Sonia Delaunay Fashion and Fabrics

Description

The Russian artist Sonia Delaunay, who with her husband Robert Delaunay was the leading light of the shot-lived Cubist splinter movement, Orphism, developed her own distinctive career after World War I. Between 1920 and 1930, she produced some striking and original fabric designs. Gloria Swanson and various French film stars, the unconventional socialite Nancy Cunard, and the wife of the Bauhaus architect Marcel Breuer were all dressed by Delaunay. She designed interiors in collaboration with the Paris architect Mallet-Stevens and created costumes for the early films of Marcel L'Herbier; her fabrics were sold by the most exclusive department stores in the world; Jean Cocteau and Blaise Cendrars wrote about her fashion designs, and her decorated scarves are known to have had an influence on the work of Paul Klee.

Described by De Chirico as a 'publisher-poet,' Jacques Damase published the work of Jean Cocteau, Jean-Paul Sartre, Paul Eluard and Charlie Chaplin; Jean Louis Barrault's first book on the theatre; and the first book on Braque's sculpture. In 1949 he became editor of the review Labyrinthe. His own books included studies on the works of Jacques Callot, Braque, Chagall and Picasso, as well as the life and art of Sonia Delaunay. From 1964 until Delaunay's death, Damase was her publisher; he was also responsible for the exhibitions of her works in all media.

'The jewel-like colours of her brilliant geometric designs are lavishly displayed, together with photographs, sketches and a text that explores her wide range of influence' - Independent on Sunday 'Celebrates Delaunay's work both in its sumptuous colour plates and in a lucid and intelligent text ... Delaunay now has the fine book that she deserves to honour her contribution to fashion' - The International Herald Tribune 'For liveliness and inventiveness alone, Delaunay deserves a place in the art-history books ... her designs vibrate on the pages' - Vogue