“THE GOLDEN AGE OF COUTURE: PARIS & LONDON 1947 – 1957″ Through September 12 The Frist Center [Nashville, TN]
This exhibit transports visitors to the most glamorous fashion houses of Paris and London in the years after WWII. It celebrates an important decade in fashion history that began with the launch of Christian Dior’s famous New Look in 1947 and ended with his death in 1957.
“PATTERN, COSTUME AND ORNAMENT” Through September 12 The Birmingham Museum of Art [Birmingham, AL]
Works by artists Fred Wilson, Odili Donald Odita, Jeff Donaldson, Carrie Mae Weems, and others will reveal how African-American artists incorporate design and decoration into their work for a variety of reasons. Among the works on view will be a Nick Cave Sound Suit, a beaded and sequined Haitianflag, AFRICOBRA founder Jeff Donaldson’s family portrait, and a Gee’s Bend quilt.
“ART BY THE YARD: WOMEN DESIGN MID-CENTURY BRITAIN” Through September 12 The Textile Museum [Washington DC]
This exhibit will showcase the work of groundbreaking women designers through the display of textiles together with preliminary drawings and collages, ceramics and period furniture. The art of textile design changed radically after World War II as Britain was transformed from a country devastated by war into an optimistic consumer society. Three women designers were pivotal in this artistic revolution: Lucienne Day, Jacqueline Groag and Marian Mahler. Incorporating dramatic saturated colors and bold motifs inspired by artists like Alexander Calder and Joan Miro, these young designers transformed the market by inspiring elegant yet affordable product lines that brought the world of contemporary art into everyone’s homes.
It’s been a little while since I posted anything on film costume history. To that end, here are some tasty tidbits on Claudette Colbert and her costumes for the 1934 version of Cleopatra. Speaking to the often difficult task of costuming a mega-star Like Colbert, writer Leon Surmelian explained what happened in an article for a fan magazine in 1938:
“The toughest spot he [costume designer, Travis Banton] ever found himself in was when Cecil B. De Mille started shooting ‘Cleopatra,’ and Claudette Colbert refused to wear the gowns made for her. De Mille had his own staff at Paramount and Banton was in no way responsible for the dresses La Colbert didn’t like. He hadn’t designed them. When shooting starts on a picture of such magnitude, a delay of a few hours would cost the producer thousands of dollars. You can imagine the state of affairs when Cleopatra-Colbert did not choose to go on the set. Banton was called in to design an entirely new wardrobe for her, and the very next day he had the first dress ready. In fact, from day to day he produced the various items of one of the most extravagant wardrobes in the history of movies, while the cameras recorded scenes of ancient Egypt as conceived by De Mille.” (Surmelian, Leon. “Studio Designer Confesses.” Motion Picture. December 1938. 56(5): 67.)
It seems Ms. Colbert had specific ideas about how she should look in this film, and being something of a perfectionist her motives reveal some of her own insecurities. Author Annet Talpert explains this incident, and Colbert’s habit of being difficult (as well as a slightly different version of the story):
“During the making of Cleopatra, she insisted that Travis Banton bare as much of her bosom as possible. Though she had one of screenland’s best figures, she thought her waist was too thick, and she wanted Banton to place all the emphasis above her middle. By calling attention to her chest she also reasoned that it would divert attention from here unusually short neck. Banton gave in to her demands, but the day before shooting began she refused to wear the costumes she’d approved. Banton went back to the workroom. In 24 hours he had the first elaborate costume ready for filming.” (Tapert, A., The Power of Glamour: The Women Who Defined the Magic of Stardom, New York: Crown, 1998. 177)
“Banton wasn’t the only one who had problems with her. ‘She once slapped a fitter at Western Costume who kept insisting her costume fit properly,’ says Leonard Gershe. ‘Claudette knew it wasn’t exactly right and finally got exasperated with her. The woman had treated her as if she was stupid, which was a mistake . . .’ Edith Head, Banton’s successor at Paramount, suggested she find another costume designer who would be more willing to give in to her demands. Colbert brought in Irene who was then a fashion designer with her own salon and designed for Colbert off-screen.” (Tapert, A., The Power of Glamour: The Women Who Defined the Magic of Stardom, New York: Crown, 1998. 177)
Despite these difficulties, the final product got quite a bit of coverage in the popular press, and Shadowplay suggests the designs had an effect on fashion trends:
“Already De Mille’s ‘Cleopatra’ opus is starting fashion trends. Around Hollywood, clips of burnished gold in Lotus flower motifs are worn on filmy lace evening gowns. An Egyptian collar effect is seen here and there. And most interesting of all, the winged bandeaus worn by Claudette Colbert promise to replace the tiara as an evening headdress.” (Whitney, Diane. “Designer’s Say Shorter Skirts!” Shadoplay. July 1934 3(5): 16.)
