Fashion and the Art of Pochoir: The Golden Age of Illustration in Paris

April Calahan is Special Collections Associate at the Fashion Institute of Technology, New York, where she serves as the curator of rare books and periodicals.

The 1910s and 1920s witnessed an outpouring of luxury publications that used a hand-stencilling technique known as pochoir (French for 'stencil'). The highly refined and painterly technique, which consists of applying layers of gouache paint or watercolour to achieve bold blocks of saturated colour, produced works of visual artistry formerly unrivalled in the history of illustration, and it became the medium of choice for avant-garde couturiers seeking to stand apart and cultivate an elite readership. Organized chronologically by publication and showcasing a carefully curated selection of the most exceptional illustrations from couture albums and high-end magazines, Fashion and the Art of Pochoir is the definitive tribute to the artists and couturiers who first united to redefine luxury, inaugurating the enduring alliance between fashion and art, from Schiaparelli and Dalì to Vuitton and Murakami today. Closing with biographical notices of illustrators and fashion designers, it offers a unique chance for illustrators, artists, designers and fashion enthusiasts to discover the rarely seen images that defined a short but magnificent golden age.

1. The Art of Dress . 2. Poiret's New Kingdom . 3. Queen of the Rue de la Paix . 4. Marin and the Modiste . 5. Stylizing 'La Femme' . 6. Opulence Resurrected . 7. Art, Fashions, Frivolities . 8. The Follies of Fashion . 9. In Style . 10. The Artist of Luxury