Très Parisien, 1923, No 11: 6.- ROSE DE NOEL. - D'un charme tout particulier... 1923

This fashion plate, titled 'Rose de Noel' and created in 1923 by an anonymous artist, showcases a design for a white chiffon velvet dress, printed on paper. It is tied with gold ribbons in a diagonal pattern. The image belongs to a larger tradition of printed media, meant for circulation among a fashion-conscious audience. The flat expanses of color were likely achieved through a labor-intensive process of lithography, with each shade carefully applied to build up the overall image. The use of costly materials like chiffon velvet signals a world of high fashion and consumption, while the printmaking process, designed to disseminate this image widely, hints at the growing accessibility of style. Consider the skilled labor involved in both the dressmaking and the image production. This work collapses distinctions between the fine and applied arts, and invites us to consider how techniques and materials shape cultural meaning.