Très Parisien, 1923, No 5: 14.- ALCALA. - 1. Une robe du soir... 1923

This fashion plate was made by an anonymous artist in 1923 and is part of a series called “Très Parisien”. Looking at the image, I wonder about the process of its making. Was the artist carefully observing real dresses, or were they inventing these fabulous designs? The image has this lovely hand-drawn quality, with the vertical lines suggesting a bold sense of rhythm. The flat planes of color and the somewhat tentative linework reminds me of Matisse or even Sonia Delaunay, two artists who knew fashion well. I imagine the artist thinking about the interplay of pattern and form. The stripes and floral motifs, though different, share a certain visual energy. It’s almost like they're having a conversation on the page, each trying to outdo the other in terms of elegance and sophistication. The big bow is so cool. All artists are in an ongoing conversation, borrowing and responding to each other's ideas across time. It’s a reminder that art isn’t made in a vacuum. It's an exchange of ideas, a collaborative process that embraces ambiguity and allows for multiple interpretations.