I’m happy to report that a costume from Cleopatra is currently was on view (along with many others) at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art until August 15. In case you missed it, BAM’s Blog has a lovely overview.
(Claudette Colbert in title role of Cecil B. DeMille’s film Cleopatra. sources from, chuckpalahniuk.net, this image was also published in Life Magazine, Jan 01, 1934)
If you’ve not seen the film, I highly recommend it, it’s opulent and over-the top (watch a clip here at TCM). The costumes are especially beautiful to watch in motion.
*(Image via Vogue.com, John Kobal Foundation/Getty Images)
Through January 30th, 2011 Indianapolis Museum of Art
This special exhibition examines the many ways designers have manipulated, transformed and liberated the female figure. Featured designers include Rudi Gernreich, Issey Miyake, Junya Watanabe, Thierry Mugler, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Gianni Versace and other avant-garde fashion designers. “Body Unbound” will explore how these designers usedmodernconstruction and unexpectedmaterials to contort, conceal, reveal or mock their wearers.
“This exhibition gives us the chance to share the exceptional depth and quality of the IMA’s fashion artscollection from 1960 to the present daywith the public,” said Maxwell L. Anderson, The Melvin & Bren Simon Director and CEO of the IMA. “’Body Unbound’ will be an excellent opportunity to view many of the Museum’s recent acquisitions in the context of the avant-garde fashion movements that shaped our society.”
Fashions by visionaries Rudi Gernreich and Jean-Paul Gaultier illustrate how some designers played with the notions of shape and construction, challenging mid-century ideals of form. Examples by Issey Miyake and Junya Watanabe, based on the theories of androgyny and “universal beauty,” demonstrate how Japanese designers working in Paris in the 1980s and 1990s promoted an alternate way of styling the body, concealingits contours and silhouette.
Pieces by Thierry Mugler, Gianni Versace and Franco Moschino display how designers utilized innovative textiles and subversive design elements to toy with the concepts of seduction and femininity.
Featuring a range of works, many of which are recent additions to the IMA’s fashion arts collection, “Body Unbound” will demonstrate how some of the most influential designers of the 20th century helped shape the direction of avant-garde fashion. Organized by the Indianapolis Museum of Art, “Body Unbound: Contemporary Couture from the IMA’s Collection” will be on view in the Paul Textile and Fashion Arts galleries. The IMA will be its sole venue.
Museum Address: 4000 Michigan Road
Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday and Friday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. The IMA is closed Mondays and Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s days.
The Costume Society of America, Western Region invites members and non-members alike for a special curators tour of three exhibits at the Fowler Museum at UCLA on August 21, 2010 (register by August 17). The press release for the exhibition notes the impact the making of cloth has on these women’s lives:
“In the Southeast Asian archipelago, making cloth is regarded as the archetypal form of women’s work and creativity. Traditionally, women learned the textile arts — typically weaving or making batik — before they were eligible for marriage. Later in life, excelling in making cloth, and especially in mastering complex natural-dye processes, was regarded as the highest measure of a woman’s achievement.”
Attendees will be treated to three personalized tours by well-spoken curator Roy Hamilton: The largest exhibition Nini Towok’s Spinning Wheel: Cloth and the Cycle of Life in Kerek, Javachronicles the last place in Java where batik is still produced on handwoven cotton cloth. The exhibition concludes with a series of seventeen outfits, each specific to a particular individual according to their sex, age, social status, occupation, and place of residence. Also on view will be Fowler in Focus: Courtly and Urban Batik from Java, an exhibition drawn from the Fowler Museum’s extensive holdings of Indonesian textiles and contrasts both courtly and urban batiks. Lastly is Weaver’s Stores from Island Southeast Asia which examines textile arts in Southeast Asia through video recorded in eight sites in four countries.
