Echo Design & Hunt Slonem Collaboration

Welcome to the jungle! I had the privilege of visiting the studio of Hunt Slonem for his collaboration with Echo Design this week.  The renowned artist is famous for his tropical hued works of parrots and rabbits.

The accessory group Echo Design is known for mid-priced fashion forward accessories across many categories.  While they were always trend-driven, they wanted to do collaboration with an artist.  It turns out that executives were friends of a friend of Slonem and the rest was on display at his studio.

The studio was huge, with an aviary in the back housing his large bird collection.  Open plan rooms were filled with eclectic furniture and photos of his celebrity and society friends.  There was the famous “Bunny Wall” a popular motif that most of his fans associate with his work.  The mass collections of bunny works are actually an artistic exercise for him to practice his technique.  Many art professors will teach that repetition and meditation is a key tool to mastering your work.  It turns out; brushstroke rabbits translate very well into a fashion print.

Hunt Slonem has always been inspired by nature.  He chased butterflies in Nicaragua, grew orchids in Hawaii and of course his very vocal parrots on site.  My cousin and I were a little disappointed that we did not find a collection of bunnies to hop around with, but one has to stop somewhere.

The Echo Design collection itself consists of several scarf designs and tote bags.  Scarves were produced in several sizes, some large enough to be worn as a simple dress.  The colors reflected the vibrant hues of the artist’s work.  The prints included Hunt Slonem’s butterflies and his famous rabbits. 

I could see this collection selling at galleries and museums.  However Echo Design is staying true to its fashion and department store customer base, they are just bringing a bit of art into the mix. 

photos by Mariana Leung

Read more >>

National Museum of the American Indian - Identity in Costume

Can you say the story of your identity is told in your wardrobe?  I visited the National Museum of theAmerican Indian in Washington D.C.  I, of course, went straight for the costume and fashion related exhibits.

The museum itself was beautifully conceived.  I loved how individual tribes curated their own sections of the museum to tell their own stories.  The museum doesn’t shy away from the often ugly history or painful experience of native people in the United States.

The major goal of the museum is conservancy.  There are culturally sensitive collections such as ceremonial items and human remains.  What I found most fascinating was that so much of each tribe’s identity was represented in what they wore.  Motifs etched or embroidered into jewelry and clothing could be a narrative of family history.  Materials like shells, fur, teeth could tell you exactly where someone came from.  Accessories, armor, jewelry could define who that person was within the community, like a chief or healer.

The museum also focuses on contemporary artists and designers that are inspired by Native American culture.  There were galleries of fashion and accessories that featured traditional patterns in modern silhouettes.  Sleek high heels in traditional beading, carved jewelry, and woven textile coats were perfectly chic with a rich history behind the design.

Like many of the best museums in Washington D.C., the National Museum of the American Indian is free to visit.  If you are not able to explore the museum in person, their online archives are extensive.  Go see the country’s roots.

Read more >>

Organic Matter: Pratt & Pucci Collaboration

Think your sweater is exciting? Fashion design students from the Pratt Institute worked with designer Ralph Pucci on an innovative knitwear project at Gallery Nine in New York City.  Ralph Pucci has created a specialized mannequin collection.  The design students were tasked with making organic, wearable art using neutral colored yarns to complement the body form muse.

The exhibit was a competition among the 30 looks in the exhibit and will be judged by some of the design world's elite like textile designer Dana Barnes, architect Patrick Naggar and photographer Diego Uchitel.

I like this exhibit for how it blends multiple forms of product design together and treats the clothing as sculpture.  The unprocessed colors of the yarns used and the sprawling, organic looks of the knits achieve a vibe of clothing that seems alive on the mannequin.

Designers pictured above include Kiet Tran, Kimi Lee, Meghan O'Sullivan, Chantal Galipeau, Katherine Daskas and Kat Holland.

The exhibit runs until Tuesday, January 28 at Gallery Nine, 44 West 18^th Street, New York, NY.
Photos by Sam Stuart

Read more >>

Inspiring Beauty: 50 Years of Ebony Fashion Fair

The lack of diversity in fashion is a hot-button topic every fashion week.  With that in mind, it's hard to believe that the Ebony Fashion Fair has been a tradition since 1958.  An exhibit at the Chicago History Museum celebrates the travelling fashion show first launched by socialite Jessie Covington Dent.  The show was taken over in 1963 by Eunice Walker Johnson of Chicago's Johnson Publishing Company which published Ebony and Jet magazine.

