By Monica Sklar,
April 20th, 2009 at 5:00 am
(Uncategorized)
The College Art Association has released their call for papers for their 2010 conference which will be in one of my fav cities: Chicago. I’ve never been to one of their conferences before, but there is such a link between fashion and art it seems like a logical overlap and I’m going to consider it for next year if I can find a session that works for me.
Proposals are due May 8, 2009.
Click here to see the entire call.
Here’s what CAA’s site says about the conference:
“February may not seem to be the ideal time for a trip to wintry Chicago. But with CAA’s Annual Conference in the Windy City for nearly a week that month, there’s no better place for artists and scholars to be.
For the first time since 2001, Chicago will host the 98th Annual Conference, taking place Wednesday, February 10–Saturday, February 13, 2010. The Hyatt Regency Chicago is the conference headquarters hotel, holding most sessions and panels, Career Services and the Book and Trade Fair, receptions and special events, and more. Other events will take place throughout the city.
CAA expects participation from many area schools, museums, galleries, and other art institutions. The crowning jewels in the Midwest are the comprehensive Art Institute of Chicago and the celebrated Museum of Contemporary Art. Conference attendees can satisfy their interests with other world-class institutions, including the Smart Museum of Art, the Museum of Contemporary Photography, the Renaissance Society, the Loyola University Chicago Museum of Art, the Hyde Park Art Center, and dozens of galleries in River North and the West Loop, among other neighborhoods. The Field Museum of Natural History and the International Museum of Surgical Science provide a more eclectic, well-rounded Chicago experience.”
Here are a few of the sessions that might work for dress scholars:
Women, Femininity and Public Space in 19th Century Visual Culture
Masterpiece or Craft, Courtly or Popular? Situating Textiles in Southern Asian Visual Culture
Dressing the Part: Textiles as Propaganda in the Middle Ages.
Autofictions, Avatars, and Alter Egos: Fabricating Artists
The Object of Nostalgia
Theorizing Things
Rethinking Consumption in the History of American Art
Texting and Imaging the Oriental Body
Fashion, Art, and Architecture
Modernism and the Fashionable 1860-1960
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By Monica Sklar,
April 20th, 2009 at 5:00 am
(Uncategorized)
Not sure when the due date is on this one:
2009 Textile History Forum
Call for Papers and Presentations
Association for Living History Farm, and Agricultural Museums
The textile history forum will meet Friday October 2, through Sunday October 4th, 2009, at Thistle Hill Weavers, Cherry Valley, New York. The forum is seeking presentations and papers on research relating to textiles in America from prehistory to the present.
This year the Textile History Forum will have a symposium style meeting using the mill at Thistle Hill Weavers, the collections at the New York State Historical Association, the Windfall Dutch Barn, and other local collections.
Presentations and papers on any original research are being solicited. This year we are especially interested in research relating to cotton. Any aspect of cotton including economic, social, production, and use of cotton is welcome. Papers will be distributed to participants as part of the forum.
We will not be publishing the papers for a larger audience but will post papers on our web site after the symposium if authors are interested. Writers and researchers will retain copyright and be able to publish their work in other journals.
The Forum is open to any one interested in textile history and is designed to promote an exchange of research and ideas. The meeting is informal with lectures, presentations, and workshops. The forum welcomes academics, antique dealers, collectors, and textile enthusiasts.
For more information or to respond to the Call for Papers to the Textile History Forum, please contact Rabbit Goody, Thistle Hill Weavers
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By Monica Sklar,
April 17th, 2009 at 5:00 am
(Uncategorized)
The Victoria and Albert Museum in London dropped me a line to tell WT readers about their new project they could use some help on. Included in this post are some great images they sent.
The V&A has just opened a website on wedding fashion where people can upload wedding photographs from any time from 1840 to the present.
Click here for the link
This is what the Gail from the V&A said,
“We hope to create a very large database of wedding fashions organized by date. People can upload up to three photographs from any wedding and the emphasis should be on the fashion although we already have some lovely pictures of flowers and cakes. The only stipulation is that the couple should be named and the date of the wedding should be included. This will allow us to create a historical record. There are some optional fields such as location, religion of ceremony and maker and designer.