CSA Members
$10
CSA Student Members
$ 5
Non members
$15
Student non members
$10
For more information and directions, download the: Registration Form (PDF).
“ICONS OF COSTUME: HOLLYWOOD’S GOLDEN ERA”
Through September 5, 2010
James A. Michener Art Museum [Doylestown, PA]
This exhibit features the fashions and accessories worn by luminous film stars such as Elizabeth Taylor, Errol Flynn, Audrey Hepburn, Warren Beatty, Barbara Stanwyck, Gene Kelly, Loretta Young, Arnold Schwarzenegger and many others. More than 50 costumes and objects present the still-influential designs of celebrated fashion designers, from the 1940s through the 1990s, including Edith Head, Adrian, Walter Plunkett, Orry-Kelly, Bob Mackie and others of legendary renown. Drawn, in part, from numerous films that were nominated for an Academy Award for Best Costume, six of them took the Oscar home. Also included are rare publicity stills, lobby cards, jewelry, and film props, as well as an exciting interactive component that lets visitors experience the sights and sounds of the movie studio as well as be a star in their own film scene. Rounding out the exhibition is an hour-long video of 35 memorable clips from films with a distinct Bucks County connection, such as Casablanca, Lassie Come Home, On the Waterfront, West Side Story, The Buddy Holly Story, and A Star is Born. According to the exhibition’s curator, Erika Jaeger-Smith, “These costumes are remarkable survivals, and their impact on today’s fashions is immediately recognizable. The unique aspect of this exhibition is its concentration on the early years in Hollywood.”
“MATERIAL WORLD: TEXTILES & DRESS FROM THE COLLECTION”
Through September 11
The Museum of International Folk Art [Santa Fe, NM]
This exhibit presents a tantalizing glimpse into the Museum of International Folk Art’s largest collection of textiles and costumes. The 138 rarely-seen items highlight the remarkable breadth and depth of 20,000 objects ranging from
everyday household articles to elaborately detailed ceremonial wear.
“FLIGHTS OF FANCY: A HISTORY OF FEATHERS IN FASHION”
Through September 12
The Goldstein Museum of Design [Saint Paul, MN]
This colorful and thought-provoking exhibition explores the historical and contemporary use of feathers in western fashion. Visitors can examine the function of feathers in nature, the historical feather trade and activism against it, and the psychological appeal of wearing feathers. Feathered apparel from the late 19th through the 20th centuries from the GMD collection will be on exhibit including garments designed by Bill Blass, Sonia Rykiel, Victor Costa, and Oscar de la Renta.
I’m so excited by the potential of this upcoming exhibit: To Dye For: A World Saturated in Color, which opens to the public at the Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco, de Young on July 31, 2010. This fashion exhibit is the first in many years to pull from the museums own collection and to be fully conceived in house. If we hope to have more of these kinds of exhibits from the de Young, it is important to support these efforts. I am thrilled to be able to bring you an early preview of this exhibit tomorrow morning. I will be reporting what I see at @fashionhistoria – watch for my tweets starting at 10am.
According to the press materials:
A truly cross-cultural presentation, this exhibition showcases objects from a variety of diverse cultures and historical periods, including a tie-dyed tunic from the Wari-Nasca culture of pre-Hispanic Peru (A.D. 500–900), a paste-resist Mongolian felt rug from the 15th–17th century, and a group of stitch-resist dyed 20th-century kerchiefs from the Dida people of the Ivory Coast. These historical pieces are contrasted with artworks from contemporary Bay Area artists like Judith Content, Ana Lisa Hedstrom, Angelina DeAntonis and Yoshiko Wada.
Also included in the exhibition is an elegant tie-dye evening gown from Rodarte’s 2009 collection and an ikat trench coat from Oscar de La Renta’s 2005 collection. Both looks foreshadowed the current spring/summer trend of tribal-infused fashions such as Dries Van Noten’s and Gucci’s ikats and Proenza Schouler’s and Calvin Klein’s tie-dyes.
