1. “GEOFFREY BEENE: TRAPEZE”
Through March 7
Phoenix Art Museum [Phoenix, AZ]
This exhibition provides unique insight into the creative relationship between designer and client. Featuring 30+ garments, it clearly expresses the designer’s sense of humor and expertise with fabric. Also present is Beene’s love of flowers,
dots, curves, wraps, folds and triangles, reoccurring themes present is
several of the designs in this whimsical exhibition that goes beyond the
study of dressmaking into the world of conceptual art.
2. “THE MAGIC OF HOLLYWOOD: THE GENE LONDON COSTUME COLLECTION”
Through May 30
The Reading Public Museum [Reading, PA]
This exhibit features 100+ costumes created by the film industry’s greatest designers. Costume wizards like Adrian at MGM gave Greta Garbo, Joan Crawford, Jean Harlow, Jeanette MacDonald, Norma Shearer, Lana Turner, Hedy Lamarr and others their “looks.” Other designers represented in this exhibition include Edith Head, Elsa Schiaparelli, Walter Plunkett, Orry Kelly, Jean Louis, Helen Rose, Halston, and Bob Mackie. Specific display areas will be changed periodically, with each featuring a legendary star or movie as the theme.
Additional programming will be scheduled at the Museum and The Planetarium,
all related thematically to Hollywood and fashion.
3. “ON A PEDESTAL: FROM RENAISSANCE CHOPINES TO BAROQUE HEELS”
Through September 20
The Bata Shoe Museum [Toronto, Ontario]
This exhibit will focus on two of the most extreme forms of footwear ever worn in
Western dress, the chopine and the high heel. This exhibit will examine the
origins and cultural meanings of both the chopine and high heel, as well as
investigating issues of art and architecture, exoticism and trade, and
politics and gender.
As you might have guessed, I’m taking today off and thought I would leave you with a quick look at some fashions related to New Years Eve in a variety of locale’s.
1920s New York
1930s Australia
1940s Los Angeles
1950s (unknown location)
1960s Chicago
I also wanted to take this opportunity to thank Monica and all the other contributors for making Worn Through what it is. It seems like we’ve grown leaps and bounds over the last year, and I’m honored to be a Senior Contributor. Happy New Year!
Gender and the Pre-Modern City/Conference on Gender and History
September 11-12, 2010
University of Nottingham
Engagement with the space of the pre-modern city has found particular expression in scholarship concerned with the construction of gender. This issue seeks to expand these discussions by focusing on the ways in which gender is negotiated in urban spaces anywhere in the world that predate or were unaffected by ‘modernity’ via the processes of eighteenth- and nineteenth- century Western industrialisation and globalisation.
Our definition of ‘pre-modern’ is deliberately broad so as not to exclude relevant case studies from anywhere in the world, and to avoid implying that our focus of interest is Europe and the Western world. Clearly, our understanding of a ‘city’ varies depending on indigenous cultural contexts, and definitions of a ‘city’ may refer to temporary spaces and structures largely devoid of permanent inhabitants. Notions of gender and the pre-modern city may equally be explored through an emphasis on the social and political stratification and processes that regulate residence, presence, movement, and the expression of power and authority within these spaces.
Cities have long been the focus for research, centring on space in all its manifest forms. Theoretical approaches have taken the lead from Foucault’s and Bourdieu’s discussions on the intersection between time and space, and have applied to space the work of Habermas, as well as theories on the political, cultural and social functions of cities, such as those of Saskia Sassen. Cities play a key role in World Systems Theory (out of which were derived the notions of ‘core and periphery’ and ‘globalization’) and post-colonial historical approaches to cities as centres of political, economic and cultural hegemony. Following these leads, scholars have developed a range of theoretical models concerned with, for example, structuration and social agency. We aim to bring together new scholarship to develop a variety of theoretical approaches and case studies to explore notions of gender and its operation, in the setting of the pre-modern city across temporal and geographical boundaries.
Cities are a key feature of many pre-modern societies, but they may be differently conceptualized, hold a very different place and fulfill quite different roles from those in the modern world.
Can context-sensitive studies of gendered behaviours in their many forms highlight what is distinctive about these cities and their wider importance? Pre-modern cities were laboratories for the kaleidoscopic praxis of social structure in many societies. How did gender function distinctively in pre-modern cities? Did urban life enable the elaboration of gendered roles and their interaction with status, wealth, age, occupations etc.? In what ways did gendered ideologies underpin practices of governance, politics, religion, law, military and other urban institutions? How did gender function in economic life and behaviours? How was it expressed in visual, architectural and material cultural forms, as well as in writing? How might ideologies of gender have affected the practice of writing and record keeping itself? How might deep-seated principles of gender have been a key element in the division and use of space and the development of pathways of communication (roads, streets, meeting places, houses and their internal divisions)? In worlds where ‘public’ and ‘private’ might not be fully articulated, or might be conceptualized in ways quite different from those to which we are accustomed, how might gendered behaviours have helped to discriminate between different kinds of spaces, pathways and routes? Would gendered behaviours affect the use of urban space over time, both short and long term – over the course of a day, seasonally, over the longer term?
