Purple and White Checkered Shawl, from the Estate of Emilie Flöge, c. 1910

The shawl’s fine, checkered pattern in white and purple hints at Emilie Flöge’s (1874–1952) interest in geometric shapes. The light, transparent fabric illustrates the frequent combination of softly draping textiles and more solid materials in articles of clothing in the early 20th century to make for a lighter overall impression. Thin, transparent fabrics were for instance preferred for collars and sleeves. Despite Emilie Flöge’s fascination with black-and-white patterns, she also employed colorful patterns and fabrics. She traveled to Paris and London several times a year, where she found inspiration in current fashion trends and purchased fabrics with extraordinary patterns from which she would then create new pieces of clothing or accessories for her (reform) dresses.

AT, 2023