Ellen and William Demorest were the power couple of New York fashion in the middle of the 19th century. Ellen was a hat maker, fashion designer, and businesswoman. William was a magazine publisher. The duo worked together to produce two must-read periodicals for fashion-conscious American women. They also owned the Demorest Fashion Emporium near Broadway in New York City.
Demorest’s Illustrated Monthly and Madam Demorest’s Mirror of Fashions had some similarities with modern fashion magazines. Readers found pages of beautiful clothes, interesting stories, and helpful advice. Much of the writing was decidedly forward-thinking and highlighted women’s accomplishments and concerns of the day. Louisa May Alcott was a contributing writer.
Madam Demorest’s Mirror of Fashions was particularly innovative. It included tissue paper patterns for dressmaking. With sewing machines increasingly accessible to middle-class women, Demorest patterns gave them the ability to sew their own designer dresses at home.
See copies of both the Demorest’s Illustrated Monthly and Madam Demorest’s Mirror of Fashions in the Sexton Family papers at UW’s American Heritage Center to learn more.