The fashion fair had multiple missions.  One was to bring Haute Couture and introduce European designers to a community embracing the new vision of African American style.  Another mission was a fundraising one.  In its decades of running the fashion show, the organization has raised over $55 million dollars for scholarships and charities.  

The exhibit at the museum encompasses over 7000 square feet with backdrops as glamorous as the original events.  Almost 70 looks on mannequins from the likes of Christian Dior, Louis Feraud, Chloe and Oscar de la Renta were curated from the publishing company's costume collection.  Each ensemble is meant to represent key points and moods throughout the fashion history of each era.  The exhibit also made a point of choosing a wide variety of mannequins in different skin tones and body shapes. 

I was a little surprised that there didn't seem to be a lot of African American designers represented.  I understand that the initial goal was to expose the elite European designers to the community for aspiration value.  However in the last few decades, there have been many African American designers who have reached fame and prestige.  Like the 1973 Models of Versailles, it would have been nice to show the progress of how the upscale fashion industry as a whole has progressed socially as well.  

Either way, if you are in town in Chicago, this is not an exhibit to be missed!  Inspiring Beauty: 50 Years of Ebony Fashion Fair runs until January 5, 2014.  
Photo from the Chicago History Museum

Read more >>

Jean Paul Gaultier at the Brooklyn Museum

He was the hottest designer of my 1990's.  Starting tomorrow, the Brooklyn Museum presents The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From Sidewalk to Catwalk.  I am absolutely excited about this, as I was unable to see the exhibit in Montreal.

The Brooklyn Museum is the only American East Coast venue for this show.  It will feature sketches, Haute Couture, documentaries and all sorts of artifacts of his creative process and wicked humor.  He defined Madonna's look of the 90's as well as contributing subversive looks for movies.

For a taste of what's to come, check out this arty video from Mr. Gaultier welcoming you to Brooklyn..

October 25, 2013–February 23, 2014

Morris A. and Meyer Schapiro Wing and 

Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Gallery, 5th Floor

photos from the exhibit video

Read more >>

Christian Louboutin - 20 Years of Design, Artistry and Magic

Do you ever dream of being in a gorgeous art deco building surrounded by Christian Louboutin shoes?  The Design Exchange in Toronto has an epic exhibit celebrating 20 Years of Design, Artistry and Magic from legendary shoe designer Christian Louboutin.

The show is divided into sections highlighting his atelier and design studio, travel, shoe construction, boots, fetish and the central showpiece, a stage featuring his most flamboyant designs, hologram of Dita Von Teese performing striptease in honor of his shoes and velvet lounge all in the shape of his signature red sole.

This was one of the sexiest exhibits I have ever seen.  The lighting was low with a red glow.  The plush couch in front of the stage had an intimate illicit vibe.  The shoe silhouettes themselves were provocative.  The fetish themed room was encased in black velvet curtains with large, black and white erotica images to accompany the not-for-every day wear themed shoes.

Besides the spectacle, I was thrilled to learn more about the man and his inspiration.  The first spark of his shoe obsession came when he viewed a warning sign in front of the Museum of Oceanic and African Art that was of a stiletto heel with a bright red mark crossing it out.  It was to caution against high heels leaving scuff marks on a parquet floor, but it was the first hint of the forbidden nature of a sexy shoe.

The designer grew up watching classic Hollywood icons like Marlene Dietrich and Marilyn Monroe.  His love of theatricality really blossomed after watching showgirls perform in towering heels from the wings of the Folies Bergere.  

Louboutin's sense of humor definitely shows through in many of his designs, like an animal paw styled shoe or whimsical materials and motifs.  There was a wall of amazing one-of-a-kind shoes from materials like fish skin or beer cans.  Architecture played a great deal in inspiring the construction of other shoes.

