In Sandra Miller’s chapter on ‘taste, fashion and the French magazine’, the concept of the first magazine is introduced. They are described as “mirrors of their time” (Miller) referring to the fact they contain archives of the current fashion trends, as well as the “social, political, cultural and artistic” (Miller, 2013) changes happening at the same time. The ‘birth’ of the fashion magazine is thought to be as early as 1672 with the publication of ‘Le Mercure Galant’ with the link between fashion and art first becoming apparent.

Additionally this was believed to be when the first form of advertising was seen in fashion magazines. They began appealing to the masses, telling the public what to wear, advertising everyday fashion. Bringing fashion out of the realm of “merchants, tailors, shopkeepers” (Miller, 2013) and making in accessible to everyone. It was not really until the late 18th century though that magazines truly began to do this. With the Industrial Revolution printing costs were dramatically reduced and publications could reach both rural and urban areas. “Affordable printing presses with machine-made parts were readily available, even to rural communities” (Hill, 2004: 2). This meant that the audience of people “voraciously eager for the news of current affairs” (Hill, 2004: 2) was hugely expanded.

It is argued that this was the beginning of what was to become the link between fashion and the “development of merchantile capitalism” (Wilson, 1985). The idea that capitalism needs to grow and fashion was an avenue for doing so. And the medium for allowing this to happen was through fashion magazines and the advertising within.

Fashion magazines, even in their humblest origins were a platform for showing the public, or even telling the public, what the latest trends are. Once the magazines had reached the general public, as early as the 18th century, they had become public adverts.

Hill argues that by the late 19th century there was now a “tripartite relationship” (Hill, 2004: ix) between fashion magazines, the capability of mass production of clothes and advertising. As with the earliest publication of ‘Le Mercure Galant’, the fashion magazine os the 19th century were “mirrors of their time” Keeping up with current trends and commentary on the social and political changes happening in the world. But they had now become tools for “mass-media” (Hill, 2004: ix) advertising and thus “fuelled capitalism’s need for perpetual expansion” (Wilson 1985).

Doris Langley Moore (Moore, 1949) states however that this is somewhat too conspiratorial, that fashion is not as clear cut as this. Either way though the birth of the fashion magazine and the subsequent commentary that came with it must surely play a part in directing the public on their opinions on what the latest fashion trends and ‘must haves’ are.

References

Barnard, M. (2010). Fashion theory : a reader. London [etc.]: Routledge.

Bartlett, D. (2014). Fashion media. London [u.a.]: Bloomsbury.

Belloc, H. (1967). On. Freeport, N.Y.: Books for Libraries Press.

Moore, Doris Langley (1949) The Women in Fashion, London: Batsford

Wilson, Elizabeth (1985) ‘Explainging It Away’, in Adorned in Dreams: Fashion and Modernity 1985 I. B. Tauris. Reprinted by permission of I. B. Tauris.