Fashion Lights
Vogue cover illustration by Georges Lepape, March 1927This morning I turned the page on my Vogue calendar to this picture and immediately thought, ‘Oooooh, this looks just like my photos of Flinders Lane on White Night!’ Except that, ahem, this is an illustration.
For the Spring Shopping Number of March 1927, Georges Lepape – one of my favourite fashion illustrators of the era – paints a woman walking down an electrified city street. But what are those bubbles of light floating around? Lanterns, balloons … urban fairy lights? The woman is wearing a classic cloche in one of my favourite shades of blue, periwinkle.
I took the photo below last Saturday night in the streets of Melbourne during the White Night Festival. My friend and I stumbled out of Hosier Lane into Flinders Lane, and into an intersection alive with myriad circles of light, created by lights concentrated on a set of mirror balls suspended high above the laneway. It was utterly entrancing.
Fashion Lights :: Doris // Sussex // No flash World-renowned lighting designer, Philip Lethlean, created the installation and this section was called Rags to Riches (so called because this precinct of Melbourne was the centre of the rag trade in the mid twentieth century). So similar is the electrified streetscape to Lepape’s drawing, I feel it behoves me to create a fashionable homage to his work using some of my photos as a backdrop.
Oh, and happy first of autumn, by the way (or spring, as the case may be)!
The Holiday Spirit
It’s the first of February, the first day of my holidays, and so very aptly the February page of my 2014 calendar features an illustration titled The Holiday Spirit. This 1917 Vogue cover is by Helen Dryden.
This fashion illustration is just charming, isn’t it? It seems to be based on the forlorn little love triangle of Pierrot, Columbine and Harlequin – Columbine is married to the sad clown Pierrot, but falls in love with the more romantic Harlequin, thereby breaking Pierrot’s heart. She seems heartless, but love is like that sometimes – Cupid’s arrows strike where they will. Something to remember for Valentine’s Day coming up this month …
Happy February!
The Search is Over!
Beauty Features, April 1930, illustrated by Pierre MourgueI searched high and low, online and offline, and finally I found a new calendar (by teNeues) that made me happy. I have had a Vogue illustrated covers calendar before, but these are all new pictures, and I could never be bored with elegant vintage fashion illustrations. Although last year’s Frankie calendar was certainly modern and quirky, the illustrations just didn’t possess the same evocative narrative as these. It is only a shame that the paper is a boring offset satin type – although it is environmentally-safe, chlorine-free, which can only be a good thing.
January brings us Beauty Features, from April 1930, with an illustration by Pierre Mourgue, a name I have been hitherto unfamiliar with. He was born in France before the turn of the century, and came to Vogue via the Gazette du Bon Ton after Condé Nast purchased it. The French illustrator travelled to New York and was soon imparting a French chic to the American magazine. The chief characteristic of his work was a close and affectionate observation of life, imbued with a spirit of fun.
His style is exemplified in this illustration: the flat planes of colours are fresh, with the typical elegant lines of Art Deco creating a simple background for the strong figure robed in black. She looks like she is wearing panne velvet, or perhaps black satin. I adore that draped headband, possibly made from black wool felt.
I’m looking forward to turning over the pages of this calendar, but I must say I hope this year doesn’t flash past quite as fast as last! Happy new year to you.
Armchair Shopping
Wow, can you believe it’s December already and Christmas is around the corner? Not to mention a new year! 2013 has flown past so quickly. November just zipped past with me glued to the drawing board, feverishly working on new mixed media art works. I couldn’t even tear myself away to keep SNAP updated – whoops!
I’ve turned the last page of my Frankie calendar to this illustration by Argentinean artist Irana Douer. Her work has appeared in many international publications, as well as on housewares, accessories and shoes. (If you can read Spanish, you’ll get more out of her website than I was able to.)
It’s also time to start looking for a new calendar. I’ve been scouring shops on-and-offline, but it is surprisingly difficult to find one that meets my requirements. I’m not asking for much, just some attractive pictures printed on nice paper. Most calendars seem to be printed on horrible, cheap and flimsy white stock that offends my designer sensibilities.
I found a calendar of vintage travel posters by Anthropologie is appealing, but I might just look around my hometown a little more before venturing abroad (teehee!).
Happy December!
Inside Voices
Inside Voices, by Kate Pugsley, 2011Hello November! I can’t believe this year is almost over. I have turned the Frankie calendar page for the penultimate time to reveal the work of Kate Pugsley, an American illustrator and painter. Her style is deceptively simple and elegant, and possesses a quiet melancholy that rests the eye. It seems rather suited to this subdued spring Melbourne is experiencing.
See more of her work on her website, and you can purchase prints in her Etsy shop.
Swimmer, by Kate Pugsley