American Decades
Streamline
Streamline Moderne.
American design underwent an enormous transformation in the 1930s. Inspired by technology and a fascination with the machine, Streamline Moderne was a rigorously modern aesthetic that emphasized speed and efficiency. Shedding the eclecticism of Victorianism and its ornate designs, historicism, and cluttered aesthetic, Streamline Moderne marked a radicalization of design.
Modernism in Motion.
The most popular and influential source of the new aesthetic was the Zephyr high-speed train. First designed by engineer Edward G. Budd, the stainless steel, lightweight 1932 Zephyr translated the aerodynamic principles of modern airplanes to ground transportation. The Zephyr's smooth curves, rounded corners, and powerful diesel engines replaced the older square steel and wooden trains. This generation of high-speed trains, which also included the Super Chief and the M-10001, reached speeds of 120 miles per...
[The entire page is 560 words long]
1930's Fashion
