Toujours Chic, Toilettes de Soirées, Hiver 1921-1922: Favorite 1921 - 1922

This fashion plate, *Toujours Chic, Toilettes de Soirées, Hiver 1921-1922: Favorite*, was made by G-P. Joumard, and it’s currently housed at the Rijksmuseum. The paper of this illustration seems so delicate; I wonder about the hand that sketched this poised woman. It is winter, but she is ready for the night in her strapless gown, cinched with red gems. She has the air of someone who knows she’s cool, maybe an attitude of Parisian chic. When I look at the image, I think about the artist's task of capturing this moment in fashion history, from the colour of the pearls to the shape of the dress. Do you think Joumard attended parties like this? The hand must move swiftly to capture the feeling of modern femininity. I see this as part of a larger conversation of artists responding to modernity, trying to pin it down, capture its dynamism, and put it on paper.