Riviera Weather

‘Riviera Number’ by Helen Dryden, British Vogue, Late January 1922Happy First of September to you! Appropriately for the first day of spring in Melbourne, it is beautifully sunny outside. It’s no Riviera view for me though, sadly.

This light and breezy watercolour Riviera Number is by Helen Dryden, an American artist and industrial designer active during the 1920s and 30s. She embarked on her career with fashion illustration, although it was not an auspicious beginning.

She moved to New York in 1909, and for about a year did the rounds of the fashion magazines, showing her portfolio of drawings. Dispiritingly, none were interested until Condé Nast took on Vogue. This new broom swept the illustrator in rather than out: the fashion editor was directed to contact Dryden immediately.

Considering the harsh criticism Dryden had received prior to this, Nast’s instant championship of her must have been such a vote of confidence. When one looks over Dryden’s oeuvre, it is hard to understand how so many magazines could have disliked her work, but that is the shock of the new.

She went on to become one of Nast’s favourite illustrators. During the 13-year collaboration between Dryden and Vogue, many delightful fashion illustrations and 35 covers were produced, although by 1917 the cover work had dried up. Fashions do change after all.

Scroll down and be enchanted with some more samples of Dryden’s work.