A sumptuously illustrated and richly detailed catalogue of enormous appeal to anyone interested in fashion, lifestyle, the history of costume and applied arts Thanks to a prestigious private collection, this book explains how from this moment on 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 and in what terms, from the Napoleonic era onwards, we may rightly talk about Fashion in the sense as we understand it today. From 1800 onwards dress evolved year after year reflecting historical and political events, industrial advances and technical development, influences of the arts and culture, and the taste of the rich and powerful.