We are at a very early stage in this project so need some help to get the site populated both with contemporary weddings and those from the past”.
When I get a chance I’m going to send along some photos from my wedding which was heavily vintage inspired. Seems like a fun and useful project.
1 Comment
By Monica Sklar,
April 16th, 2009 at 5:00 am
(Exhibitions)
“IN THE BAG”
Through May 2
Museum of Design Atlanta [Atlanta, GA]
This exhibit will explore the origin, evolution and design of the handbag, taking the
visitor from design to delivery, showcasing top bags from the Friends and
Sex and the City sets, and from local and leading designers, including
Hermes and Oscar de la Renta among others. The development, construction,
and the works of leading designers will be displayed within categories that
highlight the handbag’s emotional significance, iconic status and societal
role.
“THE ART OF AFFLUENCE: HAUTE COUTURE AND LUXURY FASHIONS 1947 – 2007″
Through May 2
Mint Museum of Art [Charlotte, NC]
This exhibit presents selections from the Museum’s holdings of haute couture and luxury
garments complimented by fashion accessories that reflect the creativity of
numerous fashion designers of the second half of the twentieth century and
first years of the twenty-first century. Top couturiers and designers
featured include Chanel, Dior, Balmain, Balenciaga, Schiaparelli, Valentino,
Givenchy, Laroche, Patou, Yves Saint Laurent, Scaasi, Versace, McFadden,
Gallianos, Blahnik, Gucci, Louboutin, Armani, Ungaro, and Chado Ralph Ricci,
among others.
“VALENTINA: AMERICAN COUTURE AND THE CULT OF CELEBRITY”
Through May 17
Museum of the City of New York [New York City]
This exhibit will trace the career of this legendary designer and features
never-before-exhibited gowns, accessories, printed matter, and photographs
by designs by Cecil Beaton, Horst S. Horst, George Hoyningen-Huene, John
Rawlings and others. Valentina had an unwavering view of personal style and
once declared, “I hate fashion!” implying that while trends often bullied
women, true style was immutable.
Click here for details.
Thanx to the Costume Society of America e-News for some of these listings.
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By Heather Vaughan,
April 15th, 2009 at 5:00 am
(Book Reviews, Exhibitions, History of Dress, Uncategorized)
1965, Designed by Katharina Denzinger for Herbert Levine. Metropolitan Museum of Art, CI.
It’s been quite a few months since I’ve had the opportunity to write any book reviews. I’m sorry to say, I’ve been more than a little distracted by various projects (which I’ll be sure to tell you about when they’re finished!). So this month, I’ll be highlighting some new books – available for the month of April. Here’s the first of several.
Beth Levine Shoes
(by Helene Verin, with an introduction by Met Museum Curator Harold Koda) is the first major work to discuss the work of this innovative American designer since her death, at age 91 in 2006 (NYTimes Obituary). Verin is, according to the Amazon page “an adjunct professor at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City, where she lives, and is a recognized expert on Beth Levine.” The only other work to focus on Levine in recent history is a thesis dissertation by Vanessa Arlak in 2008, also at F.I.T. (titled “Beth Levine: the first lady of shoes“).
Personally, I did some research in conjunction with a lecture I did on the history of shoes – also in 2006. Levine was best known for her work with husband Herbert during the “Pop Art” movement of the 1960s. Beth Levine had worked at I. Miller in the 1940s and Herbert Levine was a salesman and shoe designer. The two married in 1950 and started their own company. Constantly experimenting, they created Aladdin-like shoes, sports car shoes, and all-in-one stocking boots. They tried new materials constantly and created futuristic slippers of suede and silver Mylar. They experimented with ultra suede, Astro-turf, unusual animal hides like frog skin, and woods typically used for furniture (including beech and mahogany).
Their clients included Bette Davis, Barbra Streisand, and Angela Lansbury. The Levine’s designed Liza Minnelli’s red sequined wedding shoes as well as Nancy Sinatra’s boots “made for walking.”
