Fashion (Mode) 1912

Editor: This is “Fashion (Mode),” a pastel drawing created around 1912 by Otto Friedr. Carl Lendecke, now at the Met. The illustration, reminiscent of Art Nouveau, feels almost dreamlike with its soft colours. The woman’s gown and pose exude a delicate elegance, but there's also something melancholy about it. What catches your eye when you look at this piece? Curator: It’s like stepping into a hazy memory, isn't it? The soft pastels wash over us with a gentleness that speaks to a bygone era, a whisper of Edwardian grace tinged with the anxieties of a world about to be reshaped by war. I am immediately drawn to the contrast: the geometric rigidity of the dress patterns set against the flowing lines of the robe’s overall shape and soft edges. The rose seems so deliberately placed – what does that single bloom evoke for you? Editor: A sense of fleeting beauty, maybe? It’s like a reminder of life's fragility, positioned almost as a counterpoint to the fashion, which is, in a way, an attempt to capture and hold onto beauty. It is hard not to wonder about the state of mind of people consuming that imagery: escaping from dark times, or getting distracted. Curator: Precisely. Lendecke was working at a time when fashion illustration was truly flourishing. This wasn't merely about selling clothes; it was about crafting an aspirational image, a visual poem to modern femininity. One almost senses a conversation here about control versus freedom; how do we present ourselves to the world? Do you see a story in those eyes, in the way she holds that delicate bloom? Editor: Definitely. It makes me think about the performative aspect of fashion. It also makes you wonder who exactly was he trying to attract when creating his illustrations! Thank you for that reflection on fragility and control—it totally reshapes how I look at the piece. Curator: And thank you, for pulling that narrative thread about escapism! Art becomes so much more enriching when shared and looked at with new, questioning eyes.