By Monica Sklar,
May 19th, 2009 at 5:00 am
(Academic Research & Related, Exhibitions)
Luckily right before I left for London I was researching whether it’d be worth my time to check out World’s End, Vivienne Westwood’s longtime store that once (under different names) was the central spot for punk fashion.
In looking up the details, I stumbled on a small photography exhibition at Maggs Gallery featuring images of Westwood taken in proto-punk attire in ’75 at her and Malcolm McLaren’s ‘SEX’ boutique (‘World’s End’ since ’79). The shots were taken by William English, a photo student at the time and friend of Westwood’s.
Deciding I only had time for one or the other, I gambled to go with viewing the exhibit instead of going to the store, and was so pleased that I did. The images were inspiring and I think my poor abused credit card will be taking the hit as I must have at least one. (I think I can justify it because amazingly we somehow came in under-budget on this trip—in part to constantly eating crappy takeaway in our efforts to rush around town. To be fair, we did have a good meal at Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen trattoria, but seriously we did the prepackaged sandwiches and even McDonald’s once as our pace was virtually a sprint).
We greatly enjoyed our trip to the gallery and unfortunately missed Carl Williams, the counterculture curator who put the show together. I’ve been in touch with him since though. Maggs is actually a rare books dealer, with a buzz-in location and then you go through a pretty courtyard into a back studio to view the gallery exhibits. Everyone was lovely on our spontaneous drop in. Hurry if you’re going to go as it only runs through May 20.
Below are some of the images. They are all credited to William English and thanx to Black Rainbow Extraordinaire Magazine for putting them online. Wallpaper displays them as well in a nice slideshow.
Online there is a lot of great discussion of the history of these pieces. My favorite link on the subject is The Look which shows what the exhibit looks like as well as has some background an an interview with English.
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By Monica Sklar,
May 16th, 2009 at 4:00 pm
(Teaching, Uncategorized)
I finished up the semester having shown a few more films–at varying levels of success. Overall I found some real gems this semester that I think played pretty well to the audience of mostly freshmen and sophmores at 8:30 in the morning. From what I could tell the students really liked the chance to see some of these pieces that they had not seen. Plus it helped me reinforce the textbook and lecture in a reasonable stimulating way. I considered doing more in clas projects and assignemnts, but with 72 students it became clear that it’d be tough to do a lot of little assignments. Below is my take on a few more of the films that I showed this semester. I’ll cover the final group in one more post.
BBC Thread–website recomended by a WT reader (thank you!)
Films: “Green is the New Black” and “Katherine Hamnett”
The website shows short films about sustainability and ethical issues of the fashion industry. They’re about 5 mintues, and so I showed two. Both were good, but the students were unfamiliar with hamnett and her designs. They understood her points about textile workers working considerionts na where her clothes come form, but they seemed not terribly interested overall. “Green” was better received and promoted more discussion about organic cotton and ways to recycle and reuse clothing. The students did refrence the BBC site in their semester projects and some of them went back and watched many more episodes.
“I Am an Animal: The Story of Ingrid Newkirk and PETA”
I watched this myself but decided not to show it to class. We ended up skipping the chapter about fur and leather, and, I thought the movie wasn’t that great anyway. The movie is graphic and more a study of one woman’s quest at either morals or fame (not sure) than truly about the animal issues. Also, it didn’t cover fashion very much specially as it was more about food production. It did cover a protest of Gaultier which I will considered showing in class but decided it wasn’t worth it. Many of the students did their personal projects on fur and watched Peta videos online. They were quite shocked, as is the intended reaction, and I am curious if they have carried over what they wrote about ethically in their papers into their personal lives.
“Secret World of Haute Couture”
This is the BBC documentary that PBS sometimes shows. I couldn’t find a good point to show it in class, but it is so well done I decided the best option was to reccomend they watch it when luckily it was airing twice on PBS and offer them an extra credit exam question. This doc shows the inside out of true couture shoppers, not the red carpet borrowers, but the society women who keep their heads low while they write the big checks and have the fabulous closets of gems. It’s a strong piece about art aprpeciation, exclusivity, and craftsmanship. I’d love to find a way to show it in future classes.
