Helen Dryden American Vogue Cover 1922

This drawing is a fashion illustration for the cover of American Vogue in January 1922 by artist Helen Dryden. I have chosen this particular image because I think it demonstrates well the power of fashion illustration. There are many layers to fashion illustration which tell us not only about the current fashion they are depicting, but also about the social and cultural issues of that particular time. In this example, Helen Dryden who illustrated numerous Vogue covers during the 1910s and 1920s used an exciting palette of colours and took design inspiration from children’s books, Japanese prints and Art Nouveaux to name a few. These influences are evident in this cover which has a child-like innocence to it. Through the use of a brightly coloured background filled with bright, simplistic shapes, your eye actually picks out the fine, detailed, black and white line drawing of a women strolling with her dog. Clearly depicting the glamour, elegance and modern shift in fashion during the twenties, it also conveys an element of fantasy which a photograph is unable to do. The outfit is typical of fashion at the time – especially the v-neck, almost sport-like top and the intricate pattern on the scarf tied around her waist. The twenties saw the introduction of casual and sporting clothes for women allowing them more freedom and practical ability. The female in this drawing looks content and carefree as she walks the stylised dog alone. Cosmetics became very popular at this time and this too is evident in the cover since the only colour applied to the figure is the make-up on her face and her nail varnish. Her brightly coloured jewellery is also highlighted with colour. This drawing uses ink and watercolour to delicately balance intricacy and vibrancy. The reader of Vogue at the time would have found this cover appealing and I would say that even with all the advancements in technology today, I as a Vogue reader would still find an image like this appealing. I feel that a stronger, more powerful mood and atmosphere is conveyed in a drawing as opposed to fashion photography which can often look flat. Fashion Illustration declined rapidly in the 1930’s with the introduction of the photograph, and today it is rare to find a hand drawn/printed illustration gracing the pages of any glossy magazines. I think this is a great loss since the majority of fashion illustrations are beautiful pieces of art work which not only depict fashion but also tell a story about the social culture and the intended wearer.