Artwork
Poid plume
Poid plume is a drawing by Carven. It dates from 1959 and is held in the collection of the Palais Galliera - Musée de la Mode de la Ville de Paris.
About this work
Overview
Created around 1959, “Poid plume” is a drawing by the French fashion house Carven. The work is part of the collection of the Museum of Ethnography. It presents a single figure dressed in a coordinated ensemble of a fitted jacket and a flared skirt, both covered in a regular pattern of dark‑blue polka dots.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure is a woman whose hair is gathered in a loose updo, suggesting a casual yet refined demeanor. She wears a modest collar beneath a short jacket that fastens with three visible buttons, and a skirt that widens at the knees. A rear view of the same outfit appears on the right, emphasizing the garment’s full silhouette.
Technique & Style
Carven renders the clothing with clean, linear strokes that highlight the bold, evenly spaced polka‑dot motif. The contrast between the dark dots and the lighter background creates a crisp, modern aesthetic typical of mid‑century fashion illustration. The drawing’s simplicity underscores the pattern’s geometric regularity and the garment’s structural details.
History & Provenance
The piece dates to the late 1950s, a period when Carven was known for accessible, ready‑to‑wear designs. It entered the Museum of Ethnography’s holdings at an unspecified date, where it serves as an example of post‑war fashion illustration and the diffusion of pattern trends such as polka dots in mid‑century clothing.
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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