Fashion Pageant 1923 [red]

£550.00

Genre: Fashion
Title: Fashion Pageant
Year:  1923
Artist: unknown
Size (cm): 50 x 71 (including backing 52 x 74)
Country of origin: USA

This is an exceptionally rare survivor of a very glamorous event held in August, 1923. The “St Louis Fashion Pageant” was a fashion magazine for society ladies and this poster seems to be advertising a fancy dress or masked ball. The dress on display seems at odds with the prevailing flapper girl fashion of the time, whilst the graphic design has a similarity with the new Orleans Mardi Gras posters of the era. These suggest a flamboyant social event where an extravagant and exaggerated dress code was expected. It does not look like an advert for a contemporary fashion show. Either way, it’s just fabulous.

The poster was printed on re-used paper (there were newspaper ads on the reverse side) and had been framed. It was exceptionally brittle and has required a skilful reconstruction before being laid on Japan paper. There are small areas of in-fill which are self-evident and the poster displays the wear and tear of age which provide authenticity and charm. It has come up beautifully after the cleaning and conservation process.

 

1 in stock