Gazette du Bon Ton 1923, No. 5, Pl. 23: La Femme a l'Émeraude - Manteau en tigre, de Max-Leroy 1923

Charles Martin created this pochoir print, “La Femme a l'Émeraude," in 1923 for the Gazette du Bon Ton, a luxury fashion magazine. The magazine emerged in a world rebuilding after World War I, and it mirrored the shifting roles and representations of women in the 1920s. Here, we see a woman cloaked in a tiger-striped coat designed by Max-Leroy. The bold, exotic garment, combined with her assertive gaze, challenges traditional notions of femininity. It’s as if the woman is claiming power. It projects an image of the “new woman”—independent, worldly, and unapologetically modern. Fashion of this era acted as a potent form of self-expression. Consider how the magazine, through images like these, both shaped and reflected society's evolving attitudes towards gender, luxury, and identity. The artwork captures a moment of transformation, inviting us to contemplate the ongoing negotiation between personal expression and cultural norms.