Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Print of the Day: Men's Evening Dress, 1920



Men's Fashion Plate
France, 1920
The Victoria & Albert Museum



We’re accustomed to seeing fashion plates for women’s clothing—especially from the Victorian era. However, this fashion plate, from 1920, by Georges Gorvel shows men’s fashions. It is from the journal
 Gazette du Bon Ton (1912-1915, 1920-1925)—a journal which featured articles about theatre, travel and other pursuits of interest to the leisured wealthy man, but with a main emphasis which was always on fashion. The journal was intended for the Parisian élite, and was famed for introducing men’s fashions in color plates such as this one which anticipated the Art Deco style. The illustrations typically were stenciled by hand with watercolor in a technique known as pochoir.

This fashion plate from 1920 shows a smoking man in evening dress. He is elegantly dressed with tails and a top hat. The only hint of color in the glamorous image is his yellow glove.

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