Panel relief representing 'Speed & Progress' designed by Maurice Lambert for RMS Queen Mary, 1934
© Henry Aldridge & Sons/Mary Evans Picture Library

It's a big year for all things art deco. 2025 marks the centenary of the Exposition internationale des arts décoratifs et industriels modernes, which opened in Paris on 29th April 1925 and was intended by the French government to be a dazzling showcase for the new modern designs in architecture, interior decoration, furniture, jewellery, glass and other areas of the decorative arts. Over its seven month run, the exhibition attracted sixteen million people, and firmly established the style of 'art deco'.

In honour of this anniversary, we're devoting this collections crossover newsletter to the elegant modernity of the inter-war period. First off, in 1925, the leading French illustrated periodical, L'Illustration, published a special supplement covering the exhibition with plentiful colour illustrations, a creative tribute to what was a seismic design event. We have a full run of L'Illustration here at the library and have recently scanned and uploaded every one of these images to our site, including an aerial view of the exhibition site drawn by architect, J. H. Lambert, along with interiors, elegant shop fronts and even costume. Take a look - the exposition surely has to be on any aesthetically-inclined time traveller's bucket list?

Elsewhere in the library, our fashion section holds two glorious volumes of Art, Gout Beaute, a beautifully produced fashion magazine with vivid pochoir prints, considered an all-round bible of good taste. There are plenty more art deco fashion illustrations from sources such as the Peter & Dawn Cope collection, and of course the brilliant Jazz Age collection. We've pulled together some of the best of the era's fashion, beauty, style and glamour here.

The ILN archive is an excellent source for art deco-themed stories on everything from buildings and ocean liners to fashion (yes, again) and Cartier jewellery, as well activities chiming with the art deco lifestyle- we're thinking cocktail bars, smart nightclubs and lidos. Containing eight magazines all published weekly during this period, there are also plenty of examples of art deco illustration, including a number of cracking cover designs; The Sketch used some striking illustrations by art deco supremo Erté on some of its covers, while Leon Benigni and Gordon Conway lent their linear style to those of The Bystander.

We've also pulled together a selection of travel images including posters from Onslow's Auctioneers, brochure covers from the Thomas Cook archive and ocean liner imagery from Henry Aldridge & Sons (and a RMS Queen Mary brochure we have in the archive). All reflect the streamlined glamour of the golden age of travel, with designs by leading poster designers like Roger Broders and a marvellous, and very rare, example of a handbag in the shape of SS Normandie.

Buildings and interiors in the moderne style are well represented through the collections of Historic England, the CLM archive, and various publications and brochures in our own collection such as 1933's 'Colour Schemes for the Modern Home' by the journalist and interior decorator, Derek Patmore. Click here for examples of streamlined, modern living.

And finally, if you just want some art deco atmosphere, why not browse our selection of pattern and abstract designs from collections like Retrograph?

As usual with our collections crossover, those themes and contributors mentioned are just a fraction of what we have available. We're always on hand to help with research and any other queries so do get in touch if we can help. You can reach us either by emailing pictures@maryevans.com or calling 020 8318 8080.