Key moments were noted like his collaboration with Yves Saint-Laurent, which was the first time the couturier offered a collection that named a co-designer.  His most popular shoe, the Pigalle is already an icon and Louboutin offers thoughts on why he thinks it succeeded.  He realizes that it's simplicity makes it possible for any woman to adopt the style into her own to elevate whatever outfit she is wearing.  In another part of the exhibit, he had notes on what he learned from women about the low shape of the throat of his shoes.  Women had complained it exposed too much of the foot, which he didn't understand, as women wore sandals and thongs.  He came to realize that the shape made wearers feel like they were exposing cleavage in the same vein as their behind or decollete in a psychological sense.

You could examine his creative process in seeing his swatch books, catalogs, sketches and a room dedicated to the different stages of how a shoe is put together.  The design included the initial sketch, patterns, shoe last and stitching.

Which Louboutin design is your favorite? What does your fantasy shoe style look like?

The exhibit runs until September 15, 2013.  If you can't make the show, check out more images here.

Read more >>

Harlem Week - Fashion Flava

Are you in NYC and looking for some soul style? Check out the Fashion Flava fashion show tomorrow afternoon as one of Harlem Week's many events.

All summer long, the Upper Manhattan neighborhood has been host to arts and entertainment events, sporting events, fashion shows for all ages and genders, culinary events and culture for the whole family.  Harlem as a single neighborhood in one city has probably contributed more to America's cultural identity (think food, music...) than any other single neighborhood that I can think of.  The festival celebrates its past as well as its future.

Tomorrow's fashion show will showcase 34 different designers and feature looks that celebrate fashion fans of all shapes and sizes.

For more information and schedule, check out their site here. 
photo from Harlemweek.com 2012 fashion show

Read more >>

Exhibit: Lingerie Francaise

Do you love lacy underthings?  The French do.  They just debuted a pop-up exhibit in tribute to the history of their own lingerie at the Chelsea Market in New York City.  The Lingerie Francaise exhibit covers intimate apparel from the corset's heyday at the end of the 19th century through the movement towards more functional garments and using knit fabric in undergarments.

Bras became mainstream for women at the beginning of World War I.  In the 1920's, with straight bodied shifts and flappers in vogue, the girdle became a staple. In the 1930's, curvy, body conscious fashion was the style of the day and then supportive girdle belts and brads became indispensable.  Key brands in France included corsetiers Lisa Charmel, Simone Perele and Gaby, later Lejaby.

After World War II, the introduction of nylon revolutionized the industry with its durability, cost and ease of maintenance.  Fashions like the popularity of the mini-skirt and pants changed the way women dressed underneath once again.  You couldn't wear a girdle or garters with that, so stockings and brief style panties became de rigeur.   With the bra-burning feminist movement in the 1970's, lingerie manufacturers designed underwear that was light and comfortable enough to feel nude.  The 1980's brought lingerie to the exterior for fashion, so the styles had to be worthy.

The end of this exhibit is a showcase of the sponsoring lingerie brands most recent collections.  From those, I can interpret the trends of today are lots of embroidery and luxury.  So what pretty thinks are YOU wearing underneath?

The exhibits ends on August 6, 2013.  It is located at Chelsea Market at 75 Ninth Avenue in New  York City.

Read more >>

David Bowie Is

A pop icon, a trendsetter in fashion, design... The Victoria and Albert Museum in London has a comprehensive exhibit into the David Bowie archive to explore his creative process.  He may primarily be known as a musician, but his influence in style reaches far beyond that.

 In the 1970's and 1980's he was known for his androgynous, futuristic and avant-garde aesthetic.  His Ziggy Stardust bodysuits were designed by Freddie Buretti and gave direction to activewear.  Dramatic makeup looks were imitated by both men and women.  All are on display in the exhibit.  The rockstar's personal sketches, artwork for his albums, storyboards and intimate diary entries offer insight into his artistic process.

Yves Saint-Laurent, Jonathan Saunders Spring 2013 and Alexander McQueen's Resort 2013 collection were all clearly influenced by the Bowie's style. My first memory of his style was his role in 1986's Labyrinth.  His spiked hair, tights and ruffled shirt as the "Goblin King" was my first encounter with his Rock n' Roll style and the 11 year old me found it incredibly sexy.

The exhibit runs until August 11, 2013.

