Le Style Parisien. Numbers 1 (July 1915) through 7 (February 1916) (all published; lacking 8 pp. text). Paris (Librairie Centrale des Beaux-Arts) 1915-1916. [45884]
Le Style Parisien (back cover)
It may not have been the most avant-garde publication of its time, but Le Style Parisien served as an important bridge between the emerging capitals of European fashion — chiefly Paris — and consumers in New York and London. Edited by the legendary Lucien Vogel (who was simultaneously hard at work on his other magazine, Gazette du Bon Ton, for a more elite readership) the over-sized tabloid packaged haute couture for upper-middle class audiences hungry for continental sophistication.
Everyday Dresses and Outfits (Premet, Jenny, Lanvin)
Couture fashion itself was something new, emerging during the middle of the previous century with early designers including the House of Worth, Poiret, and others. The magazines helped spur demand for their clothes, and transmit the emerging aesthetic far and wide. Le Style Parisien sought to make it clear that the French would dictate the rules of the game.
The "Paris Festival" in New York (Poiret)
While fashion photography was still very much in its infancy, Vogel employed skilled artists to produced lavish pochoir plates illustrating the seasonal styles.
Lace Dresses (Marescot)
Vogel’s magazine was full service. Since the locus of fashion was still at a place of transition between the dress maker’s shop and the couturier, Le Style Parisien regularly featured spotlights on new patterns and fabrics.
Fashionable fabrics
"Feline" Silk Chiffon Ribbons & Bows
And in a tradition that proudly lives on in today’s fashion magazines, it also offered abundant styling tips…
Ribbon belts
As previously noted, the conventions of fashion photography had yet to mature. Compared to the elegant illustrations, the photos appear flat and somewhat clumsy.
Early fashion photography
‘And what would you like on your head this spring, madame—might I suggest a crown of bird wings?’
New Hats for Spring (Chapeaux de Lewis)
Occasionally, the magazine also featured children’s clothing.
Children's Outfits
Published in the United States by Condé Nast, Le Style Parisien is remarkable for the extent to which it demonstrates how early the conventions of fashion publishing were set.
Le Style Parisien (front cover)
Add in a front-of-the-book section on cosmetics and a few wellness tips and it would hold up fairly well against many of today’s glossies…
FAB Item I.D. # 45884
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Angelo, thank you for your question and I apologize for the delay in responding. Unfortunately, that title was sold several years ago, and so I am unable to examine it for you.
I’m a writer (see on internet)
Inside your numero of Le Style Parisien do you have any design signed by LORENZI?
Best regards
Angelo
http://gazettedubonton.blogspot.com/
Oh, I love so much those retro and vintage illustrations. They have a particular charm. Thanks for this wonderful post.
So pretty ! Would be amazing to have a contemporary fashion mag with only illustrations like this one. So much work but It’ll be worth it !
Lucien Vogel is the man. I collect Gazette du Bon Ton and the magazine is fab, from the entertaining and often cheeky articles to the hors-texte pochoir plates by such divine illustrators, and even the ads. I recommend readers click on that link as well.
This is so lovely! Thank you for sharing <3
So interesting!
Thank you for looking. “Feline ribbons” is a colorized photo, probably offset litho from a hand tinted photograph. The colors in this journal are particularly stunning — Vogel seems to have been quite the stickler for quality production. Image-search “Gazette du Bon Ton” to see his other mag from the time. Also stunning…
Thank you: this is stunning – I am especially struck by the “Paris Festival” illustration showing the iridescent fabric.
I can’t quite tell on my monitor, but the “feline ribbons” appear to be a color photo; is that actually the case?
On the whole bird wings on a hat thing, there’s a great book called Flight Maps: Adventures with Nature in Modern America by Jennifer Price that has a whole chapter on birds, fashion, and women’s hats. It is a great read.
Thanks, Sara! A lot more to come, so please subscribe…
I love this!