Raüme von Paul Poiret - Paris (for (une) revue allemande)
circa 1913 (November issue)
Herrmann Gerson remains one of the notable forerunners of independent German couturier houses of the early twentieth century, with collaborations with contemporary figures such as Paris’ very own Poiret moulding for the house an indestructible image of style beyond the mere superbly-cut lady’s overcoat or gentleman’s evening suit. It is for this reason that the ever-evolving exhibition rooms for Herrmann Gerson, in which each season’s new line was publicly presented, feature in this illustrated bi-monthly (?) national review. The front cover (left) demonstrates the then-current wave of artistic influences washing through central Europe, with a great deal of emphasis placed on tightly-knit meshes of monochromatic pattern and Classical-like Michael Powolny putti taking centre stage. To the right, two photographs (page inset) promote the style of interior décor idiosyncratic of Poiret and his youth-orientated studio, Atelier Martine. Headed by Poiret, the studio was encouraged to incorporate into its textiles and similar creations his aesthetic-based admiration of nature. Firecracker-like blossoms, Fauvist-like colours and seeping, creeping shapes (such as the painted vine tendrils swaying along the walls and nearly tickling the ceiling) all swarm as one thriving entity despite their separate purposes and functions as either curtains, wall designs or even silk foulards. In this particular instance, the pairing of vibrant, avant-garde fashion pieces of Herrmann Gerson with Poiret’s touch of domesticated wildlife certainly imbued a distinctively new taste into the commonly misunderstood meaning behind ‘à la mode’.
