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Fashion Revisionism: Napoleon, Dress and Deportment 1795–1814

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Join clothing and textile historian Anne Bissonnette for a fascinating look at how political transformation influenced fashion in Napoleonic France.

How did fashion reflect France’s evolving political and social climate during the late 18th and early 19th centuries? Anne Bissonnette, Curator of the Clothing and Textiles Collection at the University of Alberta, will discuss sartorial trends during and after the French Revolution. Under the Directoire (1795–1799), women progressively embraced a Neoclassical aesthetic embodying the republican ideals of Ancient Greece. From 1800 to 1815, as Napoleon conquered Europe, clothing grew more ornate, signalling a gradual return to opulence. This lecture is part of a series offered in conjunction with Napoleon and Paris, an exhibition exploring the complex relationship between the legendary leader and one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

In English, with Q & A in both French and English.

Photo: Richard Siemens

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English French