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Paris has been the capital of fashion for more than 400 years. Even today, with the rise of other world cities like New York and Shanghai, Paris remains preeminent for fashion. To understand what makes Paris special, it is necessary to look at the period known as the Belle Époque, because the later 19th century was a key period in fashion history, art history, and the history of Paris.Valerie Steele will explore the connections between fashion and modernity, which fascinated nineteenth-century artists and poets. The modern city provided numerous arenas for fashionable display, such as the new opera, the boulevards, and the couture atelier. There was a veritable retail revolution, with the rise of the department store, as well as a burgeoning fashion press, which also had artistic and literary effects. The image of the Parisienne, the New Woman, and the dandy became iconic figures. Following her presentation, Ms. Steele will be available to sign copies of her book Paris Fashion: A Cultural History.$25 MWPAI Members; $40 General Admission (includes exhibition admission and French Market reception)Informations: http://www.mwpai.org/view/exhibitions/current/monet-to-matisse-the-age-of-french-impressionism/228/paris-fashion-lecture-by-freud-of-fashion