Journal des Dames et des Modes, No. 53 (10 November 1913)
Not on view
53rd issue of the "Journal des dames et des modes", published on November 10, 1913. This issue forms part of the first half of a collection of 36 volumes of the Journal des dames et des modes (June 1, 1913 - May 20, 1914, numbers 37-72), and contains 2 unnumbered leaves of advertisements, 8 pages of text (numbered (105)-112), and two plates (numbered 119 and 120), illustrated by Antoine Vallee and Jan Van Brock. The texts in the issue suggest that the fashionable women of the time have started to always wear gloves, instead of carrying them in their hands or muffs, like they did before. A commentary by "N" criticizes the romantic idea of the poor seamstress that finds love in a rich client, suggesting that these "Midinettes" show one of the darker sides of Parisian society. The fashion section describes the new trends for hats, featuring shorter brims, new trends for muffs, which have become thin and elongated, and for evening gowns, which have lost their sleeves and are held over the shoulders by strips of diamonds.
The "Journal des dames et des modes" was published in Paris by Vaugirard between June 1, 1912 and August 1, 1914. Inspired on an earlier journal of the same title (also known as "La Mésangère", which disappeared in 1839), the "Journal des dames et des modes" appealed to "the curious", lovers of rare editions, who valued fashion journals featuring limited editions with carefully executed fashion illustrations that could be equated to works of art. Each issue of the journal was made up of several texts, including poems, commentaries, and narrations of life in Paris, and hand-colored engravings or pochoir prints, executed in vivid colors and drawn by the leading artists of the day, including George Barbier, Antoine Vallée, Léon Bakst, and Umberto Brunelleschi. The combination of writings and illustrations was meant to be a reflection of the cultural atmosphere in Paris at the time, showcasing the best of intellectual, artistic and fashion creations.
