Très Parisien, 1923, No. 4: I LOVE YOU / Tailleur élégant.... 1923

This fashion plate, made in 1923 by an anonymous artist, is so chic, so Parisian, so, well… blue. Imagine the hand that put this together. The artist laying down these flat washes of blue, like pools of water, and then outlining the shapes with ink, mapping out the details of the trim and the folds of the skirt. I wonder if they dreamed of the woman who would wear this outfit. Did they think of her laughing, dancing, flirting her way through the streets of Paris? And that shadow! It's a simple gesture, a dark slash on the ground that anchors the figure, but it also suggests movement. A hint of mystery. A whisper of the avant-garde. It’s a total conversation starter for sure; a quick and dirty way of making a very knowing fashion statement.