Fashion for Ingres Lecture at the Norton Simon Museum
Date :
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Time :
4:00 p.m. -
5:00 p.m.
Aileen Ribeiro examines the often-complex views Ingres had with regard to fashion during his long career; though he had a traditional bias toward history painting and allegory, he nevertheless became one of the supreme artists of clothing during the rise of haute couture and the cult of the designer in mid-19th-century Paris. Find out more about this event.
If you happen to find yourself in San Francisco, you'll wow yourself if you take a detour to San Francisco's de Young Museum, where there's a retrospective of Yves St. Laurent's long career as a couture designer in Paris.
This exhibition contains nearly 130 accessorized garments and sketches illustrating the lines, colors, and fundamentals of Saint Laurent’s work.
This is the only U.S. venue hosting the exhibition, and it runs through April 5, 2009.
To read a cool article on Yves and the world of couture, click here. --Belissa
For those of you who enjoy appearing a bit off-beat, what a perfect dress for the holidays, whether you're going out with friends or staying in with family!
And can you believe it, this Baby Doll Victorian Puff Sleeved Dress is only $49.50 from GothicPlus.com.
It would look great with this Victorian Capelet for $32, also from GothicPlus, which comes in red, black, and white.
If it's a rainless day, you might consider carrying this Battenburg Lace Parasol for $40.
I adore Gothic Lolita and Gothic Lady fashions, and I'm always on the lookout for them.
For instance, if the Babydoll look isn't for you, perhaps this more somber Victorian Bustle Skirt creation will suit you. It's from ChicStar.com and it comes in black, red, and white for $44.95.
More Gothic and Victorian treats to come! --Belissa
FIDM Museum Curator and Fashion Design Program Grad Kevin Jones was lunching with The Gamble House curator Anne Malleck when he came up
with the idea for the FIDM Museum & Galleries latest exhibition Aesthetes, Bohemians & Craftsmen: Artistic Dress, 1880s-1920s. "It popped into my head that perhaps the FIDM Museum could be
involved somehow and I asked if she might be interested in 'dressing' The Gamble House rooms with mannequins wearing
garments from the
Museum's historic collection," explains Kevin, who had been collecting
rare examples of clothing from the era for FIDM over the last five
years.
Soon the two curators had expanded on the idea and a joint venture was born. The Gamble House would provide the environment for the Fashionable Dress of the period, while the FIDM Museum & Galleries would host the Artistic Dress exhibition. Read our Q&A with Kevin to find out which pieces are his favorite and other details about the inspiring exhibition. Click here for more info on the exhibition. --Kim
Do you have a favorite piece in the exhibition?
I have
three: 1. An extremely rare c. 1900 evening gown recently donated by a
friend of mine that is in the "Aesthetes" section of the exhibition.
I've never seen an actual example before...only in a few fashion
plates. It is embroidered with mercury-lined glass beads and it is
covered over with a "himation" which is a Greco-Roman-inspired mantle
that only covers one shoulder. It is embroidered in a Greek-key design
in silver and has handpainted lilies encircling it. Very beautiful.
2.
In the "Craftsmen" section is an amazing tie-dyed caftan unlike
anything I've ever seen before. It is from c. 1918-20 and is basically
a rectangle of fabric with a hole in the center. But this one is made
from very delicate silk chiffon crepe and its edges are finished with
picots and drawn-thread work, just like fine lingerie. I've never seen
a tie-dye example this early and it resembles hippie caftans fifty
years later. It is on loan to us.
3. FIDM College and the FIDM
Museum joined together to buy an extreme rare tunic by eccentric artist
Raymond Duncan. He was the brother of famous dancer Isadora Duncan. I
know of only three Duncan tunics in the world (one in a private
collection, one in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and ours). Duncan
handcrafted the fabric (silk and wool, with the wool shrunk somehow to
create a spongy, stretchable material) and created the hand-applied
pattern to the material. He lived in a commune in France and always
dressed as an ancient Greek.
How many people worked on the exhibition and how long did it take to pull together?
Five
Museum staff members (plus an outside text editor and
digital/photography editor), three Gallery staff members (plus extra
help to build/paint the galleries), three people in the Director's
office, and a graphics designer worked on this project for a year and a
half.
What do you love most about being Museum Curator for the FIDM Museum & Galleries?
The
creativity that goes into each of our presentations. I love to convey
my passion for historic dress to others through educational
exhibitions, tours and lectures. It's such a privilege to work with
very interesting people and to examine very rare objects. It's
challenging to find historically valuable garments/accessories for our
Museum and it's exhilarating when we are able to acquire and show-off
new acquisitions.
If, like me, you've ever wished you could spend just a few hours sashaying through Marie-Antoinette's private salon, you now have your chance. Please Be Seated, a video installation by Nicole Cohen at The Getty Museum in Brentwood (Los Angeles) allows you to partake of just that pleasure... "virtually entering historic recreations of 18th-century French spaces." Read more about the exhibit, which runs through January 11th.
