Tailored for freedom : the artistic dress around 1900 in fashion, art, and society

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Summary

Though often seen today as a mere expression of individuality, fashion around 1900 became synonymous with the physical and social emancipation of women. Reform movements at the turn of the century ...

Though often seen today as a mere expression of individuality, fashion around 1900 became synonymous with the physical and social emancipation of women. Reform movements at the turn of the century strove to achieve a unity of art and life, inspiring artists to experiment with how the design of women's dresses could do more than decorate, cover, and constrict. The clothing designs of famous artists like Heinrich Vogeler, Henry van de Velde, Josef Hoffmann, and Sonia Delaunay revealed both a new aesthetic and a new attitude to the role of women. Their loose forms, flowing fabrics, bold colors, and geometric and floral patterns liberated wearers from the social convention of decades past.

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