We have never lived through the 1920s, Fitzgerald's dazzling but fleeting merry-go-round, Hemingway's flowing feast, and many people's golden age.
But we will always have the '20s, which left indelible masterpieces in the fields of art, literature, fashion and more.
One hundred years later, Fashion & Beauty VOGUE talks to two of the most representative houses of the 1920s to hear how the nutrients of the past nourish the creations of the present.
Guillaume Henry has a level of honesty that is unusual in our first conversation: "To tell you the truth, when I took on the role of creative director at Patou, it didn't feel like reviving the brand, it felt like rebuilding the brand, because we didn't have any archives left."
Compared with the scene in the public imagination - the new creative director of the old fashion house is eager to travel in the rich archive before really starting the series creation, and carries out a "large-scale immersive learning" about the brand...
Patou, founded in 1914, was not so lucky. After the death of founder Jean Patou, the brand also passed through a number of well-known designers, but due to poor management, the fashion business was discontinued in 1987.
Until it was acquired by LVMH Group in 2018, this story that had been silent for 31 years could be continued.
Following his appointment, Guillaume Henry embarked on a "research project" of his own.
He visited the museums that house the works of Jean Patou, met with many private collectors, and consulted Christian Lacroix and Michel Goma, who had worked for Jean Patou.
After a decade or so of this, Henry decided it was time to "close the textbook and start writing my own chapter."
His frankness and honesty flowed through the conversation: "You work in the fashion industry, so you probably knew Patou before; But let's face it, for the vast majority of people, they've never heard the name."
Therefore, instead of recreating the iconic silhouette or specific elements and designs of the brand, Henry chose to transform the real into the virtual, finding a closer connection between the core of the Patou brand and the present. This connection is inseparable from the brand's founder, Jean Patou, whom he calls "the French Gatsby."
Henry added: "It's not just about fashion, it's about the French lifestyle. Jean Patou loved parties, fancy sports cars, literature...
One thing that resonates with him very much is that fashion does not have to be earth-shattering, but more important is to make women truly feel beautiful and happy.
Don't forget -- Patou's best years, the 1920s, were a special time in the middle of two world wars, when people just wanted to live in the moment and have a good time."
He's not trying to revive Art Deco and create a Gatsby-like wardrobe, "because the fashion of the '20s is the' 20s."
What really makes him feel the need to carry forward in the present moment is the spirit of enjoying life freely.
Instead of focusing on evening wear or formal attire for specific occasions, Jean Patou is one of the first fashion houses to introduce sportswear. His collection includes tennis wear and casual wear suitable for going to the beach. This is not entirely out of the need for sports functionality, but more because people begin to spend more and more time out of the house and enjoy the sunshine outdoors. Desire for leisure, desire for the body and mind to be able to do as they please, unfettered.
"I find that people don't want to live too hard, and fashion should not cause problems, but solve problems in a friendly way."
He believes that the era when you need to change your look between going out to work in the morning and partying with friends in the evening has passed, and a set of clothes that can be easily adapted to multiple occasions, but is still very elegant and decent is what contemporary women really need.