Meanwhile, in San Francisco ... This glamorous sofa is just one of the items on display at the San Francisco Legion of Honor's Marie-Antoinette and the Petit Trianon at Versailles exhibit. It was a piece in a suite created for the queen's private study. More details on this and other pieces here.
The exhibit runs through February 17, 2008. --Kim
Speaking of virtual tours, get a closer look at FIDM Los Angeles or FIDM San Francisco.
Related FIDM Majors: Theatre Costume Design, Film & TV Costume Design, Interior Design
According to The Times historians have found evidence that the English were looking to the continent for style clues as far back as the 6th century. Here's why:
"The British have long been fascinated by French fashion and, by extension, French women. One explanation for the long-standing love affair is that while we traditionally associate fashion with vanity, the French regard it as an important cultural expression.
It was in the 17th century that France built its chic reputation and the periodical Mercure Galant pioneered the concept of fashion seasons. After 1660 female fashion in England was strongly influenced by exotic French motifs such as wigs, decorative face patches, ribbons and lace; a look that peaked with Marie Antoinette in the late 18th century."
Read more on the subject here. Yearning for more things French? Visit one of my favorite blogs, La Coquette, to see Parisian life through an American fashion lover's eyes and for a blog about French food (in English), visit Chocolate & Zucchini. --Kim
The de Young Museum, located in the heart of San Francisco's Golden Gate Park, is currently housing the incredible "Vivienne Westwood: 36 Years in Fashion" exhibit, which will run until June 10th, 2007.
I couldn't pass up the chance at seeing the exhibit, so I grabbed a couple of my friends, and headed over to the museum.
The exhibit opened with a large black wall, containing a clock with 13 hours in which the hands whirled furiously backwards. Next to the clock, was an inscription that caught my attention. It was a quote from Vivienne Westwood herself, and it read, "I have a kind of in-built clock which always reacts against anything orthodox." I immediately knew that I was in for a real treat.
The exhibit was massive, spanning over more rooms than I can remember with wall to wall tweeds, tartans, cottons, silks, and every other fabric known to mankind.
Autumn/ Winter 1987-1988 collection,
Harris Tweed
The exhibit began with an introduction to Dame Vivienne's early life, and then progressed in chronological order towards her more recent endeavors. It left no Westwood collection without a presence and left me in sheer awe.
1971, Vivienne in her store, Let it Rock
What was so astounding about the body of work... was it's ingenuity. Dame Vivienne's instigation of the punk rock movement and manipulation of various materials can be considered nothing short of genius.
For me, some of the highlights included...
* The Harlequin and Columbine outfits from the Autumn/Winter 1989-1990 collection, Voyage to Cythera...
Harlequin, Voyage to Cythera collection
* The infamous 10-inch, 'mock croc' platform shoes that caused Naomi Campbell to take a topple on a London catwalk...
* The myriad of Westwood's romantic and historically accurate trademark corsets...
as well as an innumerable amount of other decidedly unique and exceptionally beautiful pieces.
Remember, in the words of Dame Vivienne Westwood herself, "...it's so important to look to the past. Because people did have taste, and they did have ideals of excellence, and those things are not going to come unless people look at the past."
Go, explore the past! See the epic "Vivienne Westwood: 36 Years in Fashion" exhibit and appreciate the past of one of fashion's most distinguishable and influential figures.
--Alaythia
Have just seen Marie Antoinette and I'm in ecstasy. I found it absolutely thrilling. The set and costumes are exquisite, the soundtrack is divine, and Asia Argento (as Madame du Barry) is a scene stealer. Post or link to your review of the film and I'll send this Marie Antoinette movie poster and a "Let Them Eat Cake" button to the one I like best!
More historical fashion plates via BibliOdyssey here.
Related FIDM Majors:
Theatre Costume Design
The Advanced Study Program in Theatre Costume is an intense, concentrated
program designed to encompass the many aspects of costuming from the legitimate
stage to television, film, and video. The student studies costume crafts,
costume design, costume construction, wardrobing, rendering, script analysis,
breakdown, and the history of costume and décor. The Theatre Costume
specialization prepares the exceptional student to enter the rigorous field of
costuming for theatre, film, television, video, and spectacle.
Film & TV Costume Design
The Advanced Study Program in Film & TV Costume Design provides a
comprehensive view of a field with its own distinct tradition and creative
challenges. It offers students a chance to explore those qualities that make
film and television an exceptional choice for the designer. The
development of a broad frame of cinematic reference, the interaction with
working professionals, and the opportunity to make practical and creative
decisions within the time frame of a production, will provide the student with
the knowledge and skill necessary to launch a career in the global
entertainment field.
Already intrigued by anything having to do with Napoleon Bonaparte, I fell in love with Bonaparte's official portrait painter Jaques-Louis David's work after seeing an exhibit (specifically the epic portrait of Napoleon crossing the Alps) at The Getty museum.
FIDM Grad Natalie Addis' design firm created this bed in homage to David's painting of Madame Recamier, "a portrait which sparked European fashion for Greek attire."
See more pix of the home and find out more about Natalie in What's New @ FIDM.
Find out about FIDM's Interior Design Major here.
