Thanks to a prestigious private collection, this book explains how from the Napoleonic era onwards, the clothing of men, women and children acquired a social, cultural, and economic importance it had never had before in the history of the Western world. From this moment on, we may rightly talk about fashion in the sense we understand it today. Dress evolved year after year. It reflected historical and political events, industrial advances and technical development, influences of the arts and culture, and the taste of the rich and powerful.This unique catalog presents more than 100 perfectly preserved and restored articles of clothing, including day dresses, bridal and evening gowns, embroidered slips and petticoats, shawls and cloaks, men’s jackets and topcoats, walking sticks, and scarves and collars, all teamed with shoes, handbags, hats, and costume jewelry.