Renaissance

Renaissance 1450AD-1600AD

Key style features

Unisex:

• Slashing: Puffs of fabric from the under garment pulled out through small slits made in the top garment.
• Ruffs: A neckpiece created by ruffled fabric. Source
• Lace: Never been used before this era.

Men:

• Camica: An undershirt for men.
• Doublet: A close fitting jacket with or without sleeves to waist or hip length. At hip length a skirt was also attached.
• Jacket
• Jerkin: Similar to a vest or waistcoat.
• Hose and the cod piece: Tights, and a fabric pouch for the groin area.
• Headwear
• Footwear: duckbill shoes, wide square toes.

Women:

• Chemise: Underdress for women.
• Bodice
• Bridged sleeves: Detachable sleeves tied to the bodice.
• Skirt: Early era style was high waisted, mid era was Spanish Farthingale - A shaped, late era was French Farthingale - rectangluar.
• Outer dress
• Headdress: Preferably high forehead, so often hairline was plucked.
• Footwear: Very high wooden platform shoes.

Images of the era

Image 1

Key features: Slashing, bridged sleeves, chemise, bodice, Spanish Farthingale skirt.

Image 2

 Key features - Male: Ruff, lace, doublet, jacket, hat, hose, cod piece, duckbill shoes.

Key features - Female: Ruff, v-shaped bodice, Spanish Farthingale skirt, outer dress.

Image 3

Key features: French Farthingale skirt

Image of a modern interpretive outfit

Image 4

Image 5

This is an outfit from the 'Sewing the Invisible' 2004 collection of Japanese-Brazilian designer Jum Nakao. The whole collection was made from paper, being cut by laser and assembled by hand. Nakao utilises his earlier career in engineering throughout the collection, as shown by the well structured designs. There is also an obvious influence from traditional origami art. There is a contrast here too in that although very structured in design and made of paper, the outfits have an air of elegance.

This particular design reflects the renaissance era with the ruff around the neck and the full length skirt in Spanish Farthingale style. The paper material used for the outfit was cut and finished to create a lace effect too, which was first used and popularised in the era.

Although influenced by the renaissance era, Nakao has made an effort to bring the designs into the modern era. Where the renaissance era focused on designs being extreme and over the top, Nakao has tried to be more in line with modern ideals by taking a more minimalist approach and simplifying design and features of the outfits. Source