Whether they are made from animal skins, wool, or cloth, clothes serve many purposes. They protect the body from the elements, hide it while showing it off. They are a second skin and an old saying seems quite appropriate, "Tell me what you wear and I'll tell you who you are". Through more than fifteen hundred examples, we wouild like to take you on a journey starting in Antiquity and finishing in the 1920s to visit the fanciful world of costumes.
From Veccellio in the 16th century to mail order catalogues, printed documents on costumes constitute source books which are constantly propagated. They provide inspiration for artists - painters, sculptors and draftsmen - and also for costume designers and couturiers.
These images can be studied and enjoyed by armchair historians for their quaint charm, although they are important references for numerous trades.
Please do not be surprised if, while browsing through the pages of this book, you come across models created several centuries ago which seem to have stepped off the pages of the latest fashion magazines.