By Natalie White

An exhibition exploring the artifices used by men and women from the 14^th century to present day, in order to shape and design our bodies, is currently behind held at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris.

The showcase features metal caged corsets worn by women to give to the illusion of a thinner waist and wider hips in the 15^th century, to the underwear worn by men in the 20^th century to give them a larger ‘package’.

The exhibition is a timeline of rarely before-seen pieces providing a closer insight into fashion through the ages and the mechanics of exactly what was underneath.

For men, the male universe and his quest for virility is revealed with the over padded doublets of the 14^th century and the cod pieces of the Renaissance.

Later in the 18^th century, the arched torso, synonymous of the upper classes and of royalty was achieved using structured quilted jackets. Calve amplifiers, stomach belts and slips characterize the 19^th century and the ongoing quest for the male form to resemble that of nobility.

For women, the ever-changing ideal body image was created through use of boned bodices, the farthingales (reinforced rattan hoops or metal skirts) in the early centuries.

The trend later evoled to the use of baskets, crinolines, bustles and corsets, before moving into more familiar and modern undergarments such as girdles and even the push-up bras that women wear today.

Jean Paul Gaultier's Haute Couture collection in 2008 drew inspiration from the use of artifices by placing them on the exterior of each design

Even children were subjected to body alterations through the wearing of corsets and boned clothing in order to sculpt their soft, under-developed forms.

The exhibition provides an insight into the history and fashion of the period, presented in multi-media visual aids including mechanized garments as well as photos and drawings, film footage showcasing the undergarments in different periods, and reproductions of that visitors can try on.

The avantgarde finale to the exhibition features current designers' interpretations on the mechanics of what has been worn under clothes for centuries, including Jean Paul Gaultier whose Haute Couture collection in 2008 drew inspiration from the use of artifices by placing them on the exterior of each design.

While the approach to altering body shapes are less extreme in modern days, the quest for the perfect image remains, and La Mécanique des Dessous exhibition celebrates how far we have come.