Art Deco

Art Deco was a glamorous decorative style popular in the 1920s and 1930s. It fused modernist sensibilities with opulence and elegance. Art Deco embodied the sophistication and lavish spirit of the era between World Wars.
The style originated in France after World War I. It was influenced by avant-garde art movements like Cubism, Futurism and Fauvism. Art Deco lavishly incorporated visual motifs of the machine age, Hollywood and exotic cultures. Geometric shapes, symmetrical patterns, chrome, Bakelite plastics and glossy lacquers gave it a sleek, polished look.
In the 1920s, Art Deco spread to architecture, furniture, fashion, graphic and interior design. It represented luxury, glamor and faith in social and technological progress.Smooth lines, decorative ornaments and high-quality materials were hallmarks of its indulgent visual style.
Notable examples include the Chrysler Building in New York and the decor of luxury ocean liners. In the 1930s, Streamline Moderne, a more austere take on Art Deco, gained popularity.
Though Art Deco declined rapidly in the late 1930s, it shaped popular ideas of modernity, sophistication and opulence that carried into the postwar era. Today it is appreciated as one of the 20th century’s most distinctive and regal decorative styles, evoking the lush life of the Jazz age. Its influence extends to contemporary fashion, graphic and interior design.