Très Parisien, 1927, No. 9 : -2: Créations Jenny (...) 1927

Editor: So, this fashion plate is titled "Très Parisien, 1927, No. 9" by J. Dory, and it appears to be a drawing showcasing designs by Créations Jenny. The use of materials like wool and fox fur are described in the printed text. The colors are muted but chic. What stands out to you? Curator: For me, the piece is compelling as an example of the confluence of art and industry. It isn't simply an aesthetic object; it’s a commodity advertisement, deeply entwined with the textile industry and the rise of consumer culture in the 1920s. Consider the paper it’s printed on, the inks used, the techniques for mass reproduction – all integral to disseminating fashion trends and fueling desire. Editor: That’s a great point! I hadn’t really considered the paper and ink as part of the artwork's story. How does knowing it's for commercial purposes change how we view it? Curator: It invites us to question traditional hierarchies. Is this "high art" or a commercial endeavor? The material reality is that this image played a crucial role in a larger system of production and consumption. These stylish women, created with line and color, were agents within a complex social and economic network. Editor: So you are looking at this plate through the lens of manufacturing processes and market economy. I am particularly intrigued by that detailed caption! Curator: Exactly! These specific descriptions point towards particular consumers and the artist or designer's keen sense of material details and trends of that historical time, instead of aesthetic impressions or more evocative concepts like “beauty.” It's the designer highlighting quality of the garment to promote material desires in the consumers, very interesting if you consider this aspect, don't you think? Editor: Definitely. I’ll never look at a fashion plate the same way again! I have a fresh point of view of consumerist culture of fashion that challenges old "high art" boundaries.