Photos by Frank W Ockenfels,Duffy Archive,John Robert Rowlands and V&A Museum

Read more >>

Purse Lovers! Simone Handbag Museum

This has got to be the handbag and fashion lovers ultimate museum...The Simone Handbag Museum in Korea is a multi-story shrine to the fashionista's most necessary accessory and is actually built to resemble a purse!

How badass is that?  The team behind the museum are the masters of the handbag craft that include embroiderers, tailors, designers, restoration specialists, etc.  There are specially made mannequins, custom cast arms that were designed to display each handbag in optimum positions.  Historical bags that date as far back as 1550 are painstakingly restored. More contemporary pieces include a 2012 Celine tote and Alexander McQueen Union Jack purse.

Can't make it to Korea?  You're in luck.  Their website is fantastic.  You can click on the photos of their 300 handbags for a detailed image and description (yes, in English).  It also has extensive photos documenting the creation of the museum and mannequins that I found fascinating.

Think you're bag-obsessed now?  I think I enabled your addiction.

Read more >>

Impressionism, Fashion and Modernity

A new exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art opened yesterday that features a beautiful mix of artwork, period costume and photographs. Impressionism, Fashion and Modernity is a comprehensive study of the role fashion played in impressionist artist's depiction of modern life.

The mid to late 1880's marked the debut of the department store and ready-to-wear.  Fashion magazines were also becoming more and more popular.  Stylish society wanted to show off and be documented as trendsetters.  The museum shows iconic pieces from fine artists like Monet's Luncheon in the Grass and  Renoir's The Loge.  These are artists that I had always appreciated for impressionism, but I never thought of them in a 'fashion' context.  Seeing this exhibit, I realized (just like today) the depiction of people in the most current fashions was one of the most effective ways to demonstrate the modernity of the times.  

I am a new fan of portraitist James Tissot whose work depicting society clients resulted in gorgeous paintings of daily life (of the rich).  

As for the fashion in the exhibit, they were broken down into rooms depicting airy white dresses, or mourning dresses in black of elaborate lace.  Soutache embroidery was popular at a time, menswear, corsets, accessories.  Elaborate dresses worn in the evening like premier couturiers, Charles Worth were also displayed.  

This is one of the best exhibits that truly show blend the mix of fine art and fashion together and one you need to check out!  Exhibit ends May 27, 2013.

Read more >>

BOCA: Shooting Fashion and CFDA in Florida

Boca Raton, Florida may not be the fashion capital you are expecting, but the Boca Museum of Art has three stellar fashion exhibitions running simultaneously.  

The first, is Draw and Shoot: Fashion Illustrations and Photographs which shows a collection of images from artists and photographers like Rudolf Bauer, Carl Erickson, Helmut Newton, Richard Avedon, and John Rawlings.  The show examines the evolving aesthetics of style and beauty in how different artists depict fashion through the decades.

Jody Culkin: Refashioned is a show dedicated to the quirky artist and her reinterpretation of iconic fashion items.

The big exhibit however, is IMPACT: 50 Years of the CFDA.  Surprisingly, this is actually the first museum retrospective of the organization and its members itself.  The Council of Fashion Designers in America, over the past 5 decades, has supported and promoted its roster of over 600 designers of the fashion trade.  In this show, living members of the CFDA like Geoffrey Beene, Diane Von Furstenburg, Donna Karan and Vera Wang have selected one item that best represented their contribution to fashion history.  

I'm ready to get out of the cold and immerse myself in some culture in a sunny location...How about you?

All three shows opened this week and will run until April 21, 2013.

photos from bocamuseum.org,jodyculkin.com,fitnyc.edu

Read more >>

Blue Jeans Exhibit at Centraal

How much do you love your jeans?  The fashion staple started as work wear in the 17th century and evolved into a high-fashion must-have in the 20th century.  Centraal Museum in the Netherlands pays tribute to history of denim and the designers that have made jeans a fashion icon.

The exhibit includes some of the first jeans from Levi's as well as designs from Chanel, Martin Margiela and scores of other fashion heavyweights.  You can explore how traditional methods of processing jeans has been destroying the environment and the sustainable materials or eco-friendly techniques that are available today.

