The City of Light, modernity’s muses, and fashion shows

Being deeply attached to Paris, Giraudoux made the capital an urban backdrop for his work and a favored subject. Seduced and fascinated, he praised its novel architecture and technological innovation, depicting a contemporary post-war society espousing new codes: women sought emancipation, clothes were transformed, and fashion was thriving. Parading heroines and actresses helped spotlight Paris’ prestige, while the author danced with the ideal, acting as both a protector of the past and a poet of the modern world.