Shapely Shadow - History

Dressmaker forms have been around since the time of the Egyptian pharaohs. It is documented that when Carter opened King Tutankhamen's tomb in 1922, he discovered a wooden torso not far from a clothing chest. Dating from 1350 B.C., it may have been the world's first dress form. (From Smithsonian Magazine)

During the middle ages, the royalty of Europe had dressed forms made with their exact measurements so that their dressmakers can make clothes for them without bothering them.

With the rise of the middle class during the Industrial Revolution, the dress forms became affordable hence more popular. And with the rise of haute couture in Europe, dress forms became an indispensable tool to a fashion house for their rich clientele.

The technique called draping was developed because of the dressmaker form. It involves draping material (fabric) over a dress form. In places where the material bunches up the material is folded on itself and sewn down to form a flat surface.

After the dress form, history has been a little sketchy. The next documented story was in 1396. It is said that Charles VI of France was involved in peace negotiations with King Richard II of England.

Henry IV of France dispatched miniature, elegantly attired dolls to his fiancée, Marie de' Medici of Florence, to update her on French trends.

And Marie Antoinette kept her mother and sisters in Austria apprised of the latest vogues at Versailles with the elaborately clothed figures she regularly sent them.

During the 1700s, "fashion dolls" were used to spread the "latest fashion." With its size ranging from 1 inches, to lifesize , historians agree that the fashion dolls were the progenitor of the modern mannequin

Very few fashion dolls exist today, because they were reused until they are literally in tatters, or given to a child as a toy.

During the Middle Ages, France was a fashion capital, as it is today. Hence, the French is sometimes credited with the creation of the first full-figured mannequin. Most fashion dolls came from France, and it is a logical step to create the mannequin where it is used and needed the most.

So what's in a form? A rich history of human civilization dating back from the Egyptian pharoahs. After the fashion dolls of Europe, the dress forms are the progenitors of modern mannequins.

Information provided by:

Monika Earle
Cybrarian Resource And Research Center
Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising

Shapely Shadow, Inc.
23852 Pacific Coast Highway #597
Malibu, California, 90265
Phone: 888-FIT-FORM
Phone: 888-348-3676
Faximile: 310-577-1817
Email: sales@shapelyshadow.com