Nancy Sinatra in Beth Levine's boots.
The duo also created shoes for fashion designers including Halston, Adolfo and Geoffrey Beene. Over their long career, they won two Coty American Fashion Critics awards and a Neiman Marcus Award. They worked through 1975 and in 1976 the Metropolitan Museum of Art held a retrospective of
Levine shoes. Herbert Levine died at the age of 75 in August of 1991.
Though I’ve not physically seen the book yet – it promises to be a valuable resource to those interested in 1960s pop art and design, and both shoe and fashion history. The official website for the book offers more information on the designer, author, and interior images. Another review is also available here.
Verin also curated an exhibition, “Beth Levine: First Lady of Shoes” that is due to open April 18 at the Dutch Leather and Shoe Museum (set to run through September 13, 2009).
To get an idea of some of the amazing work done by the Levine’s (and possibly featured in this book), here are a few of her amazing designs:
1968, Kyoto Costume Institute (Japan)
1967, Bata Shoe Museum (Canada)
1959, Bata Shoe Museum (Canada)
1968, Metropolitan Museum of Art, CI
mid-1960s, Metropolitan Museum of Art, CI
1959, Metropolitan Museum of Art, CI
1968, Metropolitan Museum of Art, CI
1964, LACMA
For a good deal more (over 100), take a look at the Met, Costume Institute collection of Herbert and Beth Levine Shoes. Other online collections used in this post include:
Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
Bata Shoe Museum.
and
Kyoto Costume Institute.
4 Comments
By Monica Sklar,
April 14th, 2009 at 5:00 am
(Jobs)
Central Mich seems to have re-listed their open position on ITAA’s site. There were so many design positions open this year it was probably hard to fill them all, and being a Michigander myself, I know it’s not the best time to move to Mich. But, I thought I’d post it as it’s probably a good gig.
Position Description: Full-time, 10 month tenure track Assistant Professor position in Apparel Merchandising and Design beginning either Fall 2009 or Spring 2010.
Teach undergraduate and graduate courses in apparel production and design methods including pattern making software and related technologies. The position requires the maintenance of a scholarly record to include publications and grant writing, as well as advising students, providing service to department, college, and university and professional involvement through appropriate professional organizations.
Qualifications:
Required:
Ph.D. or ABD with degree awarded during the first year of hire with
at least on degree in textiles and apparel or related area;
Evidence of potential for successful research and scholarly activities;
Evidence of competence in working with pattern making software and related technologies; and
Evidence of excellent oral and written communication skills.
Preferred:
Professional industry experience;
Evidence of teaching effectiveness at the university level;
Familiar with apparel manufacturing processes;
Fashion illustration using a variety of media
Existing ties to industry; and
Record of active participation in professional organizations
Screening for all applications will begin on April 15, 2009 and will continue until filled. Applicants should submit the following:
Letter of Application
Current Vita
Official Transcripts
Three Current Letters of Recommendation
Please send application materials to:
Dr. Seung-Eun Lee
Department of Human Environmental Studies
205 Wightman
Central Michigan University
Mount Pleasant, MI 48859
Phone: (989) 774-2035
Fax: (989) 774-2435
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By Monica Sklar,
April 13th, 2009 at 2:18 pm
(Academic Research & Related, History of Dress, Uncategorized)
So this past weekend we were lucky enough to snag tickets to Brian Setzer’s 50th b’day party which was held here in Minneapolis. The other two members of the Stray Cats flew in and together they played an almost two hour set–which was a real treat. It was a bit of a rock-a-billy fashion show, with pompadours greased perfectly, but surprisingly not as many well dressed, vintage adorned women as I would have expected. Really a great and enthusiastic crowd, as people flew in from London, Japan, California, and drove in from throughout the Midwest to catch the Cats only 2009 appearance and this special night. They had a strict no cameras policy (except disposable cameras? weird) so I tried to get a few cell phone shots but they are terrible.
