Poiret

by Koda, Harold; Bolton, Andrew; Troy, Nancy J.

• ISBN13: 9780300120295
• ISBN10: 030012029X
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2007-05-29
• Publisher: Metropolitan Museum of Art

Summary

In the annals of fashion history, French couturier Paul Poiret (18791944) is known for liberating women from corsets and introducing pantaloons into their wardrobes. However, it is Poiret's remarkable innovations in the cut and construction of clothing, made all the more remarkable by the fact that he could not sew, that secures his legacy. This essential book is the first to explore Poiret's radical modernity from a number of perspectives. Essays by renowned scholars describe the historical context of his work; its relation to the dominant artistic discourses of the early 20th century; his muse, Denise Poiret, and her influence on his work; and his role in the paradigmatic shift to a new ideal of feminine beauty. Poiret's entrepreneurship, his creation of an atelier to extend his influence beyond fashion to the art de vivre , and his relationship to the workshops of the Wiener Werkstatte are also discussed. Poiret's innovative creations are represented by colorful pochoirs (stencils), personal photographs from the Poiret family archives, and newly commissioned photographs of Poiret's masterworks.

Author Biography

Harold Koda is curator in charge and Andrew Bolton is curator, both at The Costume Institute, The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Nancy J. Troy is professor of modern art history at the University of Southern California.

Table of Contents

Preface : the prophet of simplicity	p. 13
Introduction : Poiret's modernism and the logic of fashion	p. 17
Denise Poiret : muse or mannequin?	p. 27
High priestesses of fashion	p. 31
Refashioning the fashion plate : Poiret's clothing in context	p. 35
The lure of Vienna : Poiret and the Wiener Werkstatte	p. 39
Paul Poiret and the decorative arts	p. 43
Forbidden fruits : the perfumes of	p. 47
Catalogue	p. 52
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