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Deciphering the Era of Marie Antoinette Through "Fashion": Clothing Specimen Creator Akira Hasegawa
How were the clothes of the era in which Marie Antoinette and Napoleon lived worn and made?
Akira Hasegawa, one of Japan's foremost collectors of 18th to 19th-century Western antique clothing, operates as a "Clothing Specimen Creator," meticulously explaining the manufacturing processes of the time by deconstructing garments. I learned about the techniques, materials, and lost craftsmanship from centuries ago.
PROFILE
Akira Hasegawa
A Clothing Specimen Creator disassembles old Western garments, creating "specimens" to study the "structural beauty" and "wearability" of clothing. By drafting patterns to bring the beauty of garments from centuries ago into modern times, he turns fashion into a tangible experience. He hosts a semi-deconstructed exhibition showcasing his collection. His published work includes "あたらしい近代服飾史の教科書" (Shoeisha).
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Deconstructing Clothes from a Century Ago to Revive History
It's quite rare among collectors to be deconstructing garments.
My father made clothes himself, so I had no resistance to deconstructing garments from a young age. Later, I studied custom-tailoring for suits at a fashion vocational school. In the fashion industry, deconstruction and pattern drafting are often done to study manufacturing techniques.I entered the world of collecting during my student days when I found a "firefighter's uniform" over a hundred years old in a vintage store. When I acquired it and deconstructed it, I was so moved by its internal structure that I nearly cried.
Even though the exterior looked like worn-out workwear, the craftsmanship was as intricate as that of a custom suit. My interest was piqued in the "inner workings" of fashion that existed before my time.
It seems you are reviving the past through deconstruction.
That's right. I gather rare clothing from around the world, study their structures, and present the processes that include deconstruction and restoration. I call myself a "Clothing Specimen Creator" as a collective term for this work.Understanding the "Greatest Innovation in Fashion History" Through Linings
What insights have you gained from your activities as a "Clothing Specimen Creator"?
Clothing embodies the social background and customs of its time. Let's focus on the technology of garment manufacturing. Look at these two dresses. The one on the right is from the 1850s, and the left is from the 1880s.
Between these two dresses, the "sewing machine" was commercialized. The principle of the sewing machine was conceived around 1790 when Marie Antoinette was alive and took a form closer to what we know by the mid-19th century.
If you look at the linings, you'll see that the 1880s dress has many seam allowances. It is constructed just like modern garments, with multiple pieces sewn together like a puzzle using a sewing machine.
Now, what about the dresses from the earlier period? At that time, sewing machines were just starting to become popular, and everything except the straight edges of the hem was hand-sewn.
There are no seam allowances in the lining.
Like origami, a single piece of fabric is folded and sewn together to create a three-dimensional silhouette. When you unravel the thread, it returns to a large piece of fabric, allowing for size adjustments or the creation of garments in different styles. It was meant to be worn repeatedly for generations while changing forms.For me, the obsession to never cut precious fabric, as seen in the crinoline dress, is what I call the "curse of the dress."
This "curse" ended with the sewing machine. The advent of the sewing machine made mass production of clothing possible, drastically increasing design freedom.
Fashion designs began to be announced one after another, boldly cutting and sewing fabric. There is no surplus fabric left inside for adjustments or alterations, and when you’re tired of it, you could take a train to the department store to buy a new dress. Thus began the consumer society where clothes flooded the market.
These two dresses reveal how the manufacturing, distribution, and consumption of clothing changed dramatically before and after the introduction of the sewing machine. By observing the "inside," we can also discover such aspects of human history.
Shining a Light on Lost Technologies
I was amazed at the ways to enjoy clothing.
Furthermore, one can see the history and technology of fashion through the details of the clothing. Take, for example, the "buttons" of men's clothing.
One features luxurious embroidery, while the other has buttons made from intricate metalwork. The embroidered button is French, while the metal button is British. This symbolizes an era when the two countries competed in the artistry of creating beauty.
The "fabric" further hints at the technological transitions of the time. Both garments are made of silk, but they have completely different textures.
During the creation of these two pieces, the quality of silk fabric improved, leading to the smooth silk that modern people are familiar with, which was also used for undergarments. However, I find myself strangely drawn to the thick and hard silk of the earlier era.
This is a technology that has now been lost.
Clothing is a treasure trove of lost technologies. "Dyeing" also included methods that are no longer usable today. In the 19th century, chemical dyes were developed, allowing for vibrant colors like "green" and "purple."However, the raw materials included harmful substances such as "arsenic." The green pigment derived from acid copper arsenite, known as "Scheele's Green," became a huge trend in the noble society, and it is said that Napoleon, who loved this color and frequently used it, accelerated his own demise.
The purple of this crinoline dress from the 1860s is achieved using the synthetic dye known as "mauve." It has hardly faded even after nearly 160 years.
The raw material "aniline" for mauve can be absorbed into the bloodstream through steam or skin, causing rashes, dizziness, and nausea, with a potentially lethal dose. Workers in mauve dye factories and tailors who made garments from this fabric, as well as wearers, reported health issues one after another, leading to the ban of this pigment. In this way, the clothes of that time also reveal the sinful nature of humans who chased fashion and trends.
Let me share an interesting cultural tidbit as well. This chain for a pocket watch is made from "human hair."
By the late 19th century, hair had become a trendy material. People carried their family members' hair as decorative items or exchanged hair accessories made among girls.
The Future Aimed at by the "Clothing Specimen Hunter"
Future Goals.
Until now, I have been expanding my collection while selling partially disassembled clothing and holding exhibitions where people can see and touch fashion, such as the "Demi Deconstruction (半・分解展)" exhibition. The exhibition space has gathered not only fashion professionals but also researchers, crafting enthusiasts, and cosplayers, creating a vibrant community.There are attendees who visit specifically to see the "real" costumes from historical works like "The Rose of Versailles" and "Golden Kamuy."
I have also published a book summarizing these activities. "あたらしい近代服飾史の教科書 衣服の標本で見る、着るものの歴史と文化" (2018, Shoeisha) is a unique art book that introduces clothing through photographs showing all angles, including the back and interior.
Above all, I want to deliver my activities to Western countries. I am very interested in how the research on internal structures, which has scarce documentation even in foreign literature, will be received by locals. I aim to expand the reach of my activities overseas by having my book translated and crossing the ocean.
While my work often highlights "deconstruction," the majority of my efforts are spent on "restoration work"—repairing damaged parts. I have no intention of keeping this knowledge to myself.
I wish to unveil the hidden internal structures of fashion locked away in museum glass cases, sharing the excitement of encountering concealed techniques, and reviving the thoughts of those who made these creations. This is what drives my activities.
Text by GANTAN
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