Nautical Deco is a charming sculptural work that captures the breezy elegance of 1920s seaside fashion, when Art Deco geometry met maritime style along the French Riviera and glamorous coastal resorts.
Constructed from sewing pattern paper delicately dyed with blue ink, the piece achieves a soft watercolour effect that washes across the fabric in gentle, ethereal gradations. This aqueous quality evokes the sea itself—light reflecting on water, the pale blue of summer skies, the fresh optimism of a day spent sailing.
The dress features a distinctive nautical-inspired silhouette with a deep V-neckline adorned by geometric triangular details that suggest both Art Deco ornamentation and the crisp lines of maritime signal flags. A narrow fabric tie at the waist adds a playful, sporty touch characteristic of the era's increasingly casual approach to leisure wear. The bodice's horizontal lines and triangular motifs create a strong graphic quality that anchors the airy composition.
Below the waist, the skirt blooms into soft box pleats that radiate downward, their dimensional folds catching light and shadow. A single inverted triangle punctuates the centre of the skirt like a compass point or sail emblem, while pattern markings remain visible at the hem, grounding the piece in its material origins.
Presented in a clean white shadow box frame, Nautical Deco embodies the carefree sophistication of Jazz Age summer style, when fashion embraced both geometric modernity and the romance of the sea. The delicate blue wash gives the work an almost dreamlike quality, as if the dress itself has been touched by ocean spray and salt air.
Nautical Deco is a charming sculptural work that captures the breezy elegance of 1920s seaside fashion, when Art Deco geometry met maritime style along the French Riviera and glamorous coastal resorts.
Constructed from sewing pattern paper delicately dyed with blue ink, the piece achieves a soft watercolour effect that washes across the fabric in gentle, ethereal gradations. This aqueous quality evokes the sea itself—light reflecting on water, the pale blue of summer skies, the fresh optimism of a day spent sailing.
The dress features a distinctive nautical-inspired silhouette with a deep V-neckline adorned by geometric triangular details that suggest both Art Deco ornamentation and the crisp lines of maritime signal flags. A narrow fabric tie at the waist adds a playful, sporty touch characteristic of the era's increasingly casual approach to leisure wear. The bodice's horizontal lines and triangular motifs create a strong graphic quality that anchors the airy composition.
Below the waist, the skirt blooms into soft box pleats that radiate downward, their dimensional folds catching light and shadow. A single inverted triangle punctuates the centre of the skirt like a compass point or sail emblem, while pattern markings remain visible at the hem, grounding the piece in its material origins.
Presented in a clean white shadow box frame, Nautical Deco embodies the carefree sophistication of Jazz Age summer style, when fashion embraced both geometric modernity and the romance of the sea. The delicate blue wash gives the work an almost dreamlike quality, as if the dress itself has been touched by ocean spray and salt air.
Dimensions: 22.8cm x 27.9cm x 4.5 cm
Materials: Vintage sewing pattern paper, natural dyes, board, velvet
Frame: Fibreboard, glass
Care: Keep away from direct sunlight to preserve the colours
