I don't know if a lot of you know MARIE-CLAIRE. It's a french fashion magazine for women. The first issue was published in 1937, it was a weekly magazine, about 800 000 copies at the beginning.
I will share some pictures of the late 30's, early 40's Marie-Claire's covers. I have a lot of these 30's issues (and all issues from 1954 to 1965) but I must tell you that the covers are really more interesting than what is inside. It was a cheap black and white magazine like a news-paper quality...
Look at all those amazing hats, what a dream!!!!
This title was indeed the first modern women's magazine, open to American influences and claiming the emancipation of women and promotion in society.
In addition, Marie-Claire was perceived by the clergy as a "threat to chastity and fidelity"!!!
There were also other fashion magazines in the late 30's: some for high society like "L'officiel" with Haute Couture only or some magazines to sew or knitt like "Mode et Travaux".
Women were immediately captured by Marie-Claire's new concept, but the issue of the magazine was discontinued in 1942, like most French press titles.
After the WWII, all magazines who kept publishing during the occupied France were considerated like they betrayed their country that's why Marie Claire reappears as monthly only in 1954 (ELLE replaced Marie-Claire in the heart of french women in 1945) but Marie-Claire is still now one of best sellers in FRANCE.
I don't wear a lot of 30's clothes but I really love late 30's fashion especially hats. The most beautiful covers of Marie-Claire were from 1937 to 1939... during the war fashion was less colorful and paper was hard to find.
When I look at those 1939 fashion pictures (often in color) I cannot stop myself to ask "What would have been the fashion of the 40's-50's without the WWII?????"
Did you know Marie-Claire?
What do you think about late 30's fashion?