From Flickr I found “Hopiraven/Sharon H” had a nice shot:
They sounded fabulous, and I thought I’d point you toward a few sites and references of teddy boy/greaser style. By the way–Slim Jim totally stole the show. He looked great in his black outfit with red sparkling flower appliques, hair to the ceiling, and belts and chains. Teddy & Punk perfect with fab facial expressions and fun dance moves.
A couple of older shots for reference:
Below is a tiny handful of the research that has been done into the Teddy Boy/Biker/Rocker (little bit of punk) style. As per usual, there simply isn’t enough in the dress-specific literature. There are popular press pieces, some blogs and websites, and various books in sociology, social & music history. There is really such a void when it comes to subcultural lit in dress studies. I’m trying to fill it as fast as I can, along with some dedicated peers, but there simply isn’t enough out there in the way of research projects. I know there is more than this list–I just thoguht I’d point you to a handful I’m checking out.
1.) I should plug my team research on Black Leather Jackets. Last week we presented at Pop Culture Association/American Culture Association and next month we’ll be presenting at the Costume Society of America. Last year we did a round of conferences as well, continuing to work through different angles of the large project. We’ve got two manuscripts in the works so soon it’ll all be available publicly. One manuscript is about the prototype of the black leather jacket and how that form is used in conjunction with meaning and shifting uses. The other manuscript is on aesthetic value and fashion connotations of the jacket. Hopefully those will go to journals in the next few months and be published in 2010 at the latest. That’s to goal at least.
2.) There’s an aging CTRJ article by Lynne Richards entitled The Appearance of Youthful Subculture: A Theoretical Perspective on Deviance. It was never one of my favorite articles, but admittedly it is one of the few that has been published in a specifically dress related journal on the subject so I come back to it periodically.
3.) Ted Polhemus’s book StreetStyle has a great chapter on Teddy Boys but unfortunately the book is out of print. You can find it online through used sources, and I know Ted is looking for a new publisher for his updated edition. I love that book–it really sent me on my way of finding my research calling–if you don’t have it it’s a must-find.
4.) I’ve gotten some use out of the article Statements of fear through cultural symbols: punk rock as a reflective subculture by H.G. Levine & S.H. Stumpf from Youth & Society, 1983. Mostly I’ve used it to discuss ideas about deviance and subculture when referencing pieces that go in that direction.
5.) The Teds
looks like it might be a really nice photo collection.
It is by Richard Smith and Chris Steele-Perkins. I haven’t seen it myself but it looks fab.
6.) Suzanne McDonald-Walker has the book Bikers for Berg Publishers.
This one delves into biker culture and gives some insight into the mythology.
I’ve got a much longer reference list than this and of course there’s a ton of stuff on mods vs. rockers, but if anyone has any tips of more dress-specific pieces that you think I might not be aware of please pass them along.
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By Monica Sklar,
April 13th, 2009 at 5:00 am
(Conferences and Calls for Papers)
This conference might be fun for some dress people.
AESTHETIC DIMENSION OF VISUAL CULTURE
October 20–21, 2009
Institute of Art History, Prague, Czech Republic
Deadline for Abstracts: June 20, 2009
International 2-day conference to be held at the Conference Centre of the Institute of Art History, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, and organized by the Institute and the Aesthetics and Film Studies Departments of the Faculty of Philosophy and Arts, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic.
The contemporary situation in humanities and social sciences is often characterized by the so called “visual turn”, or the increasing emphasis of theory on the power and scope of the visual in everyday life, science, and art. Reflection of this increased influence of image, pictoriality, and visually mediated information and expression has resulted also in the formation of the notion of visual culture and the field of Visual Studies. The rise of Visual Studies involves several fundamental problems related to the status of aesthetics. Theoreticians of visual culture often suspect philosophical aesthetics of committing the sins of ahistorism and blindness towards cultural differences; according to the culturalist perspective, aesthetic experience is to be conceived as conforming to the ruling cultural ideology. Aesthetics is also often seen as irresponsive to the challenges of new media, post-conceptual art practices and the digital revolution. On the other hand, aesthetic vocabulary has far from vanished from contemporary debates on the nature and various shapes of our visual experiences, a fact especially pertinent where a dissatisfaction with vulgar value relativism prevails. The driving thought behind this conference has been to provoke a debate among scholars coming from different quarters on the aesthetic dimension of the visual.
