Artwork

Horizon

Horizon, by Marie-Louise Carven, 1958
Horizon, by Marie-Louise Carven, 1958

Horizon is a drawing by Marie-Louise 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

Horizon, created by French fashion designer Marie-Louise Carven around 1958, is a fashion sketch now housed at the Museum of Ethnography. The piece depicts a woman in a modern, simple black outfit consisting of a short belted jacket and knee-length skirt.

Subject & Meaning

The subject, a woman with neatly pulled-back hair, exudes confidence through her pose, with one hand resting on her hip. The outfit reflects Carven's design ethos, catering to petite women with an emphasis on modernity.

Technique & Style

Executed with loose, quick lines and minimal details, the sketch includes a secondary, isolated drawing of the jacket and skirt to the right, highlighting the design's focus.

History & Provenance

Created in the late 1950s by Marie-Louise Carven, founder of the House of Carven (1945), Horizon is notable for its designer's pioneering work in both petite women's fashion and prêt-à-porter lines.

Context

Comparing Horizon to 1940s womenswear illustrates the evolution of fashion during this period, with Horizon embodying the transition towards more modern, streamlined silhouettes.

Artist & collection

Portrait of Marie-Louise Carven

Artist

Marie-Louise Carven

Marie-Louise Carven (31 August 1909 – 8 June 2015), born Carmen de Tommaso, was a French fashion designer who founded the house of Carven in 1945.