I was listening to Radio Times on Labor day, and the interviewee was the author of a book about how Louis XIV made France the international arbiter of high fashion, culture, etc. This would have been in the late 1600s. The subject of the fashion doll came up as she and the interviewer were discussing how the rest of the world simply had to know how the French were dressing for each season. The author went on at some length about how carefully the doll would have been dressed, right down to the underwear, stockings, shoes, make-up, and hair to reflect the latest innovations. At some point the English had banned French goods from coming into the country, and the women of London were absolutely horrified that they would not know how to dress for the coming season if they could not get the fashion doll through customs. After much uproar (apparently) they were able to get the doll into the country. Also, the interviewer asked if the fashion doll would have been viewed almost like today's supermodels, and the author seemed to think that was an apt comparison.
The author is Joan DeJean, and her book is "The Essence of Style".
Although the doll's role in American culture wouldn't have materialized until a bit later, I thought I'd share this little AG-related tidbit [img]wink.gif[/img] .
Shawn
