Every fashion movement is a response to what came before it, perpetuating a design cycle that alternates between the exuberant and the restrained. In the 18th century, the Rococo emphasis on luxury was sartorially expressed through extravagant silk textiles and elaborate embroideries that projected an ethos of “more is best.” Opulence was a hallmark of both men’s and woman’s dress, serving as a signal of the wearer’s position in society. However, by the close of the 18th century, a new social order began to emerge — especially in France — which favored egalitarianism over ostentatious displays of wealth.
“The Great Male Renunciation” gave rise to new sartorial codes that promoted a more austere look for menswear. The Dandy, in particular, became an idealized emblem of the new “conspicuous inconspicuous.” And became one of the first true aesthetic minimalists.