Art Deco's role as the first international style, and its importance, were largely forgotten for decades. Art Deco was not reappraised and formally named and categorized as a style until the 1960s. Writing in 1975, Cervin Robinson noted that by the standard of direct stylistic influence, Art Deco had virtually no impact on contemporary buildings—but by its impact on the character of New York itself, Art Deco "helped crystallize our image of Gotham."
