Open Access

This article examines the representation of Brazilian dress in historical costume books held by the Lipperheide Costume Library – Fashion Image Collection (Lipperheidesche Kostümbibliothek – Sammlung Modebild), a library and unique compendium of sources depicting the various forms of fashion, traditional costume and dress, referencing their speci­fics to social class, region and gender. It also examines the formation of this Berlin based Library, which was formed in the 19th century, informed by museum foundations and a rebirth of the arts and crafts. This article offers an analytical investigation into how costume books from the Lipperheide collection, published between the 16th and 19th centuries, contributed to shaping European perceptions of Brazilian identity through visual imagery. The research maps these iconographic sources, highlighting their role in constructing stereotypes about Brazilian attire. The methodology involves a systematic review of costume books classified under the category Allgemeine Trachtenbuch (General Costume Books) and draws on theoretical approaches from dress history (Carvalho, 2019; Cumming, 2004) and visual culture studies (Leitch, 2020; Mirzoeff, 2011; Piqueira, 2020), pointing to the entanglement of ethnographic curiosity, colonial narratives, and artistic conventions in the construction of these images. Findings reveal the persistence of idealized and stylized representations of Indigenous Brazilians, which are frequently based on earlier European sources, rather than being based on direct observation. By contextualizing these images within broader discussions on visual and historic dress studies, this article underscores the need to critically reassess the role of such depictions in shaping perceptions of Brazilian identity.