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By Monica Sklar,
May 14th, 2009 at 5:00 am
(Uncategorized)
Well my week in London went in a flash, but we managed to accomplish quite a bit of site seeing, shopping, museums, galleries, research, and entertainment. I’ll recap some of the fashion-oritend highlights on WT over the next few weeks.
I thought I’d start with some shots from Pret-a-Portea since I’d already discussed that I was going in a post prior to the trip.
If you’re going to be in London it really is worth doing. A total highlight. Nearby to Harrods so they make a nice afternoon together.
Not cheap–at about $200USD (for 2 people) but admittedly we went for one of the better champagnes. The environment of the Berkeley hotel is lovely, with the decor a mix of modern and traditional, and purple flowers adding pizzazz.
There are only about 6 tables doing tea, so you need a reservation which you can make online. After you’re seated you’re presented with a darling menu letting you select your tea (from a wide variety) as well as whether you’d like champagne and if so which kind (I tasted all of them and went fruity–one of the best I’ve ever had).
Once you’d got your beverages sorted out they begin to bring you endless trays of sandwiches and then of course the fabulous sweets and small dishes inspired by this year’s runway collections. BTW–those are endless as well, which surprised me. I expected the sandwich refills, but not the adorable little McQueen purses. Hooray! We had numerous little handbags and bikini biscuits.
Everything is served on the most fab Paul Smith china, which we scouted out to buy afterward as we were entranced, but alas, the price was simply prohibitive (aka CRAZY on an academic’s budget). I do adore the Paul Smith stripe though and so the china was one of my fav parts of the whole tea.
Here are a few more shots so you can see the details:
So to top off the day they send you along with a takeaway of some of treats and we could not have been happier. I did walk around with my little paper handbag for a few hours and everyone on the tube and in the stores either thought it was cute, as I saw some eyes straining to read the info on the bag, or, they thought I was a bit hilarious carrying my ‘lil bag. Perfect if you ask me. Highly recommended!
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By Heather Vaughan,
May 13th, 2009 at 5:00 am
(History of Dress)
The May issue of Smithsonian Magazine has a good number of interesting articles for historian of dress. First, on page 24, is an indeapth discussion of the spacesuits in the National Air and Space Museum collection (you’ll remember that I did a post on the spacesuit and its influence on mainstream fashion here). The Smithsonian article’s primary focus is Amanda Young, and her care of the 220 garments related to NASA’s exploration of space. Young is also the author of a new book out called Spacesuits: Within the Collections of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
.
Also in this issue is a recap article on the 20th Anniversary of their ongoing column “Object at Hand,” which often features an historical garment. This overview article includes images and discussion of a number of objects (including Amelia Earhart’s aviator coat c. 1930, and Jerry Seinfeld’s pirate shirt from 1993). The online and interactive version of this article features a good many more objects of interest to WT viewers, including historical discussions. Check it out here. (There are even video components like the one here)
Finally, this issue includes a discussion and photo essay related to a new book about 1930s photographer Edward Steichen, Edward Steichen: In High Fashion – The Conde Nast Years, 1923-1937
. An accompanying exhibit was on view at the International Center of Photography in New York through May 3.
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By Monica Sklar,
May 12th, 2009 at 5:00 am
(Jobs)
Assistant Professor
Auburn University, Alabama
(This one didn’t list a due date but it was recently posted on April 20.)
Responsibilities include the following:
Teach and lecture in one or more of the following areas: aesthetics, apparel design and technology, product, textile science and product evaluation, global sourcing, or international retailing/marketing.
Qualifications:
Must have a Ph.D. from an accredited institution in Textiles or related field.
Must have legal authority to work indefinitely in the U.S.
To apply:
Send resume, transcript, statement of research interests, along with a list of three references and contact information to Dr. Carol Warfield, Head, Department of Consumer Affairs, 308 Spidle Hall, Auburn, Alabama 36849.
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By Monica Sklar,
May 11th, 2009 at 5:00 am
(Conferences and Calls for Papers)
(I’m not sure when this was first listed but it’s worth checking out if you are interested.)
The Encyclopedia of National Dress series
Authors are sought to contribute to this two-book series on national/ethnic dress. This series is intended for an undergraduate student and adult audience interested in costume history. Costume will be presented in terms of style, and design, and how it was influenced by economic, political, and cultural events of the times.
