Its incredible to think that timeless art deco design is approaching its centenary with its fine lines and seductive curves.
I was thinking about this the other day and noticed that since its inception, art deco is made a comeback and revival of some sort every 30 years or so. Nothing new, I know. But what is the uniting thread to this trend?
The 1950's & 1960's
The 1950's and 1960's saw designs taking a lot of influences from 1920's design. Loads of angular furniture but with more of emphasis on usability and practicality than in the 1920's. As well as having the timeless qualities of art deco design, the fifties saw bright colours and glamour to an austere post-war Britain. It was fun and fresh and uplifting.
The 1970's & 1980's
Art deco and the 1920's made another revival in the 1970's and peaked again in the 1980's with a lot of fashion and design again drawing back to the 1920's and the 1950's in part. Fashion included throwbacks to the cool "Bright Young Things" of the austere 1920's. Homewares and accessories resembled fifties kitsch and although not a time of austerity for Britain, war, unsettled politics and anti-establishment had there roles to play in the designs of the 1980's.
The Noughties and Beyond
Now in the post-noughties and times of modern austerity and the current global financial and political climate, austerity has forced the revival of the 1920's again! But this time, design has drawn influence from every art deco revival and mixed it all up. Today, aside from the recycling and reusing of "vintage" goods, art deco along with art, design and modern fashion have taken bits from the 20's, 50's and 1980's.
I love the art deco revival because I have always loved art deco design. I also love the 1950's but the 1980's are something else. There are some good things about the eighties, but I think on the whole, they should have stayed there. In the 1980's
What would be interesting to observe, is how art deco will be revived again in thirty years time. I'm sure another period of austerity would have a similar effect.
Can you imagine what it will be like in 2041?
