Sociology

The reflections of several great authors of the 19th century on fashion through their observations of the early stages of this phenomenon and the opening of many interesting paths, although fragmentised, might incline us to believe that a rapid diffusion of Fashion Sociology had taken place. Unfortunately, this was not …

(Sarlat 1843 – Paris 1904) He is the French founding father of fashion sociology and  considered to be the precursor of social psychology. Fashion is seen as something imitative and foreign. In his work “Lois de l’imitation” he affirms that imitation is the basis of all human behaviour, where individuals …

How many times we felt something more than artisans. How many times we felt like artists in the contest of our activity. Twice in western word history we observe the phenomenon of the personal elevation of the visual arts enthusiast from simple artisans to inspired artists: in the 4th century …

(Tarbes 1811 – Neuilly 1872) In his essay “De la mode” published in 1858,  Gautier tries to define the need of the individual to distinguish himself from the others. His reflection has an anthropological approach: clothing becomes a peculiarity that distinguishes human beings from one another; thus the aesthetics of …

(Tours 1729- Paris 1850) Balzac in his” Traitè de la vie élégante” goes back to Brummel. Brummel’s ideas on elegance had definitely taken hold. His arguments inspired magazines like “La moda” and Balzac recalls them insisting on the relation between clothing and architecture. Balzac borrows from Brummel, besides the idea …