It’s common for advertising, packaging and posters from the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s to be copied, quoted and commented on in contemporary design work. Stores like Old Navy just love to go retro with their fashions and promotions.
The always luxurious, elegantly geometric and often gaudy work of the 1920’s has, in my opinion, been overlooked as a source of direct inspiration. The recent surge of intense and layered ornamentation in illustration does share elements with the work of artists like Erte; however, it is not a tribute or throwback time of the flapper. Here’s a smokin’ new product line from Blue Q (masters of freakishly fun packaging) that looks like it was pulled straight from the era of the bob.
Blue Q’s creative copy updates 20’s visuals, directing them towards a new audience: pre- and post-menopausal women. Yup. Hot & Flashy, with its 20’s styling, is aimed at ladies born in the 40’s and 50’s. Novelty gifts that are both humorous in tone and classy in looks are tough to come by for women going through “the change.” So I say, change things up and give your mother, aunt or sister an Art Deco chapstick.
The 70s was the era of the last great Art Deco revival. Back then, Art Deco was redone in bright, candy colors. It’s refreshing to see this piece that looks kind of…faded, as if someone found it an a junk store.