Très Parisien, 1927 : CRÉATIONS MARTIAL & ARMAND (...) 1927

This fashion plate by M.J. Herbelin, published in 1927, is all about capturing a mood through a minimum of marks. The simple lines and blocks of muted color work to create two fashionable women. The artist uses thin washes of color to suggest form and shadow, creating depth with very little fuss. The paper peeks through, reminding us that it is on the page. Look at the woman on the left. See the simple red coat with the darker spots for buttons. The lack of detail almost anticipates abstraction. It makes it feel timeless, doesn't it? Fashion plates like this were the social media of their time, and yet, they feel so different from our image-saturated culture. This is due to its ambiguity and simplicity. There is a dialogue happening here, a conversation about what it means to be modern. Think of how Sonia Delaunay designed textiles, or the graphic posters of Cassandre. There is a common ground in the simplification of form and the use of colour to create emotion. In the end, it's all about seeing the world in a new way.