Dressmaker

• Originating in France in the 1670s, this women’s garment consisted of lengths of t-shaped fabric that were pleated to create an unstiffened bodice with attached overskirts.
• This gown was worn over a pair of stays (corset) and an often contrasting petticoat.

What was the mantua?

• Although strict dress codes at the Versailles court of French King Louis XIV prohibited the wearing of mantuas, women at the English court helped popularise it in England.
• By the 1680s, the mantua was widely worn in Western and Central Europe, as well as in European colonies around the world.

the loose style called a robe volante
the iconic robe à la française (sometimes called a sack gown) with its back pleats that draped to the floor, and
the tighter fitting robe à la anglaise (also known as English or Italian gowns).

Tailors vs mantua makers

• As well as changing the look of western fashions, the mantua radically changed women’s involvement in the fashion industry.
• Before the 17th century, outer garments were usually made by male tailors.

• Significantly, in 1675, women in Paris and Rouen acquired their own, independent couturière (dressmaking) guilds and began to take over making women’s clothing from male tailors.
• Due to the considerable influence of France on western fashions, women in London began to train under French dressmakers, giving rise to what were known in English as mantua makers.

Dressmaking and financial freedom

• New training opportunities in dressmaking – coupled with historical peculiarities such as London’s feme sole status, which allowed married women to run businesses and have finances independent of their husbands – meant many women began to open their own businesses.
• Single women often lived in houses with other mantua makers and their apprentices, working as teams.
• Married women usually operated in workshops in the family home alongside their husbands, many of whom worked as tailors.

• French mantua makers were particularly popular, with women in London paying substantially more for gowns made by French women with access to the latest fashion knowledge in Paris.
• The famous fashion merchant Marie-Jeanne “Rose” Bertin designed many of French queen Marie Antoinette’s gowns (her detractors labelled her the queen’s “minister of fashion”).
• By the 19th century, senior dressmakers and milliners called modistes often ran their own luxury fashion houses in the West End of London.

Legacies of mantua makers

• The term “dressmaker” also came to slowly replace the term “mantua maker”.
• During much of the 19th and 20th centuries, men were more likely to be tailors and have their clothing made by tailors.

Sarah Bendall receives funding from Arts and Humanities Research Council UK and Pasold Research Fund.

• NEW YORK, Nov. 21, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Saks and Dior have partnered to launch an exceptional campaign titled Dior's Carousel of Dreams at Saks, marking the first time Saks has collaborated with a luxury fashion house for its annual holiday initiative.
• We look forward to welcoming our customers to the magical World of Dior across the Saks Fifth Avenue ecosystem this holiday season."
• The Dior pop-up on Saks.com features a rich assortment of Dior collections, including women's and men's ready-to-wear, shoes, leather goods, accessories, Dior Maison, Baby Dior and La Collection Privée Christian Dior.
• Dior's Carousel of Dreams at Saks comes to life on the store's legendary facade with the most ambitious installation in Saks Fifth Avenue history.

• The Rainbow High Dream & Design Studio Playset allows children to create their own unique fashion designs, inspiring kids to be creative and instilling a core sense of self-confidence at an early age.
• Creating a foundation of encouragement and inspiration and letting your true colors shine throughout childhood is what Rainbow High is all about.
• The Rainbow High Dream & Design Fashion Studio Playset is available at $49.99 MSRP at all major retailers, including Walmart , Target, and Amazon .
• Stay tuned for social media content from Haylie Duff and Rainbow High this holiday season to spread the joy of fashion and friendship.

• SAN JOSE, Calif., Aug. 9, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Azazie , the leading direct-to-consumer bridal and special occasion dress brand, released its Q2 consumer data polling of more than 32,000 customers.
• The Aisle Report is  Azazie's record of consumer information and trends, the latest resource that is released on a quarterly basis.
• Bachelorette Celebrations in All-White: The survey indicated that 67% of brides opted for all-white looks for their bachelorette parties.
• Ruffle details, short reception dresses, and satin fabrics emerged as the most popular bridal trends, demonstrating the contemporary styles that brides are embracing for their special day.