Paul Poiret, French, 1879–1944
made by Poiret, Paris, France, active 1903–1929

Evening Coat, 1924
silk charmeuse, silk and metallic-thread brocade, and brass buttons

Loosely draped acid-green silk satin contrasts with the heavy gold brocaded sleeves and collar of this evening coat by Paul Poiret. Unstructured silhouettes realized with sumptuous textiles, bold closures, and vivid colors were trademarks of the groundbreaking Parisian couturier.

This coat was owned by an equally audacious innovator, Polish American cosmetics tycoon and art collector Helena Rubinstein. An icon of the liberated, modern woman, Rubinstein was an avid motorist who famously shunned the veils typically worn by women to protect their skin when driving in open-top automobiles.

Courtesy of the Missouri Historical Society  2025.08

Slow Work in Fast Times

A “collaboration of the engineer and the artisan,” French automobiles flourished thanks to advances in science and technology as well as knowledge passed down over generations. During this period, wealthy clients would buy an automobile chassis—which included the engine, wheels, and steering shaft—from a manufacturer. A coachbuilder then designed and created a custom body, which could take as much as 2,000 hours to complete.

Through patronage and partnerships, ideas moved fluidly across design disciplines. Conceived like compact rooms, coachbuilt cars borrowed the same dazzling fabrics, sumptuous materials, and creative paint treatments popular in fashion and interiors. In turn, automobiles exemplified ingenious storage and space planning, new technologies, and flexible mobility.

These reciprocal influences were in full view at the 1925 Paris Exhibition. Temporary pavilions brimmed with shimmering textiles, furniture in precious woods, gem-encrusted couture, and opulent transportation. Contributors embraced avant-garde art movements and reimagined historical craft, simplifying forms, abstracting patterns, and flattening ornamentation. France’s exploitative colonial empire, which spanned parts of Africa and Asia, was a key source of raw materials, technical expertise, and visual inspiration. The exhibition’s French title, Exposition internationale des arts décoratifs et industriels modernes, and its luxurious blend of modern aesthetics inspired the term Art Deco.