Très Parisien, 1926, No. 2, Pl. 7: Création BERTHE HERMANCE - NADINE 1926

This fashion plate, Très Parisien, 1926, No. 2, Pl. 7: Création BERTHE HERMANCE - NADINE, by G-P. Joumard, is a snapshot of interwar style, rendered with lithographic techniques. The colours, limited to a muted palette of blues, whites and skin tones, are flat and graphic. The colour creates clear contrast between elements like the figures, the dresses and the background. This creates a sense of depth and an almost diagrammatic approach. There’s a beautiful tension between the hard edges and the almost whimsical nature of the designs. Look at the bottom, how the cloud-like shapes, with soft white edges, create an abstract form that could almost be figures. It's art that’s not afraid to be both stylish and a little bit goofy. Much like Erté's illustrations, this plate presents a vision of Parisian elegance, but with its own playful, idiosyncratic charm. It’s a reminder that art, like fashion, is always in conversation with itself.