Calls for papers:
Proposals for papers are sought from scholars at all levels to be presented at a conference in Nottingham. A selection of papers will be published in a special issue of Gender & History.
An abstract of no more than 500 words must be submitted by February 1, 2010 to both Lin Foxhall and Gabriele Neher.
By the end of February 2010, authors of selected papers will be asked to submit longer abstracts (1000-1500 words) for an April 2010 deadline. Full first drafts of papers will be due in May 2010, and revised drafts will be pre-circulated in August 2010, before the conference.
Contributions, including cross-disciplinary papers, are welcome from – but not limited to – the following areas:
The concept of the city as an urban conglomeration/ centre; explore indigenous definitions of the city; cities as defined by their context
Temporary ‘cities’ vs. permanent built structures (e.g. military camps)
Political concept of a city; cities without urbanism
Cities without population; ceremonial centres; exchange centres
Models of exchange between pre-modern cities
Attitudes towards the body and its display
Gendered space and spatiality
Pathways through the cities
Status and gender/ social and political institutions and gender; inclusion and exclusion according to gender (e.g. religious orders)
Performance of gender/ display of status in gendered ways
Subaltern, gendered roles: prostitution, beggars, camp followers, slaves, servants, dependants and clients etc.
Crime and thieves; gendered crimes
Gender and consumption; fashion; display; material culture
Religion; how is this manifest in an urban setting?
Urbanism; gender and legal structures; gender of interest to legal context
How does agency operate in the matrix of complex institutions; social agency?
As promised, I went to the Great Dickens Christmas Fair and Holiday Party last weekend. As promised, I made sure to take lots of photos to share with you. Unfortunately, shortly after I transferred the image files from my camera card to my laptop (and erased them from the camera card), my laptop’s screen stopped working. Fortunately, I have a few highlights which my spouse uploaded to his facebook profile before the computer mishap occurred. In addition to those, there is also that great photographic resource, flickr. A number of Dickens Fair-goers extensively document the event, each of the four weekends over which the event runs, and make their images available to the public, often via flickr, so if you want to see more than what I have below, wander over and do a search for “Dickens Fair 2009.”
The Dickens Fair advertises itself as “a Victorian Christmas card come to life.”
The bustling streets of London, immortalized for all time by the mighty pen of Charles Dickens, form the living backdrop of your excursion into Christmas Past. You are a living part of a Victorian Christmas card come to life!
Come wander the lanes of Victorian London, as the glow of twilight settles upon the city. With the scent of pine boughs & freshly baked scones floating in the air and the sound of carolers & holiday merrymakers accompanying your stroll.
The venue for the event, theCow Palace (feel free to snicker at the name, though it is an historic California landmark), was transformed in exactly that way. The entire place was theatrically lit to simulate twilight. The lanes were narrow, the place was scented as advertised, the floor was covered with sawdust, and visitors were immersed in an entertaining street theatre environment. The costumes were a visual feast, with the usual blend I have come to expect at a costume event here in California: the perfectly historically accurate (at least appearing so, from a vantage point of 5-10 feet), the halfway accurate, the “this looks ‘Victorian’, right?”, the corsets over streetwear, goth looks, and lastly, fantasy, namely steampunk.
The cast portrayed characters from Dickens (I saw Jacob Marley’s ghost wandering about, dragging real metal chains, the Ghost of Christmas Present escorting Ebenezer Scrooge, and Fagin and Oliver Twist) and people from most walks of life: the chimney sweeps you see above (often with teeth blacked out), flower girls, sailors, harlots, shopkeepers, soldiers, and of course, young Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Charles Dickens and Phileas Fogg were on the official program, and I saw a Queen of Hearts. Rumor had it there was a George Sand about the fair, and locked on my laptop is a photo of what may be her (alas, perhaps next week).
As a comparison, at California’s renaissance faires, the costumed paying customers are usually distinguishable from the cast by either being of the wrong time period, or heavily inspired by fantasy novels and films, and often of lesser quality construction (looking like cheap Halloween costumes, as opposed to well-fitted, well-constructed, and well-researched historical and theatrical reproductions). At the Dickens Fair, however, it appeared that many of the paying customers were dressed as well as, and sometimes better than, the cast. Most of the time, it was hard to tell exactly who was there as a cast member and a part of the atmosphere and who was there on their own time, and their own dollar (and this is not to imply that the cast are monetarily compensated for their time, as some may be, but most probably are not).