We are looking for authors to write about women’s, children’s, and men’s dress from many cultures around the world. Authors should have a master’s degree or a Ph.D. in appropriate areas such as costume history, material culture, social history, clothing and textiles, or museum studies.
The deadline for completion of this set is June 2010. For more information, please contact Jill Condra via email at jillcondra@yahoo.ca
2 Comments
By Heather Vaughan,
May 10th, 2009 at 5:00 am
(History of Dress)
This is a brief excerpt from the book to which I was contributor, The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Clothing through American History, 1900 to the Present.
The twenties and thirties saw an increase in movie attendance, with children being influenced as well. Not only did popular child movie-stars endorse and/or create their own clothing lines for both boys and girls, but they also affected trends in general.
In the 1920s, after Lindbergh’s famous flight in The Spirit of St. Louis, aviator outfits became popular playwear. Other archetypes were also imitated including: space men, cowboys, Indians, and baseball heroes (Olian 2003). Film stars Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and Jackie Coogan appeared in ads for boys’ clothes, eventually developing their own clothing lines (Cook 2004). While Buck Rodgers and similar adult stars continued to influence boys clothing through to WWII, age appropriate stars began to have a greater influence (Olian 2003).
Mickey Rooney 1930
Mickey Mouse and other Disney characters appeared on T-shirts and other sportswear for both boys and girls (Olian 2003). A host of youthful Hollywood stars such as Judy Garland, Virginia Weidler, Mickey Rooney, Jane Withers and Sonja Henie had their own clothing lines, or began endorsing clothing for department stores catalogs, (including the Sears Catalog) (Cook 2004). By the late 1930s, Hollywood costume designers such as Vera West and Edith Head were being recognized for the costumes designed for their petite stars (Cook 2004).
Shirley Temple
Of course, the most famous child star of the 1930s was Shirley Temple, who set the bar for all other child endorsers and merchandisers (Cook 2004). She made her film debut at the age of five in 1934 and by the following year she was making $1,000 a week from merchandising tie-ins alone (Cook 2004 and Ewing 1977). Mothers everywhere dressed their children in Temple-imitating clothing.
Sears ad, 1935
Temple merchandise included dresses, coats, snow suits, raincoats, toys and accessories (Cook 2004). However, it was the Shirley Temple “look” that most mothers were after. Her iconic hairstyle of all-over-ringlets was imitated everywhere and is still recognized today. Her style of dress, frequently identified with toddler-hood, included simple frocks made to accentuate a toddler’s belly, with puffed sleeves and hemlines that were consistently 19 inches from the floor (Cook 2004).[i] These were trimmed with simple and unobtrusive decorative elements, such as embroidered or appliquéd, and lace edged hemlines and collars. Interestingly, conflicting fan magazines reports suggest that Temple was both disinterested in her film costumes[ii] and insistent that they be of a consistent design.[iii] Regardless, her style left its imprint on children’s fashion of the 1930s.
Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret
June 1936 at Windsor
Non-film child celebrities also drew considerable attention and affected children’s clothing trends. The child Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret of England affected design worldwide (Ewing 1977 and Laubner 2000). The press regularly photographed the pair and reported on their preferences. Beginning in 1932, young girls in England began wearing “Margaret Rose dresses” (a rosebud trimmed knitted dress) (Costantino 1991). Primrose yellow and pink were the reported favorite colors of Princess Elizabeth, thus dresses in those colors flew off the shelves (Costantino 1991).
Bibliography:
Cook, Daniel Thomas. The Commodification of Childhood: The Childrens Clothing Industry and the Rise of the Child Consumer
. Durham & London, Duke University Press, 2004.
Costantino, Maria. Fashions of a Decade: The 1930s
. Valerie Cumming and Elane Feldman (eds). London: B.T. Batsford, 1991.
Ewing, Elizabeth. History of Children’s Costume
. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1977.
