4 Areas That Art Deco Contributed

Immensely
Art Deco is a design style introduced at the Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs
Industriels et Modernes, held in Paris in 1925. However, the term art deco wasnt famous until
art historian Bevis Hillier used it in her book, Art Deco of the 20s and 30s. Unlike its
predecessor, art nouveau, art deco does not have a philosophy it is only a decoration style. But
its influence on art, architecture, and fashion was immense. Here are a few areas that were
inspired by the art deco style;
Art Deco In Media:
No other movie captures the essence of the art deco style more than the 1927 film, The
Metropolis. The visual and thematic elements in the movie use rectilinear shapes and geometrical
motifs; all inspired by art deco. Ayn Rands novel The Fountainhead also introduces this design
approach through her protagonist Howard Roark, whose architectural style is reflective of art
deco. It also influenced poster designing, for example, the poster for The Metropolis and cover
posters for Vanity Fair and Harpers Bazaar.
Art Deco In Architecture:
Art Deco was a key influence in the architecture of its time. Prime examples of this include The
Chrysler Building in New York, the Los Angeles Union Station, The Rockefeller Center, and the
Empire State Building. And of course, the 800 odd buildings in South Beach, Miami!
Art Deco In Automobile Designing:
The art deco style influenced automobile designing as much as it inspired architecture. Some of
the best examples of this can be found among French car manufacturers Bugatti and Delahaye.
Hispano Suiza was another manufacturer to include art deco elements in its designs. The
Mullin Automotive Museum in Oxnard, California has one of the finest collections of art deco
cars in the world. It is also home to the 1938 Type 57SC Atlantic Bugatti one of the worlds
most expensive cars in the world. Of the three cars manufactured, only two remain. Besides the
one in the Mullin Automotive Museum, fashion designer and avid car collector Ralph Lauren
owns the other, says Dave Dunlop in this article.
Art Deco in Fashion:
Some of the early influences of art deco can be found in the designs of Chanel, Patou, and Poiret.
They used a tubular silhouette with dresses that clung to the body. It was also around this time
that actresses like Katherine Hepburn and Marlene Dietrich made it acceptable for women to
wear trousers.

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The Author loves researching different design elements; art deco being his favorite. His research
on this subject has taken him far and wide including the Mullin Automotive Museum.