Therefore, participants from different fields – aesthetics, film studies, art history and theory, literary theory and philosophy, but also culture studies, visual and media studies, sociology, psychology and cognitive science – are invited to consider the following proposed topics organized into three thematic groups:
1) Debating Disciplines: Pluralist Aesthetics / Local Visual Studies
Visual Studies: a national or transnational project?
Local variants of visual studies and their potential of application: What are the possibilities of localizing visual studies?
Pluralist aesthetics: an oxymoron or a reform?
The visual and/or the aesthetic: Do visual studies allow for an aesthetics?
2) Defining art(s) in the 21st century
Recent perspectives in definitions of art
Art without the aesthetic? Defining conceptual and post-conceptual art practices
The legacy of Institutionalism; reappraisal of institutional/pro cedural approaches
Artworks or images: making sense of aesthetic canons
3) Appreciating the Visual
The fate of aesthetic autonomy after the visual turn
How has the digital revolution changed our appreciation of the image?
Aesthetic blindness: individual or social disease?
Aesthetic alienation or aesthetic distance? Aesthetic experience in the age of spectacles
Perception and/or sensation: contemporary perspectives on phenomenology of the aesthetic visual experience
Invited are abstracts of no more than 200 words (in English) on these or broadly related topics. Speakers will receive 30 minutes for presentation. We also invite PhD students to present their work. PhD student submissions should be clearly marked as such.
Selected papers will be published in conference proceedings. Please send abstracts to Jakub Stejskal
Click here for more details.
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By Lauren Michel,
April 10th, 2009 at 5:00 am
(Teaching)
Selected scenes from popular films and documentary films can be an excellent classroom tool to demonstrate a point within a lecture and spark a classroom discussion. Here are some of my favorites, listed with their respective discussion topics. If you would like to know the specific scenes I show in my classes, just leave a comment with your questions.
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Zoolander
: Gender stereotypes and fashion industry stereotypes.
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Unzipped
: 1990s American designer ready-to-wear, production of a runway show from concept to Bryant Park tents.
1 Comment
By Monica Sklar,
April 9th, 2009 at 10:23 am
(Academic Research & Related, History of Dress, Uncategorized)
Earlier this week my friends and I went to see Morrissey in concert which is always a treat. I’ve seen him a handful of times since the mid-90′s and he’s a great showman. Throwing his shirt into the crowd (over and over–he changes shirts a lot), and dressing his band as retro British hooligans. All a good time.
Thought I’d include a few photos, and make note of his style influences. These images are a little tough to see but you can get the idea of his wardrobe, his band’s wardrobe (Ben Sherman or Fred Perry type shirts, Princeton style haircuts), and the fab back-drop.
His look has evolved through the years but always includes a strong 50s influence (sometimes a touch of 40s or early 60s) that fluctuates between “hooligan ringleader” and “bookish collegiate.” Lately he’s been leaning toward almost a “vintage gangster approach” somehow mixed with “Vegas crooner.”
Although he’s been looking like this since his 80s heyday, it seems more in style than ever. The New York Times recently published the piece Get Cool, Boy about West Side Story influenced style for hipster guys. And of course the look on the street has shifted from 80s to decades earlier as your grandpa’s wardrobe has become a hot commodity.
Speaking of men’s style both past and present, you might want to check out the new book The Men’s Fashion Reader
edited by Peter McNeil and Vicki Karaminas.
I recently saw McNeil give a talk on Prince Edward, Duke of Windsor being a total dandy at the FIT Subculture and Style conference this past Feb.
It was a fascinating talk and I look forward to picking up this book. It includes chapters that pertain to the vintage men’s aesthetic including:
California Casual: Lifestyle Marketing and Men’s Leisure Wear, 1930-1960 by William R. Scott
‘His Clothes’: Fashionable Gay Masculinity and the Shopping Experience, London, 1950s-1970s by Clare Lomas
Cultural Responses to the Teds by Tony Jefferson
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