Laubner, Ellie. Collectible Fashions of the Turbulent 1930s
. Atglen, PA: Schiffer: 2000. 219
Olian, JoAne (ed). Children’s Fashions 1900-1950 As Pictured in Sears Catalogs
, Mineola, New York: Dover, 2003
[i] Blackford, Marion. ‘Miss Temple’s Best Bib and Tucker,’
Screen Play, August 1936, pg. 54
[ii] Blackford, Marion. ‘Miss Temple’s Best Bib and Tucker,’ Screen Play, August 1936, pg. 54
[iii] Martin, Sally. “Hollywood’s Charm School: Shirley’s Personal Wardrobe,” Hollywood, November 1936. (40)
8 Comments
By Lauren Michel,
May 8th, 2009 at 5:00 am
(Teaching)
Recall my first post on the use of facebook? Written just five months ago, it discussed the use of facebook by professors and students. That was in January 2009, when facebook had proudly announced that it had 150 million users. As of last month, facebook now has over 200 million users, for a growth of 50 million in just five months.
As the number of people using facebook continues to grow, facebook itself has evolved and, I have to admit, so have my “friends list” and my facebook profiles, and so has my approach to facebook and how I use it as a tool for social interaction. Earlier this year, it seemed worthwhile to experiment with having two profiles for myself: one for interacting with students and professional contacts, and one for interacting with family and former schoolmates. With the recent growth in facebook membership, managing two profiles eventually became too complicated and time-consuming to maintain, and my experiment came to an end, with consolidation of the two profiles into one.
If you’re curious why I am “friends” with current students on my facebook profile, I’ll say that it’s a good way to maintain contact with them. For a variety of reasons, my institution’s email system is frequently inaccessible. If a student needs to send me a message, facebook can be a backup method of communication, without me having to give out a personal telephone number. It’s also a relatively non-confrontational way for a student to keep in touch, something of particular benefit to those students who are shy and are less likely to speak up in the classroom, but have just as much, or more, to say than those who are more comfortable speaking face to face.
Initially, I was concerned about the semblance of fraternizing with my students, however, I have colleagues who are on facebook and are “friends” with their own students and after discussion, I feel that this is a method of contact which builds bridges. So far, all of the students (current and former) who are on my friends list have maintained the same respectful air that I see in my classroom interactions with them, and if anything, having them on my facebook friends list enhances teaching and learning opportunities.
Other concerns of mine were my students’ access to my personal information, or my possibly offending (or, alternatively being a bad influence on) them. After a point, however, I realized that there is really not a significant quantity of personal information on my facebook profile, certainly nothing I wouldn’t bring up in a classroom. On the subject of being a bad influence (and I say that tongue-in-cheek), I do see it as important that all those of us in the up-and-coming generation of new instructors and professors remain cognizant of the fact that we are all, in any context, either in the classroom or on facebook, serving as role models and examples to our students. I will admit that I do occasionally miss feeling free to post links to youtube videos of questionable content, as I used to do, however with the variety of relatives I have who are now on facebook, (ranging in age from early teens to mid-80s), the content on my facebook profile is going to be more or less appropriate for all ages, regardless of whether my students are on there or not.
Lastly, the direct way that I use facebook as a teaching tool is in discussion of resumes and networking. Facebook allows its users to post work history to their profiles, similar to a resume, and we all know that one of facebook’s ostensible purposes is networking.
So, dear readers, I have some questions for you:
-
How do you approach facebook in your personal and career networking?
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Do you see personal networking and career networking as separate or combined?
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If you are an instructor or professor, do you have students on your facebook friends list?
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If so, how has this affected your interactions with them, if at all?
1 Comment
By Monica Sklar,
May 7th, 2009 at 5:00 am
(Uncategorized)
University of Wisconsin – Parkside
Lecturer/Guest Artist, Costume Design
(The due date was May 4 for first look at apps but seems to be open until filled)
The Theatre Arts Department invites immediate applications for a one year lecturer/guest artist position in costume and make up design and technology.
This is a one year position (2009-2010 academic year) begins August 15, 2009 with the possibility of one-year renewal.
Courses to be taught include costume craft, costume design, make up, and theatre appreciation. This artist/educator will also design costumes and make up for 3-4 fully produced productions.
Qualifications:
Required: MFA in theatrical design (costume and make up); proven teaching and academic theatre experience; professional design credits; experience in advising and mentoring student designers; and Computer Assisted Design skills.
Preferences:
Budgeting experience and a background in multicultural theatre; ability to teach and mentor students in other related design/technology areas; experience in teaching Theatre Appreciation (and/or other theatre general education courses).
