Rare French hand-coloured fashion stencils

Over the centuries Paris has established itself as the location of the finest fashion houses. Haute couture has been appreciated worldwide, and talented artists were employed in France to introduce the designers' fashions to the public. The Musée des Artes Decoratifs at the Louvre in Paris displays elegant illustrations by eminent fashion artists as well as actual costumes from previous eras.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, only the privileged could afford a subscription to an exclusive fashion magazine. The magazines were coveted, and their beautiful pochoir illustrations were framed and hung on walls. Pochoir, the French word for stencil, has been used worldwide since the French perfected this method of illustrating fashion in the Art Deco period early in the 20th century.

The first and rarest of the luxury periodicals that used the pochoir method of illustration was Journal des Dames et des Modes – Costumes Parisiens. AS it was only published between 1912 and 1914 these small gouache and watercoloured stencils are now rarely seen. Couturier Paul Poiret produced Costumes Parisiens for Journal des Dames et des Modes. Employing the finest fashion illustrators of the time, Poiret featured beautiful hand-coloured pochoir fashion plates, and included fashion notes and short sections of poetry to add to the appeal of the publication. Only 180 different images were produced. Each exquisitely drawn image required many different stencils to be cut for the finesse required in adding the layers the gouache and watercolour by hand.


Fashion artists included several artists who were also designers, including Umberto Brunelleschii and George Barbier. Barbier made his debut as a fashion designer during the few years this periodical was published. Charming pochoir illustrations were also contributed by Armand Vallée, Roger Broders, Etienne Drian, J. van Brock and other fine artists.   It is a shame that these wonderful little pochoir illustrations are rarely seen today.

Journal des Dames et des Modes - Costumes Parisiens established the style of presenting prominent designers' fashions in an appropriate setting. Each charming scene tells a story of elegant behaviour and privileged lifestyle. These delightful fashion illustrations captured the spirit of the era when they were painted. Many of the designs are still relevant today - and not as retro-fashion.

The rarely seen, delightful pochoir illustrations of Parisian fashion for Journal des Dames et des Modes – Costumes Parisiens are still treasured by people of all ages,  - particularly when framed and enjoyed on the wall. View and purchase online "24/7 at  http://www.antiqueprintclub.com/ or visit the Brisbane Antique Emporium, open daily from 10am to 5pm at 794 Sandgate Road Clayfield in Brisbane (entrance off Junction Road). Email sales@antiqueprintclub.com or phone 61 (0)7 5525 1363.