*Oscar de la Renta, (American, born Santo Domingo, 1932) Trench coat, 2005 Coat: Silk; warp-faced plain weave, warp-resist dyeing (ikat) Belt: synthetic raffia, leather; crocheted Gift of Mr. Thomas L. Kempner
SOMETHING’S HAPPENING HERE: BAY AREA ROCK ‘N’ ROLL 1963-73 Through August 28 The Museum of Performance & Design [San Francisco, CA]
MPD charts the magic time in the Bay Area rock scene from the folk-infused early ’60s to the last days of the Fillmore West in an in-depth examination of this incredibly diverse era; charting its trajectory, identifying its causes and effects, dispelling its myths, and offering a fresh look at this well-known subject. This rich era is evoked using a wealth of rarely seen footage, posters, images, and costumes.
For more information, refer to Heather’s writeup of the MPD’s exhibit panel discussion.
YVES SAINT LAURENT Through August 29 The Musee du Petit Palais [Paris, France]
This exhibit will feature about 250 of Yves Saint Laurent’s designs from 1962 to 2002. A selection of objects, drawings, photographs and films will explore the richness of this work and the power of inspiration speaking to the constant exchange Yves Saint Laurent had with painting, sculpture, theater, opera, literature and cinema.
STAVROPOULOS
Through September 5, 2010 The Kent State University Museum [Kent, OH]
This exhibit focuses on George Stavropoulos, a New York fashion designer who built a multi-million dollar business on his signature, floating chiffon dresses. His self-titled label produced eveningwear and daytime styles for the wholesale, ready-to-wear market, from 1961 to 1991. Stavropoulos, born in Greece, believed in classic design and found inspiration in the simplicity of ancient Greek sculpture. Stavropoulos initially became known for dressing Lady Bird Johnson during her White House years and created looks for other popular figures throughout his career.
Since my trip to Hawaii last year, where I visited the Lyman Museum, I’ve become increasingly interested in Hawaiian history and their material culture. So when I had the chance to visit a more local exhibition covering a similar topic, I jumped at the chance.
The San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles current has three exhibitions on view in relation to Hawaiian fabric and textiles. They are Alfred Shaheen: Fabric to Fashion; Wendeanne Ke’aka Stitt: Contemporary Kapa and an unnamed Special Events Gallery showing of hand-stitched Hawaiian quilts. It should be noted here, that though it might appear that there were very few wall panels of text for any of the three shows – a gallery guide was available (to borrow and for sale – $.6.50) which filled in much of what was missing. It is well worth it to borrow the guide at the admissions desk, or to purchase one.
After paying our admission and entering the exhibition a friend and I stopped in the first gallery, where Wendeanne Ke’aka Stitt: Contemporary Kapawas on display. Theses are flat textiles made of various natural fibers. While at the Lyman museum in Hawaii, I learned that traditional Ka’pa cloth was:
“made from the mulberry tree, and then decorated by either block print, immersion dye, panting, overlay or cord snapping. ‘Plants, animals, and even dirt were ground in a stone mortar to get every color imaginable.’”
In this contemporary display, however, the pieces were made from a mix of local and Hawaiian materials including Black Walnut, Hawaiian red dirt, Queen of the Knight Black Tulips, and backyard Mulburries. When examining the cloth, one naturally wants to be able touch and feel the texture (especially the machine quilted ka’pa made with vintage cotton). Happily, several samples of ka’pa cloth were provided – it’s a surprisingly soft fiber. Also much appreciated, was an in depth wall-panel that explained in detail how the cloth is made, with photographic examples. I had not realized that Ka’pa is the only bark cloth that goes through a fermentation process!
Moving through to the special exhibition gallery was an unnamed show of hand-sewn Hawaiian quilts. Small labels next to each beautifully done quilt named the artist, the date and materials used but didn’t provide much in the way of curatorial direction. Additional information on the meanings of the forms was provided in the gallery guide. Our favorites were the Red Giner and Plumeria with Maile Leis – both by Chieko Nakagawa.
One small quilt by Carol Kamaile, Chinese Money Tree, was the artists ‘first’ attempt to design and complete a Hawaiian quilt – it took her five years to complete. I’m still trying to comprehend the skill and attention required by this extremely high-quality hand sewing.
