Toujours Chic, Toilettes de Soirées, Hiver 1921-1922: Papillon 1921 - 1922

This fashion plate, made by G-P. Joumard around 1921, is done with some kind of printmaking technique, probably with stencils, or pochoir. I imagine Joumard in their studio, carefully laying down each color, building up this image of a stylish woman in her evening wear. The palette is limited to a striking contrast of reds, black and gold, creating a bold and eye-catching design. I can imagine the artist being very deliberate and precise. Fashion illustration can be a bit like painting, but with a commercial goal, it is painting in the service of something else, of desire, of trends. But in the end all these images are part of a larger conversation about beauty, style, and our endless fascination with how we present ourselves to the world. Fashion is a form of embodied expression. These images can be as thought-provoking as the next painting in a museum!