Fashion in History: A Global Look Tutor: Giorgio Riello Week 9 Tuesay 25 November 2008 ‘The Making of the Fashionable Consumer in the Eighteenth Century’

1. From Court to City Ball under Henri IV

F. Fournier-Sarlovèze, Louis XIV and Madame de Maintenon on the terrace of the Château de Compiègne Oil on canvas. 98 x 124 cm. Chateau, Compiegne, France Louis XIV and Madame de Maintenon

François-Hubert Drouais, 'Madame de Pompadour', The National Gallery.

Elisabeth Louise Vigée- Lebrun, Portrait of Madame du Barry, 1782

Bloomsbury Square in London in 1787

2. The Eighteenth-Century Consumer Revolution Ball under Henri IV What is the Consumer Revolution about? 1.people stated consuming more. 1.people stated consuming new things. - New patterns of consumption -The importance of the novelty, or ‘the latest fashion’ 3. This happens in a context (a Culture of Consumption)

2. The Eighteenth-Century Consumer Revolution Ball under Henri IV Revolutions and Modernity - Political Change: The French Revolution - Economic Change: The Industrial Revolution - Socio-cultural Change: The Consumer Revolution

E.L. Jones, ‘The fashion manipulators: consumer tastes and British industries, ’, in L.P. Cain and P.J. Uselding, eds., Business enterprise and economic change (Kent –USA, 1973). N. McKendrick, J. Brewer and J. Plumb, The birth of a consumer society: the commercialisation of eighteenth century Britain (London, 1982). Mary Douglas and Baron Isherwood, The World of Goods: Towards an Anthropology of Consumption (London, 1978) 2. The Eighteenth-Century Consumer Revolution

The emergence of modern consumption Emulation/social 2. The Eighteenth-Century Consumer Revolution

The emergence of modern consumption Emulation/social Desires/individual wants 2. The Eighteenth-Century Consumer Revolution

McKendrick: Conditions for the Emergence of a Consumer Society Increasing number of people could afford to buy consumer goods Flexible social structure 3. Fashionable Consumption and Emulation The availability of cheaper goods

McKendrick: The Dynamic Forces Emulation Thorstein Veblen,The Theory of the Leisured Class (1899). Trickle-down effect Fashion 3. Fashionable Consumption and Emulation The Case of Servants

Fashionable Elite Imitators

La Belle Chocolatière (The Chocolate Girl) Pastel. Gemaeldegalerie, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen, Dresden, Germany

François Boucher, A Lady Fastening Her Garter (La Toilette), 1742 Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, Madrid

McKendrick: Criticism 1. He concentrates on ‘social objects’ such as clothing or display objects such as porcelain but does not explain household objects 2. Ignores the importance of religious belief, families, communities, etc. 3. Does not sufficiently considers the importance of identity and personal taste 3. Fashionable Consumption and Emulation

Lorna Weatherill, Consumer Behaviour and Material Culture in Britain, (1988; 2nd ed. 1996). 4. Consumption and Possession

Behavioural approach Personal values of objects -Not all objects are bought - there is an effective investment in objects 4. Consumption and Possession

Weatherill: Dynamics of Consumption ‘Front stage’ and ‘back stage’ Erving Goffman, The presentation of self in everyday life (1959). Front stage has attracted most atetntion because of historical sources We need to pay attention to both stages 4. Consumption and Possession

McKendrick: Consumption Weatherill: Possession Weatherill’s research is based on a sample of 3000 inventories. 4. Consumption and Possession