Dress fabric

This silk was probably woven in Lyon, the main centre of silk-weaving in Europe in the second half of the 18th century.Typically it would have been used for women's gowns and petticoats, the full ensemble requiring about ten to fifteen ells (about 15 metres). It was a moderately expensive silk, retailing at about 10 livres per ell at a time when most unskilled workers earned about 200-300 livres per year.

Lyon created the most fashionable silks in Europe from the late 17th century onwards, thanks initially to the encouragement of Louis XIV and his minister Jean Baptiste Colbert who wished to promote French luxury products both at home and abroad. Subsequent French kings and their courts showcased these silks in their dress and also in the furnishings in their houses. The silks could be bought from fashionable shops in the faubourg St Honoré in Paris, from similarly prestigious establishments in other European cities, or directly from the manufacturer.