion world at one point of time.
Au revoir, lovelies.
Dearies, sorry if i didn't mention your reference or gave picture credit. it's a small try to introduce the new generation to the extinct fashions and stories behind them. In this lockdown i could refer to online material only. So regret anything wrong or any reference left out. Sorry for the inconvenience caused.
Biblography:
Pandora in the Box – Travelling around the World in the Name of Fashion by Lydia Maria Taylor
Selling Style I:
The History of Fashion Marketing Through the 19th Century.
https://historicalcostume.wordpress.com/2013/07/03/pandora-or-what-happened-before-vogue/
https://thatmuse.com/2019/11/08/before-anna-wintour-the-pandora-doll/
https://historyofeuropeanfashion.wordpress.com/2012/04/09/fashions-of-the-middle-classes-as-portrayed-by-paper-dolls/
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/567523990524616017/
Thank You!!!
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