In previous posts I often mentioned how items by specific brands and fashion houses are used as a clever exercise in product placement in modern films.
Yet the showbiz/fashion link always existed, even though in the past designer garments and accessories were mainly employed to create a character’s personality rather than to just sell something to the audience. Interestingly enough, you can find some early examples of the showbiz/fashion connection in vintage theatre programmes for Paris-based shows.
The adverts I’m using to illustrate this post - stating how actress Yvonne de Bray wore stockings by Marny, Gaby Morlay was dressed by Jean Patou and Alice Field by Jeanne Lanvin with hats by Suzanne Talbot - are indeed taken from two Parisian theatre show programmes, for “Le Venin”, a piece in 3 acts by playwright Henry Bernstein staged at the Théâtre du Gymnase (Bernstein was the theatre director at the time) for the 1926-27 season, and for the comedy "3 et une...” by Denys Amiel, staged at the Theatre Saint-Georges during the 1932-33 season.
The programmes also include the synopsis of the theatrical pieces, further information about the performers and further adverts of this type mentioning other famous French fashion houses and actors.
The most interesting of the two programmes remains the one for "Le Venin" since it features articles about different topics, including American films, fashion trends for the 1927 season, short stories and even a small dictionary of theatrical terms, turning in this way into a useful and stylish pocket magazine.
Funny coincidence between fashion and theatre: the Théâtre du Gymnase (the last picture in this post shows the theatre as it looks today) is next to door to Anne-Valérie Hash's showroom. Somehow, it sounds like another (new) connection between theatre and fashion.
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