Art Deco...The Decadence and Opulence of Yesteryear

Posted by silverwithemotion on October 9th, 2018

I am not sure whether it is because it is the most modern of the eras which has defined our creative process or just because of my love of straight lines but the Art Deco era has always been my favorite era. One can see its influences still today in popular culture as well as design and architecture. 

Art Deco is an era that takes the best out of Victorian decadence and the romance of Art Nouveau mixing them into something timeless, modern and still to this today futuristically evocative. One only has to look to the skyscrapers of New York such as the Chrysler and Empire State Buildings’ to see the awe inspiring effects of Art Deco.

Art Deco is an eclectic artistic design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally until the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design including architecture, interior design, fashion and jewellery.

Art Deco Fashion and Society gave rise to the liberated female of the roaring 20’s who became one of the leading icons of the age. With this liberated female came the designers who wanted to empower and embolden the female form such as Erté, the father of Art Decowhose designs have indeed inspired my favorite designs in our collection.

It is hard not have ones imagination captured by this era and its thirst for living life to its fullest in a shifting world in terms of society and values. Art Deco was the backdrop for prohibition and the rise of the Speakeasy and fun time gals, the Wall Street Crash, the FBI, flapper girls and such gangster folk heroes as Bonnie and Clyde, John Dillinger and Arnold Rothstein

The term Art Deco was first used widely in 1966 in commemoration of the 1925 International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts held in Paris.

Art Deco still to this day represents elegance, glamour, functionality and modernity