I worked in denim for Nautica Jeans for several years, from development to when it landed in the stores.  What many people don't realize, is that the more expensive the jeans, the less they will last.  Why?  The costs of the jeans is related to how many processes have been done to the once pristine garment.  Those soft, artfully dyed, or abrasions are all individual steps.  Jeans can be dyed multiple times with different washes to achieve a certain texture.  Holes, shredding, imprints are hand done.  The cost of a $500 pair of jeans is a result of a long process of destruction.  Ironic isn't it?

I don't know of any singular item, especially a casual clothing item that elicits more love and loyalty from its owner.  Finally, a museum in the Netherlands is giving proper tribute to it!  

Blue Jeans Exhibit at the Centraal Museum runs until March 10, 2013.
image from Centraal Museum

Read more >>

New York Fashion Film Festival 2013

The SVA MPS Fashion Photography Graduate class having been working hard with the CFDA's fashion incubator and now producing the NY Fashion Film Festival at the end of this month.  The festival will feature a selection of the best fashion films of 2012 to be followed by a panel discussion on the genre and its reshaping of fashion imagery.  More info here.

January 31st 7:00pm-9:30pm

School of Visual Arts Theater 

333 West 23rd Street, New York, NY

NYFFF 2012 MEDIA REEL from Bon Duke on Vimeo.

Read more >>

Viktor and Rolf Spicebomb - The Art of Scent

Can fragrance be an art form?  The Museum of Arts and Design is presenting The Art of Scent, an exhibit focusing on works of fragrance between 1889 and 2012.  It shows major innovations in the industry as well as what goes into them.

On January 18, 2013 you can interact in the birth of Viktor & Rolf's new scent, Spicebomb.  The company's scent master Carlos Benaim will be leading an event to show the process of using contemporary spices to create a scent.  Buy tickets here.

Read more >>

Style Icon: Frida Kahlo

I just came back from visiting the Art Gallery of Ontario's wonderful exhibit, Frida & Diego: Passion, Politics and Painting in Toronto.  The tagline was "He painted for the people. She painted to survive."  It was a multi-media exploration of their dramatic relationship and how their personal lives or politics affected their art.  

While Diego Rivera was already a famous muralist, known for his political statements in his work when he met Frida Kahlo, she learned to come into her own as an artist as therapy for her extensive medical traumas.  Working through some of my own traumas in my personal life, I really connected with many of the self-portraits in the exhibit that depicted visual representations of her inner and physical pain.

What struck me from a style fashion standpoint was how important details like hairstyle, accessories and fashion were in the crafting of her personal in art and for the public.  In tribute to her ethnic background and politics, she adopted a style of dress that was inspired by her native Mexican and indigenous culture.  In photographs that were taken of Diego and her, or in portrait photos by other artists, she always had elaborate flower headdresses entwined in braids.  Her clothing was richly patterned and colorful.  In her self-portraits, she often depicted herself wearing huge necklaces, or elements of nature worn like a necklace.  There were paintings where she was framed in lace, evoking her religious beliefs. 

While Frida’s style was not the fashion of her era, it amuses me to realize how contemporary her look is to our present time.  The style of flower headpieces she wore was listed as one of the top trends of 2012 according to Etsy.   I have seen countless photo editorials of flower crowns on blogs as well.  She rocked the statement necklace before it became a “thing”.  Elaborately braided hair was been the beauty blogger’s darling for the past 2 years.  While her eyebrow grooming didn't become a trend, embroidered blouses certainly were. 

Frida inspired countless women to be brave, to express themselves and to love fiercely, and I salute her.

Frida & Diego: Passion, Politics and Painting is on exhibit until January 20, 2013.

Photos, Nikolas Muray, AGO.net,National Museum of Women in the Arts

Read more >>

Ivy Style at The Museum at FIT

Feeling a little preppy?  Are plaids and tweeds the keystones of your wardrobe?  How did this evolve?  The Museum at FIT examines this American style in their exhibit, Ivy Style.  The preppy look had its roots, unsurprisingly, in academia.  Princeton university was one of the key Ivy League universities to initiate the trend.

Many of the iconic elements of preppy dressing came from athletics.  The white cable sweater tied around the shoulders was a tennis look.  Tweed? Saddle shoes? Polo coat? Equestrian sports.  The big contribution to modern dressing that is American sportswear really did come from sports.

