Paul IRIBE (French, 1883 - 1935)
Paul IRIBE, born 8 June 1883 and died 21 September 1935, was a French illustrator, and designer in the decorative arts. He worked in Hollywood during the 1920s and was Coco CHANEL's lover from 1931 to his death.
At age seventeen IRIBE provided illustrations for the popular "L'Assiette au Beurre" and also contributed drawings and caricatures for French satirical papers such as "Le Rire", "Le Sourire", and "La Baïonnette". His reputation grew, and it was said, “no one could sketch an event more tellingly.” He was one of a talented group of like illustrators including George BARBIER, Georges LEPAPE, Charles MARTIN, and Pierre BRISSAUD. Their modernist style, informed by both the vitality of the revolutionary art movements of the era, and by the flat planes and minimalism identified with Japanese painting served to revitalize the popularity of the fashion plate. These fashion plates were hand colored using the pochoir process, whereby stencils and metal plates are used allowing for colors to be built up and gradually nuanced according to the artist’s vision. The fashion plate, in use for some time, was in essence an advertising tool—a piece of artwork used to create desire for the newest clothing looks aimed at an audience of the fashionable and moneyed. IRIBE’s work is primarily distinguished by the illustrations he executed for style journals such as "La Gazette du Bon Ton" where his charming vignettes of the latest modes helped promote the designs of couturiers such as Paul POIRET. The appeal of these illustrations lay in their depiction of stylish women pursuing the everyday activities of an affluent life style. IRIBE's design career was a prolific one, contributing text and visuals to Vogue magazine, designing fabrics, furniture, rugs and doing interior design work for wealthy clients.
At age seventeen IRIBE provided illustrations for the popular "L'Assiette au Beurre" and also contributed drawings and caricatures for French satirical papers such as "Le Rire", "Le Sourire", and "La Baïonnette". His reputation grew, and it was said, “no one could sketch an event more tellingly.” He was one of a talented group of like illustrators including George BARBIER, Georges LEPAPE, Charles MARTIN, and Pierre BRISSAUD. Their modernist style, informed by both the vitality of the revolutionary art movements of the era, and by the flat planes and minimalism identified with Japanese painting served to revitalize the popularity of the fashion plate. These fashion plates were hand colored using the pochoir process, whereby stencils and metal plates are used allowing for colors to be built up and gradually nuanced according to the artist’s vision. The fashion plate, in use for some time, was in essence an advertising tool—a piece of artwork used to create desire for the newest clothing looks aimed at an audience of the fashionable and moneyed. IRIBE’s work is primarily distinguished by the illustrations he executed for style journals such as "La Gazette du Bon Ton" where his charming vignettes of the latest modes helped promote the designs of couturiers such as Paul POIRET. The appeal of these illustrations lay in their depiction of stylish women pursuing the everyday activities of an affluent life style. IRIBE's design career was a prolific one, contributing text and visuals to Vogue magazine, designing fabrics, furniture, rugs and doing interior design work for wealthy clients.