Moving into Alfred Shaheen: Fabric to Fashion exhibit our mouths gaped and gasped at the colors of the textiles and fashion that lay before us. The exhibit seemed to flow beautifully through a rainbow of colors. Most examples dated to between the 1950s and 1960s though several garments from the 1980s were also included. Much ephemera, including advertisements, buttons, original hanging tags, and long beautiful bolts of vintage fabric.
If you like Mad Men at all, this exhibit is for you. Over and over again, the silhouette was the familiar, glamorous wasp waist of Betty Draper. New Look and wiggle dress silhouette’s abounded, in both dresses and swimwear. Men’s shirts and some children’s clothing were included as well.
It seems Shaheen was the cornerstone on which Hawaii’s garment industry was built (when he started his business there in the late 1940s). Much of the exhibit shows quite clearly the connections between East & West. The design of the garments include Watteau backs, Nehru collars, pagoda sleeves, sari-style draping, Chinese characters, as well as obvious inspiration from Egypt and India (especially in the later years). All this intermingles with what we now think of as traditional Hawaiian motifs – Plumeria, Hibiscus and other tropical flowers especially.
Shaheen apparently also sent his textile designers all over Asia and Polynesia to gather inspiration. The effect was an exotic look, that incorporated ethnic textiles and traditional techniques. I don’t want to give away too much here, and if you’re in the area I STRONGLY encourage a visit – you won’t be disappointed (so long as you get that gallery guide!)
I must, unfortunately, point out a few problems that proved too distracting to this otherwise enchanting experience. Most of these have primarily to do with the dressing of the garments, and to some degree the exhibition design. What wall panels were available were too long to hold a general museum-goers attention. Generally speaking, wall text shouldn’t be more than 300 words long, and the 2 or 3 panels that I saw were much, much longer than that. Given the sparseness elsewhere in the exhibit, the curator(s) could have spread their text out a bit more. I also found it frustrating to have to refer to a gallery guide, when an extended label would have worked nicely (and would have saved the museum money on photocopies).
Primarily though, my problem was the way the garments were displayed. Too often, garments were displayed on mannequins that were not the appropriate size (either too big or to small). To compensate for this, dressers folded and pinned dresses along side seams. Given the layout, and viewers ability to walk 360 degrees around a garment (a rare treat!) it would have been better if the design were uninterrupted.
It was particularly irritating on the pocketed yellow dress pictured above. The eye was naturally drawn to the pockets, but the dress was folded at the sides, stunting the effect and drawing the viewers attention to the problematic fit. Some of the smocked sundresses pulled at the back, indicating that they were also on incorrectly sized mannequins. So too were several of the floor length dresses folded along the back seam (when the interest was the back!)
My other issues with the exhibition related primarily to the use of plastics in the display. In some instances, I understood that they were trying to recreate a boutique look, as laid out by the Shaheen manual (a copy was provided at the exhibition). However, as you can see from the image above, the effect did a huge disservice to the clothing displayed and frankly, looked sloppy. It also emphasized the ’boutique’ or ‘shopping’ feel of the exhibition – a common enough problem when museums display garments. Having vintage Shaheen garments for sale in the gift shop didn’t help this problem either.
The use of plastic hangers to display the men’s Hawaiian shirts, and women’s bathing suits, in the gallery was unfortunate. It just looked unprofessional and too slap-dash for a professional museum to use this kind of display method. Objects displayed suspended from the ceiling seemed to be inviting patrons to touch the clothing, and frequently garments ended up touching each other, or other wall-mounted pieces.
Now, despite these shortcomings, I do think the Bay Area is lucky to have this exhibition on view. The clothes are luxurious and beautiful – especially the textile design. It is on view through August 8, in San Jose. These clothes are a rare treasure, and given the display techniques used, they aren’t likely to be around forever – so see them now while you can. For those not able to see the exhibition, here’s a brief slideshow of the exhibit:
*As an aside, collectors looking to obtain vintage Alfred Shaheen will find a surprisingly large selection on Etsy.
