The Tamesis
“This was definitely a very, very important period for clothing,” says Lanvin designer Peter Copping in the 1920s. “So freeing. It’s probably the root of modern fashion.”
In fact, it’s easy to consider the 1920s to be modern fashion’s most transformative decade – when corsets were largely abandoned, silhouettes were reduced to glittering Deco-style cylinders, and women won the right to vote in the United States. Comparing our current decade to the Jazz Age is a common refrain, and lately it feels like there might be something to it. Last year not only marked the 100th anniversary of the decorative arts; the great gatsby, But there’s new energy at Copping’s Lanvin (where he will be artistic director from September 2024) and Mathieu Blazy’s Chanel – the brands that defined Roaring Twenties style a century ago.
With such history at your fingertips, it’s no wonder the two designers have been digging into the brand’s rich heritage. (For example, Blazy recently held a Chanel resort show that opened with his take on the infamous little black dress. Fashion As early as 1926, it was known as the “Ford of Fashion.” ) Copping, who has worked at Sonia Rykiel, Louis Vuitton, Oscar de la Renta, Nina Ricci and Balenciaga, has been infusing his Lanvin with in-depth research and finding inspiration from other historical touchpoints such as furniture and interior design.
While in Savannah for the SCAD Graduation Show, I had the opportunity to sit down with Copping, who serves as the school’s Designer-in-Residence for the Class of 2026. Among other things, we discuss Deco’s enduring appeal, his first foray into menswear, and how he collaborated with six students to create Lanvin-inspired looks. “You can’t underestimate the importance of it,” he said of the time spent mentoring students.
Do you think the 1920s were a watershed moment for women’s fashion?
It was definitely a very, very important time for clothing – so liberating. This is probably the true root of modern fashion, especially what Chanel was doing at the time. Jeanne Lanvin really looks at it from the perspective of a modern way of dressing. She is very fond of visual effects: embellishment and embroidery. She had two embroidery studios and she did not want to collaborate with Lesage or other embroiderers of the time, but wanted everything done in-house. This is great because it leaves us with a really good archive. We have samples of all of them.