Now that I have given you some of the background, here follow some photos that I think are quite representative of the whole Dickens Fair experience, at least from my point of view as someone who teaches introductory fashion courses, including history of dress. Other photos that I am not showing you (because they are on that laptop I mentioned earlier), show some of the better examples of different styles covered in my history of western dress course. I recommend doing this if you teach history (dress or otherwise), as it is important to cover not only history as it was, but also, in a fashion program, the practical reproduction of historic styles for stage and screen, and in this case, street theater. I look forward to being able to share them with students in the future.
Here are the fair’s Queen Victoria and Prince Albert (with the blue sashes, as you know).
Above is a marvelous example of exquisite craftsmanship by one of our Worn Through readers. Her gown is black silk taffeta. Perfect for mourning, of course.
The steampunk element was well established, with a special 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea-inspired environment/exhibit.
Popular with photographers were the Dark Garden Corsetry shop windows, because they featured motionless live models.
These ladies were in a clothing shop called Miss Darla’s Dolls Gone Wrong. This was the pose they struck (before moving into it robotically) when I asked if I could photograph them. Perhaps you can see the large gold clockwork keys affixed to their backs.
Have you attended the Dickens Fair or other costumed events? What are (or were) your impressions?
Next week: I will be attending a lecture by Kaffe Fassett and will tell you all about him and his latest creative endeavours. His talk is on Sunday, December 27th (two days from now). If you have any special questions you would like me to be sure to ask him, leave them for me in the comments below.
The Ready to Share conference at the Norman Lear Center was a unique meeting that I attended in 2005, which brought together members of the fashion, costume, film and music communities to discuss how these different industries viewed and experienced ‘sharing’ (also termed: copying, inspiration, and out right theft of intellectual property). It was a fascinating insight into how these different fields dealt with these issues. Panel-members included T Bone Burnett, DJ Danger Mouse, Cate Adair (costume designer for Desperate Housewives), and Tom Ford (among many others).
Below is a section of one of the panels, featuring Kevin Jones, the curator of the FIDM Museum and Kevin Hall, former designer for Halston.
In this video, Designer Tom Ford and journalist Guy Trebay (New York Times) engage in a conversation about the distinctive role of homage and open appropriation.
The day-long conference was keynoted by David Wolfe, a trend forecaster. He offered some unique insight into trends. What’s most interesting to me is to see how and if Mr. Wolfe’s predictions were correct for the seasons following 2005.
I would love to hear your responses to this unique program. Those interested in learning more, can request a free copy of the book by clicking on the image below.
I recently happened upon a photo of Tilda Swinton, that delicious quirky fashion muse to Viktor & Rolf, wearing an intense layered dress whose filigreed crocheted bodice resembled a crocheted corset, and whose skirt dissolved into something resembling bulky sweaters piled on a floor:
A knitter and crocheter myself, it has always frustrated me the lack of avant garde fashion patterns for yarn crafts, which often seem to be marketed to middle-aged mid-westerners and not so much to quirky, experimental fashionistas. It was therefore with extra relish that I explored the web and Sandra Backlund”s own site for more knit fashion inspiration. She tends to favor super-bulky yarns that really show off stitches in high relief, taming the yarn to create bold geometric shapes. It’s truly incredible how she creates such stiff, specific shapes and structures out of stretchy, soft yarn.
Here are my favorites:
Pool Position collection
In No Time collection
In No Time collection
Last Breath Bruises collection
Blank Page collection
Body Skin and Hair collection
Now, if only someone would publish the patterns, I could get started on my own Sandra Backlund/Tove creations!
Call for Papers for Book: Visual Studies Reader
An international, collaborate anthology of art history, art theory, visual studies, visual communication, visual anthropology, and other fields, written entire by graduate students around the world.
All grad students are eligible. If you are studying for an MA, MFA, or PhD, or if you received your PhD in the last six months, you can contribute texts to this book. The book is international and collaborative. It began with a group of students at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and now it includes about thirty students from 20 institutions around the world.
Have a look at our Table of Contents to see how the book is developing
As the book grows, so does the community of editors. Everyone who joins the Reader can make suggestions about everyone else’s contributions: you will have final say over your own contribution, but you’ll also be involved in conversations with all the other participants.The first fully collaborative, student-run publication on visual studies.