Review of Applications:
Applications received by May 4, 2009 are ensured full consideration; position is open until filled. Please send cover letter, curriculum vitae, design resume, portfolio samples, and reference list to:
Karen Sorensen
Theatre Lecturer Search
University of Wisconsin-Parkside
900 Wood Road
Kenosha, WI 53144
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By Heather Vaughan,
May 6th, 2009 at 5:00 am
(Book Reviews, History of Dress)
Just because I love Elsa Schiaparelli’s work so much, and because she’s recently been in the news I feel the need to do a small capsule overview of her work. New York Magaine’s Style blog recently repeated a rumor that Oliver Theyskens may be poised to revive the Schiaparelli label – possibly as soon as 2010. While the blogger for New York Magazine barely touched on the designers historical relevance and innovation, I feel it deserves much more attention. While the majority of WT readers will be familiar with the highlights of her career, I can’t help but take the opportunity to discuss this lifelong rival of Coco Chanel.
Elsa Schiaparelli (1890-1973, Italian) was the most significant proponent of surrealism in fashion. She was well-known for her whimsical and surrealist designs especially for evening wear, dinner jackets, jewelry, millinery, shoes and accessories. Schiaparelli began her career designing modernist sportswear, most notably a knitted tromp l ‘oeil bowknot sweater in 1927.
1927 Sweater by Schiaparelli, Philadelphia Museum of Art
Her signature color was ‘shocking pink’, and she was one of the first to use zippers in couture. From the very beginning Schiaparelli used surrealism in her surface design and notions, rather than in the cut of the garment. She also utilized gold and brightly colored cording, applique, beading and unusal buttons for her surrealist designs.
Dinner Jacket with insect buttons, 1938 (MET, CI)
a Moire evening gown in Shocking Pink (Currently at Live Auction)
She collaborated with many surrealist artists, but especially with Salvador Dali. The tear dress below is inspired directly from a Dali painting and is a mourning gown which she designed just prior to WWII.
Tear Fabric dress Elsa Schiaparelli/ Salvador Dali Fabric, 1938 (V&A)
Detail from Three Young Surrealist Women Holding in Their Arms the Skins of an Orchestra, Salvador Dali, 1936
The lobster dress was also based on Dali’s work. For one of her highest profile clients, The Duchess of Windsor, Mrs. Wallis Simpson. Her other Clients included Elsie de Wolfe (also known as Lady Mendl).
Elsa Schiaparelli/Salvador Dali, 1936/7 (Philadelphia Museum of Art)
Lobster Telephone, 1936 Salvador Dali (Tate Collection)
In 1937, she also worked with Dali to design a hat in the shape of a high heel. This hat was based on a shoe that Perugia had previously designed for Schiaparelli’s collection. Perugia’s other designs for Schiaparelli included bizarre concoctions of leopard or monkey fur that made the shoes look as if they were wearing wigs. He also designed banded boots, and stretch shoes that eliminated the need for buckles or buttons.
Boots for Schiaparelli in Shocking Pink by Andre Perugia (Philadelphia Museum of Art)
1937, Philadelphia Museum of Art
Monkey Fur Shoes, Philadelphia Museum of Art
Though not limited to surrealist designs, it is often what she is most remembered for. She also designed using historical reference, such as bustles, puffled sleeves, and other Art Nouveau elements. Her Circus and Metamorphosis collections also expanded her repetoir to include fantastical and naturalistic elements. She also had a brief foray into theatrical design, creating costumes for Mae West in Every Day’s a Holiday and Zsa Zsa Gabor in Moulin Rouge.
February 15, 1934, Vogue, Cecil Beaton sketch of Schiaparelli (Blue) and Worth (Red) gowns.
Butterfly dress from Metamorphose collection (Philadelphia Museum of Art)
Irving Penn photograph of a Schiaparelli bustled gown
Mae West in Every Day's a Holiday in a costume designed by Schiaparelli
Now, if you’re interested in the rest of the story, and want to see more of these beautiful designs, I highly suggest that you go out and get the best book available on the subject: Dilys Blum’s, Shocking! The Art and Fashion of Elsa Schiaparelli
from 2003. Check Slate’s review here.
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