Très Parisien, 1923, No 8: 7.- WANG-TAÏ. - Ce damassé de soie... 1923

This fashion plate, Très Parisien No. 8 from 1923, probably made with stencils and pochoir, has such a light touch, doesn't it? The way the shapes are outlined, filled in, but still feel flat reminds me that artmaking is a conversation, not just a one-way street. Look closely at the flowers on the coat. See how each petal is subtly different? It’s like the artist allowed for accidents, embraced the unexpected. The colour palette is so restrained – mostly creams and whites – but those little spots of red really make the whole thing pop. The texture is smooth, almost like the paper itself is part of the artwork. The flatness gives it a graphic quality, like a poster or a page from a magazine. It makes me think of other artists who were playing with similar ideas around the same time, like Sonia Delaunay, for example. What do you think? Is it fashion, is it art, or is it something in between? Maybe it's all of those things at once.