Très Parisien, 1923, No 1: Création WORTH... 1923

This fashion plate, Très Parisien, was made in 1923, and it’s credited to Création Worth. You know, when I look at this, I can almost hear the scratch of the pen on the page, that quick, confident line work that captures the attitude of the era. I imagine the artist, maybe hunched over a table in a busy studio, trying to capture the essence of Parisian chic. What’s she thinking as she inks in the details of that flapper dress? Is she dreaming of the Riviera, of jazz clubs and champagne? Those zig-zagging lines evoke the pleats of the fabric, the geometric shapes giving it a real 3-d feel. It’s a dialogue, isn’t it? Between the artist, the model, and the very idea of modernity. The simple graphic nature of this piece reminds me of other artists like Sonia Delaunay, who were also playing with form and fashion at the time. It shows me how all artists are always building on what came before.