Fashion Images of the France Posters of the Late 19th Century

Abstract

This article analyzed fashion representations in France posters, especially the late 19th century France when mass consumption cultures arose. That was analyzed by consumers' sexuality supposed in advertisement contents. Female models mainly figured in posters of the late 19th century France made a role to promote consumption, in which female models were emphasized on fashion, for example, erotic robe, unusual hair style and etc. Posters' type in this period were categorized in three types by presenting style of female body and fashion style. The first were targeting female consumers, and that posters represented bourgeois fashion styles and life styles to clear consumers' social status and to present women's consuming power. The second case was targeting male consumers, and that posters figured female models such as available products. In this case, poster artists emphasized female models' sexualities and used fantasies against eroticism of the legs and feet. And third case was targeting female consumers and males', in this case, two different aspects were required to appealing to consumers. One was to use a female sexuality to appeal for male consumers, the other was to modify female models as transcendental being such like a muse admirable and mysterious, through fashion styles for female consumers. In the late 19th century, female body and fashion were spectacular elements in visual arts specifically. This study clarified representations of female body and fashion in the late 19th century posters according to poster's contents and target consumer's sexuality. This was one of the aspects characterizing early advertisement media.