Artwork
Lilas
Lilas is a drawing by Carven. It dates from 1958 and is held in the collection of the Palais Galliera - Musée de la Mode de la Ville de Paris.
About this work
Overview
Lilas, attributed to the French fashion house Carven and dated to around 1958, is a fashion illustration preserved in the Museum of Ethnography’s collection. The image portrays a woman dressed in a light‑purple, floral‑patterned ensemble, rendered with the precision typical of mid‑century commercial drawing.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure wears a full‑skirted dress with short sleeves, accented by a matching purple belt, white gloves, and high heels. A white hat crowns her head, and she holds a white handbag in her right hand, suggesting a portrayal of contemporary elegance and consumer culture of the late 1950s.
Technique & Style
Executed in a delicate line drawing, the illustration emphasizes the texture of fabrics and the sheen of accessories. A faint, secondary outline of a dress appears in the lower‑right corner, indicating the artist’s process of exploring alternative silhouettes within the same composition.
History & Provenance
Created circa 1958, the work entered the Museum of Ethnography’s holdings at an unspecified date, where it remains part of the institution’s documentation of fashion and material culture from the post‑war period.
Context
During the 1950s, Carven was known for translating Parisian haute couture into accessible designs. Illustrations like Lilas served both as promotional material and as visual records of the era’s aesthetic trends, reflecting the growing importance of fashion illustration in advertising and editorial media.
Artist & collection
Artist
These delicate ink-on-paper drawings capture the quiet poetry of everyday things: pinecones, reeds, apples.
Museum
Palais Galliera - Musée de la Mode de la Ville de Paris
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