The past few weeks have been very exciting at FIELL - we have seen the first instalment of our Fashion Sourcebooks series, the 1920s, coming together, after months of picture sourcing and research on the period. Charlotte Fiell and fashion historian Emmanuelle Dirix have been working tirelessly on collating and researching the most beautiful images of fashions from the period. Here is a selection of my favourites so far, and how these looks translate to a 2011 wardrobe...

"Venez Danser" (Come Dancing), evening dress by Jeanne Lanvin, illustration by Pierre Brissaud. Gazette du Bon Ton, 1921. © FIELL archive 2011"'Venez Danser' - Both the design and the name of the dress refer to the 1920s craze for new dances such as the Charleston, Foxtrot and Black Bottom which were far more energetic than dances from previous generations and so required looser flowing gowns." Note the mid-calf grazing skirt length.

Two silhouettes by Jeanne Lanvin and one by Beer. Gazette du Bon Ton, c.1920. © FIELL archive 2011"The Oriental influences of the Lanvin silhouettes are mirrored in the models' depiction and styling." This image is particulary relevant after the recent AW 2011 fashion week, where an Oriental-via-the-1920s influence was spotted in several collections (e.g. Ralph Lauren.)

"La Belle Dame sans Merci" (The Beautiful Lady without Mercy), evening dress by Worth. Illustration by George Barbier. Gazette du Bon Ton, 1921. © FIELL archive 2011"The mythical Belle Dame sans Merci derives her name from a 15th century poem. She went on to inspire poets such as John Keats as well as Pre-Raphaelite artists, and by 1921 was an established term for a femme fatale." Corsages are back (again), so this imaginative placement of giant flowers in, most importantly, a 2011 cobalt blue hue, is key.

Fashion Sourcebook - 1920s, edited by Charlotte Fiell and Emmanuelle Dirix, will be out in early summer. The book is designed by Guy Jackson.

Posted by Isabel, captions in quotation marks by Emmanuelle Dirix.