Key brands that are iconic to the style are highlighted.  Not surprisingly, they would be labels like Ralph Lauren, Thom Browne, Chipp and Brooks Brothers.

The exhibition ends on January 5, 2013, so see it soon!

Read more >>

Doomsday Fashion - Mayan Costume and Textiles

Most of the world has misinterpreted the ancient Mayan calendar to read that December 21, 2012 was the end of the world.  If you are reading this, this clearly did not happen.  Where are the Mayans, and what do they wear?

I took a trip to Guatemala in college.  My family has visited the country several times since then.  We fell in love with the richly woven textiles and bright colors of the native people.  My father took the photos in this post.  He was actually able to find the little girl in the top photo again several years later in the same town square.

The classic women's garment for Mayans is the Huipil, a two-paneled blouse. They are often heavily embroidered or with brightly colored patterns woven in.  This blouse can be the a top or an over garment, often worn with a skirt. The skirt is also highly patterned. 

For men, a typical outfit would consist of a shirt, pants and sash.  Collars might be embellished with hand-woven patterns or embroidery.  A wool tunic might act as outerwear.

Accessories? Shoulder bags are the handbag of choice for both men and women, often rectangular in shape. Sashes, headwraps, shawls, etc. are called Tzutes, an all-purpose utility cloth.

Did you learn something today?  I don't know about you, but the only people who were actually hoping today was their last was probably Jon Cusack who made the horrible 2012 movie.  Don't worry Jon, you'll still always be the cutie from Say Anything to me.

Photos by David TW Leung

Read more >>

Ballgowns and British Glamour Exhibit

Are you in the heart of the holiday party season?  Have you donned your holiday sparkle, richest bling? If you want to truly be inspired by occasion dressing, catch the Ballgowns and British Glamour exhibit at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London before it leaves on January 6, 2013.

There will be standout examples from Britain's top designers as well as knockouts from recent runways like  Victor Stiebel, Zandra Rhodes, Jonathan Saunders,Hussein Chalayan, Alexander McQueen, Giles Deacon, Erdem and Jenny Packham.   

Not suprisingly, a collection of ballgowns worn by royals like Norman Hartnell gown designed for Elizabeth the Queen Mother, Princess Diana’s ‘Elvis Dress’ designed by Catherine Walker and gowns worn by today’s young royals are also part of the exhibit.  

Whether your party style is just a Union Jack over strategic parts or full on crinoline architecture, be sure to check out this museum over the holidays! 

Photos from The Culture Fur

Read more >>

Fortuny y Madrazo Exhibit

Mariano Fortuny came from a prominent artistic family in Spain.  His most famous contributions to fashion history were his revolutionary pleated fabrics and Delphos dresses.  He also brought in the exotic references from Asia, Africa and multi-cultural muses of his travels into luxury dressing.

A new exhibit at the Queen Sofia Spanish Institute examines Fortuny's work and inspiration.  Curated by Oscar de la Renta, the show shows a large range of his fashion designs, but also his paintings, photography and etchings.  There are photographs that Fortuny took in Greece and Morocco, as well as self portraits and one of his studio.  He was also ahead of his time in photographing his clothing designs on models from many different angles, so viewers could have a virtual 360 degree view like a modern lookbook.

He pioneered the hand pleating technique of his signature fabric (that no one has yet to replicate).  The light, airy Delphos dress was a rebel against the corseted silhouettes of recent past, and he weighted the dress down to hold its shape with glass beads.  He had a partner in his wife Henrietta, who was also an accomplished dressmaker and artist on his beautiful textile designs.  He created his own dyes and pigments for his artwork, some of which were marketed with his name.

I am floored (and envious) of Mariano Fortuny's rich life of such artistic creativity.  Besides painting, photography, textile and fashion design, he also was a theater and lighting designer... His family legacy had generations of artistic accomplishment that led to him, his family peers were the greatest artists of the century.  Being able to work with his wife, living in a gorgeous palazzo in Venice...Sounds heavenly doesn't it?   You must check out this exhibit!

Fortuny y Madrazo: An Artistic Legacy

Queen Sofia Spanish Institute

684 Park Avenue, New York NY 10065

November 30, 2012 - March 30, 2012

Read more >>