"The Latest Fashions, Expressly Designed and Prepared for Le Moniteur de la Mode"

THE CORE IDEA: "TIME" AS THE VARIABLE

My reimagining doesn't change the idea of the piece, it changes the century. Same two women. Same gestures, same silhouette-language of the bustle dresses translated into 2125 couture.

This project takes Jules David's 1887 fashion plate, a candid, staged moment for Le Moniteur de la Mode, and asks what that same magazine would be staging in the year 2137. The two women keep their exact poses, their exact positions, the fan and parasol raised at the same angles, even the same masthead and caption text but everything they wear and everything around them has been carried forward two and a half centuries: a fitted liquid-lamé gown standing in for Victorian tailoring, a ruby-beaded illusion gown in place of polka-dot silk, a modern folding fan and a transparent bubble umbrella replacing their antique counterparts.

Pulling the frame back reveals the world this future fashion actually lives in a Champ de Mars where the Eiffel Tower can be seen, "the soul of Paris", its ironwork intact but laced with soft bioluminescent light, overlooking a Paris that has evolved rather than been replaced.

And finally, the piece imagines the artwork's own origin: a behind-the-scenes glimpse of a future Jules David, seated at his easel on that same terrace, the canvas still half-finished, painting these two women as they hold their pose for him showing not just the reimagined fashion plate, but the living moment it might have been made from.

Link to original "The Met Art": https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/919442

I love it Tom!! 🚀

A fashion designer is the person who dreams up the clothes we wear — from the sketch on paper to the fabric on the runway.

What they actually do

Concept + Sketch: Get inspiration from culture, art, movies, street style, history, even food. Draw the designs.

Pick fabrics + colors: Choose textiles, prints, buttons, threads. This decides how the outfit feels and drapes.

Pattern making + Fitting: Work with tailors to make patterns, sew samples, and adjust on models.

Branding + Collections: Plan a whole collection for a season. Think: Spring/Summer, Ready-to-wear, Couture.

Business side: Work with manufacturers, do fashion shows, market on Instagram/TikTok, sell to boutiques.

Types of fashion designers

Haute Couture: One-of-one, handmade luxury pieces. Think Met Gala.

Ready-to-Wear: What you see in stores and online. Made in sizes.

Streetwear: Hoodies, sneakers, graphics. Built on culture and hype.

Costume Designers: For movies, music videos, theater.

Sustainable Designers: Focus on eco-friendly fabrics, zero-waste, upcycling.

Skills you need Creativity + eye for detail + drawing + knowledge of fabrics + trend forecasting + business + social media. And thick skin — fashion is fast and competitive.

African/Nigerian names to know We’re doing big things too: Lisa Folawiyo, Tolu Coker, Orange Culture, Mowalola, Kenneth Ize. They mix Ankara, adire, and modern cuts and now show in Paris, London, NY.

Fashion designers don’t just make clothes. They tell stories about who we are right now.

Want me to break down how to become one, or should I make you 3 outfit ideas in the style of a specific designer?