{"id":4004,"date":"2025-01-08T15:01:01","date_gmt":"2025-01-08T20:01:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kimcookhome.com\/kchblog\/?p=4004"},"modified":"2025-06-06T16:12:36","modified_gmt":"2025-06-06T20:12:36","slug":"deco","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kimcookhome.com\/kchblog\/deco\/","title":{"rendered":"Art Deco style is popular again, a century after its heyday"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

KIM COOK
Associated Press

A century after it was formally introduced at the 1925 International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts, in Paris, Art Deco is enjoying a resurgence in decor, fashion and more. A new generation is appreciating the style\u2019s unapologetically glamorous roots and translating it into something new.

A current exhibition at the Museum of the City of New York provides a look at the style that helped define the city in the popular imagination a century ago, in landmarks like the Chrysler Building, the Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center and Radio City Music Hall. \u201cArt Deco City: New York Postcards from the Leonard A. Lauder Collection\u201d also showcases ephemera, clothing and film clips from the era.

And in London, the Victoria and Albert Museum has a collection of day and evening outfits, jewelry, textiles and costumes from Les Ballets Russes that were a big influence on fashion.

A signature style of the early 20th century<\/strong>
\u201cAsk three historians to define the term Art Deco, and you\u2019ll likely get three varying answers,\u201d design writer Arricca Elin Sansone said last year in a story for Elle D\u00e9cor. \u201cArt Deco is many different things to different people, and its evolution is as unique as its expression in architecture, interior design, decorative arts and fashion.\u201d

Emerging after World War I, the original Art Deco era embodied a spirit of creativity, freedom and innovation. With modernity and exuberance on full display, the 1920s and early \u201930s became one of the most design-influential periods in history.

Those early 1930s saw the blooming of the style in Miami, too, where South Beach\u2019s Art Deco District is a draw for visitors and a hub for design.

And in Paris, organizers of the 2024 Olympics created Art Deco posters last year to celebrate the games and mark the centennial since the 1924 Olympics, which Paris also hosted. They said the vivid posters were meant to celebrate the style\u2019s colorful and flamboyant influence on the city\u2019s landscape.

In cities around the world during that era, squat urban landscapes morphed into canyons of soaring skyscrapers. Public and private spaces embraced geometric motifs, luxurious materials and an urbane appeal. In transportation, faster cars and sleeker trains hinted at a dynamic new age, while the jazz-fueled nightclub scene brought people out to celebrate.

Flapper fashion<\/strong>
That same energy infused the shift from restrictive corsets to sensuous, liberated silhouettes. It was the bee\u2019s knees, the cat\u2019s pajamas, the Roaring Twenties. Flapper style reflected changing roles for women in society, says design blogger Courtney Price.

On today\u2019s runways and red carpets, shimmering gold-and-black satin gowns evoke Jazz Age sparkle, often adorned with crystals and feathers. Celebrities like Zendaya, Gigi Hadid, Beyonc\u00e9 and Demi Lovato have embraced bobs and finger waves, channeling the allure of the Deco era in fresh ways.

\u201cThe aesthetic of the 1920s is enjoying a fashionable renaissance,\u201d says Kirsty Thatcher of the Australian fashion magazine Russh. \u201cDrop-waist dresses, sleek bobs and layers of pearls dominate runways and street style alike.\u201d

Giorgio Armani evoked the period in this year\u2019s fall couture display in Paris with pearls, velvets, silk chiffons, sequins and more. The models were accompanied by nostalgic jazz music as they walked. Chanel and Dior\u2019s F\/W \u201924 collections also gave a nod, with elongated boyish silhouettes, tweed and cinched waists, feathers, pleats and slinky slip dresses.

Decor Notes<\/strong>
\u201cThe boldness and elegance of Art Deco are what appeals to me,\u201d says New York-based interior designer Vanessa DeLeon, a frequent presence on HGTV and Bravo.

In her interiors, deep hues like emerald and ebony meet gleaming metallic accents and stylized prints. DeLeon\u2019s latest lighting collection pays homage to Deco\u2019s signature frosted glass and polished metal fixtures.

Jamie Watkins and Tom Kennedy of the London design house Divine Savages infuse their collections with cheeky nods to Deco\u2019s architectural drama. Their \u201cDeco Martini\u201d print marries a classic fan motif with a swanky cocktail glass, conjuring visions of Jay Gatsby\u2019s parties. \u201cGershwing\u201d layers luscious feather shapes into a decadent statement piece.

\u201cArt Deco was synonymous with glamour and luxury,\u201d says Watkins. \u201cIt\u2019s no wonder we\u2019re drawn to it again.\u201d

Designer and lifestyles maven Athena Calderone, in collaboration with Crate & Barrel, invokes cinematic Art Deco silhouettes with alabaster sconces, curvilinear club chairs and geometric-patterned furnishings. The vibe is Manhattan, Paris and Duke Ellington.

Insta, in Paper Form<\/strong>

For true Deco devotees, that exhibition at the Museum of the City of New York is a must-see.

Co-curator Lynda Klich notes that postcards were the social media of their day, with travelers busily scribbling messages to friends and family. The city\u2019s now-iconic Deco buildings feature prominently in over 250 postcards, plus a selection of 1920s-era gowns, shoes and accessories.

\u201cMore than an aesthetic, Art Deco was the look that sold the city to the world,\u201d says curator Lilly Tuttle.

The exhibition runs thru Feb. 17.

___

New York-based writer Kim Cook covers design and decor topics regularly for The AP. Follow her on Instagram at @kimcookhome.
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