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Art Déco, the elegance of La Garçonne

Basic features

It developed during the period between wars, a very interesting and complex period because a lot of styles and movements were coexisting: the Avant-garde, the Art Déco and other traditional (classic) styles. It was an answer to the lifestyle of the time.

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  • Decorativism predomination. It was about simplified ornamenting.

  • It was a reaction to the dogmatism of the Avant-garde.​

  • It was a return to the floral decoration without relief.

  • Geometrical stylization. 

  • More attention to details.

  • The decorative motives were zig-zag lines, stripes and rays.

Sources of inspiration

  • Neoclasicism

  • Art Nouveau: geometric shapes, Scottish sober line. Hoffman. Decorated objects and presence of curved and straight lines.

  • Avant-garde

  • Exotic inspirations: Russia, Africa, America and Egypt. Iconographic motives and colors from Egypt.

  • The textile Arts&Crafts legacy

  • The industry and the machine

  • Russian ballet

In Fashion

  • Return of Iribe and Delaunay, Their styles overlap and also the designers repeat.

  • Noiret and Lanvin are the biggest developers of the Décor. Also, Coco Chanel belonged to this moment.

  • No more corsets.

  • New female aesthetic “Á la garçon” without losing femininity. The biggest icon was Greta Garneau.

  • Change in the silhouette. The woman's body is abstract, rectangular. Shapes are not marked but there was emphasis on the hips that were emphasized through dresses or strategically located elements.

  • Embroided dresses, exotic patterns and cloths, feathers, shiny elements...

  • The creation of the Poiret dress.

Poiret dress

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