The Russian Empire’s New Clothes, 1700-1917
An online lecture by Dr. Christine Ruane
Virtually all Russian history textbooks remark upon Peter the Great’s decree in 1700 ordering his subjects except for the peasants and the clergy to abandon their traditional clothing and don European dress in its place. And yet, despite the importance of this decree, there has been very little discussion of how this dramatic transformation took place. Using primarily images, this lecture will explore the introduction of European clothing and how residents of the Russian Empire adapted to their new clothing. This adaptation process was fundamental to the creation of a modern imperial Russian identity.
About the Speaker
Professor Christine Ruane is a social, cultural, and gender historian of Imperial Russia. Her books include Gender, Class, and the Professionalization of Russian City Teachers, 1860-1914 (University of Pittsburgh Press, 1994) and The Empire’s New Clothes: A History of the Russian Fashion Industry, 1700-1917 (Yale University Press, 2009) which won the Association for Women in Slavic Studies prize for best book by a woman in 2009 and an honorable mention for the 2010 Reginald Zelnik prize in Russian history. She is also the author of many articles on topics in gender and women’s history and various aspects of fashion history. Her current research project explores the history and importance of kitchen gardening in Imperial Russia. Dr. Ruane is professor emeritus of history at the University of Tulsa. She lives in Alexandria, Virginia.
Connecting with Zoom
This virtual lecture is presented live via Zoom. Registered users will be emailed a link to join this Zoom program. To get started, please download Zoom on your chosen device and explore the Frequently Asked Questions.
This program will be recorded and posted to the museum’s YouTube channel.