A fictional editor struggles to organize the chaotic, fragmented manuscripts of a German professor who claims to have discovered the philosophy of clothes. The protagonist, an unnamed editor, attempts to synthesize the life and radical theories of Professor Diogenes Teufelsdröckh, whose work posits that all human institutions are merely symbolic garments covering the underlying reality of existence. The editor faces constant resistance from the professor's erratic writing style and the skepticism of the public, forcing him to navigate a complex, non-linear narrative structure that blends biography, social critique, and metaphysical inquiry.

Discussion often centers on the challenging, dense prose style that defines this work as a precursor to modernist experimentation. Readers frequently highlight the humor found in the professor's eccentric observations, which contrast sharply with the more serious philosophical inquiries regarding human existence. Critics often note the effectiveness of the satirical framing, which allows the author to critique Victorian society while maintaining a distance through the fictional editor. The work remains a subject of intense study for those interested in the evolution of the novel form and the intersection of philosophy and fiction.