Art - Goût - Beauté, Feuillets de l' élégance féminine, Mars 1932, No. 139, 12e Année, p. 18 1932

This fashion plate from "Art - Goût - Beauté" magazine, published in Paris in March 1932, encapsulates the era's ideal of feminine elegance. The anonymous artist captures not just clothing, but a certain attitude of sophistication and grace. The figures, slender and stylized, reflect the changing roles of women in the early 20th century. These designs suggest an engagement with modernity, even while conforming to the rigid standards of Parisian haute couture. The subtle palette, with its emphasis on soft blues, browns, and blacks, speaks to the economic austerity of the Depression era, even as it seeks to maintain an image of luxury. What I find compelling is how this image mediates between individual expression and societal expectations. The women are distinct in their garments and poses, yet united by an aesthetic that was highly prescriptive. What does it mean to be both an individual and a product of your time? How do these women negotiate those tensions? This image both reflects and shapes the cultural landscape of its time.