The visual world is changing so fast that no conventional anthology can capture it. Our idea is to record the current shape of visual studies, across disciplines, as it is experienced by the upcoming generation of scholars and artists. We are gathering a group of about 100 authors. After we have completed a rough draft of the book, we will post the entire manuscript on our Wiki, and allow everyone on the internet to suggest changes, Wikipedia-fashion. After a further year of editing, in 2012, the entire book will be published by Routledge, and advertised and disseminated internationally. To apply, visit the wiki for full information and then send us a two-page description of what you’d like to contribute. Your proposal will be read by the grad-student authors who are currently in the project (the editor, Jim Elkins, doesn’t vote). Full instructions are on the wiki.
The deadline for proposals is January 30.
Contact: James Elkins-School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Tomorrow marks the start of the winter holiday for the faculty at my institution. After 16 weeks of instruction, I know I am ready for this break. I have about five weeks off before it’s back to school for another 16 weeks.
Personally, I will be using the time to prepare for the coming semester. I will organise my syllabi and lecture notes, and my work wardrobe. If you are in fashion, you know the wardrobe ranks right up there with course content in terms of importance. I have a mending/alterations basket filled to overflowing with a number of items in real need of repairs and updating, just the thing to keep me occupied through the darkest days of the year (here in the northern hemisphere, that is). I know, thrillsville, for all of you readers. I will refrain from posting updates on how my powerpoints and hemming are coming along, I promise.
When not sewing or preparing lectures and classroom activities, I will be doing a little traveling over my holiday, starting this weekend. I will be visiting the Great Dickens Christmas Fair and Victorian Holiday Party in San Francisco, where there will be a multitude of costumed cast and patrons. The fair is a theatrical recreation of 1840s-1860s London and promises to be a visual feast (hopefully, I will not be too overcome by the spectacle, and will remember to take pictures to share with you, dear readers). This weekend is the closing weekend for the year (the end of the annual six-week run), so if you plan to go this year, this weekend is it.
Also happening in Paris in January are the annual winter sales (les soldes). As you probably know, French retailers are permitted to only have sales in January and July, and the discounts increase week by week. I know I will pick up some treasures while I am there. Again, I will try to remember to take lots of photos to share. Readers are encouraged to hound me to do so. Anything else I should be sure to see or photograph while I am there? The city fashion museum is temporarily closed for security upgrades, so that is out. I get enough loud requests, I may be able to work particular destinations into my schedule and report on them for you. Let me know.
1.) “FOALE AND TUFFIN – MADE IN ENGLAND”
Through February 24
Fashion and Textile Museum [London, England]
“Double D” Dress, 1966 Foale and Tuffin, Model Jenny Boyd
This exhibit is staging a retrospective exhibition of Foale and Tuffin – two influential designers who were at the heart of the cultural explosion in London in the sixties. The Foale and Tuffin label was what cool girls wore – colorful, pop-inspired mini-dresses and trend-setting trouser suits were just some of the key pieces that were ahead of their time in developing popular, desirable fashion.
2.) “CONTEMPORARY JAPANESE FASHION: THE MARY BASKETT COLLECTION”
Through April 11
Textile Museum [Washington DC]
Dress, Fall/Winter 1990/91, Issey Miyake (b. 1938), Japan. Collection of Mary Baskett.
This exhibit is an expanded version of an earlier showing at the Cincinnati Art Museum, and will include approximately 40 garments. Informed in part by Japanese traditions such as the kimono, obi and the art of origami, these designers produced radical garments with shapes and textures often incongruous with the natural contours of the human body. Their designs “characterized by asymmetry, raw edges, unconventional construction, oversized proportions and monochromatic palettes” effectively overthrew existing norms and set the stage for the postmodernist movement in the fashion industry.
3.) “THE HEIGHTS OF FASHION: PLATFORM SHOES THEN AND NOW”
Through May 30
Mint Museum of Art [Charlotte, NC]
Platform Shoe circa 1974-1979 Labeled “El Poderoso / Made in Spain” Patent leather on a 1-3/4″ platform sole with a 4″ heel Private Collection.
This exhibit highlights 60 examples of platform footwear from the 1930s through the present. Elevated shoes have appeared for centuries in cultures around the world. In Ancient Greece, actors wore thick-soled shoes to heighten their stature before their audience. In Europe, from about 1600-1750, some women in high society and the demimonde wore tall pedestal shoes called chopines. Thick platform shoes were fashionable in the Manchu culture of Northeast China. Japan’s platform sandals became part of the traditional dress of geishas.
There are a vast number of other books that came out recently that are a little less academic, but still might be of interest to the WT community – especially if you’re looking for something a little more fun, rather than scholarly. I’ve not had the opportunity to look at these in depth (though I’m fairly sure I’d enjoy them):
(releases Dec. 16)
