Date: 1980s
Size: 17.75 x 23 inches
Notes: Poster, Linen-Backed
Artist: Gruau. Rene

About The Poster: Registered as early as the 1880's, Lefevre-Utile is known for it's insightful branding and advertizing campaigns, which have produced some of the most memorable posters and packaging designs ever made. These have also served to promote this French cookie brand to icon status in the field of buttery french treats. In fact, when artist Raymond Loewy was asked to redesign the famous cookie boxes in the 1950's, he compared the task to that of having to redesign the French flag! LU's long-standing logo, the "Petit ecolier" (Little schoolboy) was created by Firmin-Bouisset in the late 1890's. It became a classic in visual branding history, and is still used by the brand today on some of it's products. LU's success lies largely in the fact that the company understood its markets, which led to the creation of partnerships and even to an eventual change in recipe, making to cookies more buttery to regain younger markets. Above all, LU knew the impact that well-designed advertizing campaigns could have, which is reflected in the company's commissioning posters from some of the best french artists. During the late 70s and 1980s, LU hired the services of Savignac, Folon, Topor, and Rene Gruau, who had also produced a poster for the cookies in 1954. Gruau's style is chic and fun. Having worked for the fashion industry and produced ads for various French cabarets, he knew how to design elegance in itself. This poster shows how versatile the LU product can be in terms of markets - from children to full grown pageant beauties - everyone loves LU cookies!

About the artist: Rene Gruau (ITALIAN) 1909-2004 - With his stunning, passionate, figures, his arresting use of color and dramatic, explosive element of line, Rene Gruau developed his distinctive “New Look” in the 1940’s which greatly impacted haute couture, theatre, art, and commercial design. He worked for magazines like Harper's Bazaar and Vogue in the US, Femina, Marie Claire, L'Officiel, L'Album du Figaro and other well known publication in France as well as for internationally known organizations like the Moulin Rouge and Bemberg. With Rene Gruau's trademark use of his powerful minimal line, Gruau’s style combined seductive sophistication with classic beauty, grace and sensual elegance. The quality of the visual appeal of Gruau's glamorous and radiant “beautiful people” is at once bold and languid. Internationally Gruau’s artwork is celebrated internationally noted for its' exceptional and masterful line, and its' timeless, enduring style

Art (paintings, prints, frames)
Vintage Posters