“HAWAII’S ALFRED SHAHEEN: FABRIC TO FASHION” Through August 8 The San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles [San Jose,CA]
This is a retrospective of Hawaiian textiles and aloha wear manufactured by Alfred Shaheen on the island of Oahu over a 40-year period featuring 100+ objects. Stunning yardage representing the textile designs Shaheen produced, and key examples of the garments that visually conjure Hawaii’s complex cultural history will fill all three Museum galleries. In addition to textiles, the exhibit will showcase archival photos and ads that illuminate how the textiles and garments were designed, manufactured and marketed.
“SKETCH TO SCREEN: THE ART OF HOLLYWOOD COSTUME DESIGN” Through August 15 The Oklahoma Museum of Art [Oklahoma City, OK]
This exhibit highlights the artistic contribution of the costume designer to the American motion picture industry and features 60+ original garments, accessories, sketches and photographs from the silent era to the present.
This event looks like it has a very rich program and is much more than an exhibit. Today’s kimono schools educate students in the techniques and traditions of wearing kimono, and this event features students and faculty of Motomi Kimono School in Nishinomiya, Japan.
A group of kimono teachers and students lead by Mineko Ukai from Nishinomiya, Japan are travelling specially to the National Nikkei Museum & Heritage Centre to present Beauty of Japan – Japanese Kimono Show on Wednesday, August 4, 2010, at 7:00 pm. Experience the virtues of wearing a kimono and expect to see myriads of kimono worn for different occasions and seasons.
In the program’s first scene, women’s seasonal kimono for spring, summer, fall, and winter will be introduced. Scene two will show three kinds of obi: Han haba, Nagoya, and Fukuro Obi. In scene three, kimono worn for special occasions will be showcased: Shichigosan, Jusan-mairi, and Coming-of-Age Day. Thirty kimono teachers and models, including one man, a handful of children, and some local models, will come together on stage for the finale.
When wearing kimono manners such as bowing, walking, sitting, and virtues of the heart – harmony, respect, purity, and tranquility – will also be illustrated throughout the show (with English and Japanese commentary). A reception with refreshments will follow, and audiences will have a chance to mingle with the kimono bearers. Please join us for a spectacular and rare opportunity to appreciate Japanese kimono with those who keep the tradition alive.
Kimono and items created from kimono fabric will be on sale in the lobby, which is accessible to everyone with or without tickets.
Mineko Ukai is the founder of the renowned Motomi Kimono School in Nishinomiya, Japan. Twenty members from her three kimono classes will accompany her for this show. As a young girl Ukai loved watching her mother and others wear kimono and began learning how to dress her own children for Shichigosan. Ukai began teaching kimono classes in 1973. By 1976, she established Motomi Kimono School and held kimono classes at Danjo Public Hall and Takagi Public Hall. Her skill in weaving and braiding obijime led to invitations to San Francisco’s Little Tokyo, for the Cherry Blossom Kimono Shows and braiding workshops (in 1977 to 1979).
In 1994, Ukai-sensei and members from the Koto Public Hall kimono class travelled to Canada to present a Japanese Kimono show at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. After nearly 40 years as a kimono teacher, Ukai still teaches three weekly kimono classes with 25 to 30 members in attendance. Ten kimono teachers meet weekly for advanced classes in Ukai-sensei’s home. Together they study the history of kimono, design, and the preservation of kitsuke “the art of wearing kimono” in everyday Japanese life.
For more information about kimono, Mineko Ukai, and members from her Motomi Kimono School please visit Ukai’s site, The Way of Kimono.
The National Nikkei Museum & Heritage Centre is a multi-use facility at the corner of Kingsway and Sperling in Burnaby, BC. Officially opened on September 22, 2000, the Centre houses the National Nikkei Heritage Centre and the Japanese Canadian National Museum.
The Centre’s mandate is to promote a better understanding and appreciation by all Canadians of Japanese Canadian culture and heritage; and an awareness by all Canadians of the contribution of Japanese Canadians to Canadian society, through public programs, exhibits, services, publications, public use of the facilities and special events.
In addition to offering its own programs, the NNM&HC has a number of rooms available for rent for many purposes including meetings, demonstrations, weddings, receptions, small conferences, and other special events.
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, New York: Crown, 1998. 177)
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