In concert with Paul Schultze-Naumburg and Henry van de Velde, Anna Muthesius was instrumental in creating models of female reform clothing.

[5] They were anglophiles who decided to live in an artist's colony despite having rooms offered in the prestigious Carlton House Terrace near the embassy.

She wrote that they should choose the style and fabrics of their clothing based on aesthetics and they should not follow the dictates of fashion.

[10] She felt that women were being exploited by German clothing industrialists and they should decide on their own designs.

The book which incorporated a novel binding designed by MacDonald is considered an important contribution to the Artistic Dress movement.