A BRIEF HISTORY IN DRESSMAKING

Wearing Clothes
It was around 650,000 years ago when our ancestors covered their bodies with animal fur and skin as well as barks and leaves of
trees. The main purpose was simply to protect the fragile human body against the rain, the sun, the wind and the cold.
These primitive clothes were either tied up or wrapped around the bodies as people went foraging for food.
Needles and Threads
Some 19,000 years ago, evidence of needles made of bones and ivory were found. Around 6,000 years ago, woven textile (linen)
were found in Egypt as well as evidence of silk culture in China 5,000 years ago. According to well-established Chinese legend, Empress
Hsi Ling Shi, wife of Emperor Huang Ti (also called the Yellow Emperor), was the first person to accidentally discover silk as weavable
fiber. One day, when the empress was sipping tea under a mulberry tree, a cocoon fell into her cup and began to unravel.
This marked the early beginning of dressmaking.
Silk Road
This was the series of ancient trade routes between China and countries in Asia Minor. The trading between them played a
significant role in the development of civilization in China, India, Mesopotamia, Egypt including Rome.
In about 3000 BC, a silk worm's cocoon fell into the tea cup of the empress Leizu.[6] Wishing to extract it from her drink, the 14-
year-old girl began to unroll the thread of the cocoon.
She then had the idea to weave some of it, so she kept some for herself. Having observed the life of the silk worm on the recommendation
of her husband, the Yellow Emperor, she began to instruct her entourage in the art of raising silk worms, sericulture. From this point, the
girl became the goddess of silk in Chinese mythology.
Classic Clothes
In Greece, clothes were simple lengths of wool or linen secured at the shoulders with sashes used as belts. Peoples was a loose
ankle-length robe worn by women while chlamys was knee-length robes worn by the men. Both were covered with a loose cloak called
himation.
The toga in Rome was an unsewn length of cloth draped on the body over a simple tunic.
This tunic is held together at the shoulders and at the sides.
Medieval Europe
By this time, there had been improvements on the quality of clothes. The Byzantines dressed themselves with richly patterned,
embroidered clothes draped over a tunica, the replacement of toga.
Early medieval Europeans either took to the short tunics with leggings of the invading population (Franks, Anglo-Saxons and
Visigoths) or to the longer Roman tunics.
Cotton and silk as well as dyed linen were popular alongside the old wool.
Later Middle Age
Cultural historians agree that the 14th century signaled the beginnings of European fashion. People now used lacing and buttons.
Expensive silk and woven brocades were imported from Italy.
It was the time for the beginning of tailoring. Straight and draped garments were now replaced by curved seams that followed the
contours of the human body.
The Renaissance
More people wore complex clothes following the fashion lead of the elites. Variations in the form and design of clothes adapted in
various countries were now showing their differences.
Modern Europe
The early part of the 16th century had the influence of the formal Spanish dress. The century also saw the rise of the ruff (ruffles)
and the popularity of needle lace.
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution mechanized the manufacturing processes using steam power. The sewing machine was invented in the
19th century, while the synthetic fiber, rayon was discovered in the 20th.
In this era, textiles were not only manufactured in factories, they were exported to unlikely places. The
transportation system was revolutionized and had progresses immensely. Goods became cheaper.
Fashion and the Future
After World War II, there was no stopping the dress-makers all over the fashion capitals of the world (Paris, Rome, New York and
London) from flourishing in their industry.
Fashion trends become media events and follower of fashion lapped them up. Models became superstars. Whatever Kate,
Naomi, Cindy and Linda wore that everybody wanted to wear them too.
Nowadays, the manufacture of the other pieces of the modern apparel is taken over by the dress-makers. Shoes and bag,
handkerchiefs and purses, perfume and jewelry and other beauty-related products are now merchandised aggressively.

Guide Questions:
1. What is the main purpose of wearing clothes?
2. How does people wear classic clothes?
3. How silk discovered?
4. How can you describe dresses in Modern Europe in 16th Century?
5. Described European Fashion in 14th Century?