assignment 5.1

Classical Revival in  Medieval setting....

Guess that is what has happened in the history of fashion cycles...... up to now..My mind is spinning around in circles, about the question ,if, with the end the 20th century, Fashion reached an end of these historical cycles, as style cycles. Have they become subject of a theme, or part of seasonalstyle adopted by a designer.Has Fashion emerged into a self concsious identity of what she is about: a continious change of shapes, in all its possible styles (new as historical)....

CHANGE AND CONTINUITY AS DRIVING PRINCIPLES FOR SHAPE?

Classic style, the greeck and romans....

Statue of 1915,  by Cipri Adolf. A statue of Aristotles, showing draped garment -classic style.

A detail of a fresco by Raphael ''The Athens School'', 1509-1510. Beside the classic style shown in a variety of garments. Its cultural content is symbolized in this fresco, showing the greek philosophers  Plato and Aristoteles in a dialogue,in the centre of the fresco, with rest surrounding them (literally...). 

It shows importance of physical as well as mental fitness, as well as the cooperation between individuals. The classic style is a result of that culture.

 Another interesting aspect of the fresco, is its ''classic'style''of painting, done in the beginning of  15oo,(start of Rennaissance period)........as opposed to the next image,  out of a previuos era (image dated 1493)

Aristoteles is portrayed as 15th century scholar...in a medieval  style garment.

The contrast in style is very clear(look at the triangle shapes)...

Artwork by Abrecht Durer, Melencolia

This artwork depicts the longing to a more, a better, a more beautiful life in all its aspects...typical for medieval world (triggering Renaissance, rebirth of historical values)

Relating this aspect of medieval thought (human thought...) i would like  to state a 

a quote by Oscar Wilde (1854-1900)with reference to Fashion:

''Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable we have to alter it every six months''

In search for my images of revival of both classic and medieval style...i ended in a mental state that i started to see revival in everything...transformed into personal, contemporary vision...

i choose to post very evident images of revival...

To start with this YSL dress, which i think its important,as the dress itself has had several revivals.Yves Saint Laurent being an influental designer, within  the Paris tradition.

Classic style, with an image of John Galliano men's Collection spring 2010.

Photo is taken by fashion photographer Sonny van der Velden.I love this image as its shows the new setting with graffiti on the back....and Galliano is always very upfront as where his designs refer to...

Medieval revival with Garth Pugh 

and showing cultural difference...

Belgian modesty in Dries van Noten 's interpretation of Medieval

and last but not least images of ethnic and folkoristic styles...

Folkloristic Dutch by Monique van Heist 2006

Ethnic and/or Folkoristic?Chanel Paris-Moscow

Folkloristic Costume Hindelopen,before 19th century

to end my assignment 5,1 post with this amazing ''look'' by Commes Des Garcons.Folkoristic,Ethnic elements are clear,but the look has this mysterious touch that just makes it work...(for me)

assignment 4.1

In this first image we can see Elmur in historical tailored trousers with socks attached to them and a tunic, and a viking helmet (referring to his Northern roots).

I just love the historical Greek versus Nothern(European)-symbolism in this Looney Tunes image of Elmur Fudd and Bugs Bunny. I could fill the whole post( and more pages) with the content and symbolism i see in this cartoon, but i will stick my rambling mind to the assignment: compiling historical tailored and draped garments. 

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This above painting,of which i did not write down the source/painter but  i think is just too beautiful not to share, especially as it shows in a superb way the greek/roman draped dresses and veils, and even a hooded cloak. It appeals to a certain level of sophistication, typical for the greek and roman civilization as opposed to the ''barbarian'' Northern countries.

The Looney Tunes cartoon refers in a very subtle  way to this intellectual(spiritual) dimension of historical dress by picturing especially the character of Elmur, in a historical tailored garment, trying too master ''sophistacated manners'' through a posture....

..but its not about posture/gesture in the end,its intellectual, its what is in the mind ...

And do i like the creative minds of below designers first image is a design by Jan Taminau, Draped dress, collection 2009, and the second image , a design by Marc Jacobs Tailored Tunic tight together by a rope....Resort 2010 collection.

Jan Taminau Draped Dress 2090

Marc Jacobs Tailored Tunic 2010

and from a different historical period, the 1920's, a historical  furr cloak 

designed by Fourrures Weil in Paris. I like this image because it expresses the Environmental Protection , the main historical function of the cloak, as well as its ''body-covering'' shape.

and i think an image of dresses designed by Paul Poiret should not be missing within an assignment of historical draped garments... Image is called ''the brides of the future''...sub-title says ''costumes for brides and honorable ladies''.

As a last image, i want to add a an garment by a future designer, a 2009-graduate student of Antwerp Fashion Academy, Emilie Pirlot. She gives the concept&vorm of historical garments a contemporary, personal interpretation; creating a totally new (her own)style....

preparation assignment 4.1

still inspired by Missoni Fall 2009....

not only going back to her own historic roots of knits, Missoni seems to have gone back to the Historical Draped and Tailored Garments for her inspiration....shawls, stola's, gloves and mittens, socks and woolen trousers....

Since i am living in Urkraine having extremely cold winters...this collection is very tempting!

assignment 3.1

After a lot of thinking and contemplating lovely creatons, I made the choice of posting several a images, an image that ''has it all'' (all 6 functions i mean) is the above garment by Missoni 2009 Fall collection. I believe this garment/outfit expresses all 6 functions in a way that is very subtle, yet expressive-Missoni kind of way. Environmental Protection in the classical sense, meaning ''keeping warm'', with knitted scarfs, woollen outfits.

A way I personally like, a multi-layered (yes i like layers), hip-hop meets romantic-hippie look. This ''spider-web-y'' dress, gives the garment a delicate touch suitable for a party, or just feeling good at home on a gloomy day.

Apparantly Angela Missoni's daughter Margherita was wearing a 2009-collection dress on front row of the show....this expresses the ceremonial, but even more the group membership function of dress in a very direct way.

And from a different culture,a garment by Japanese Kimono designer Jotaro Saito. The Kimono expresses also the 6 functions within one garment. Gender differentiation is achieved by the middle belt,which for women is much broader, and from bust to waist line.

An image i am adding ,at the latest moment, as the class discussion is covering the topic of Environmental Protection just now.

The Urban Security Suit by the dutch designer Tim Smit

In reality its all being about the perception of danger

...I believe this image to be very appropiate...

preparation assignment 3.1

label Y-3  by Yamamoto (daughter)

since i have been going to school, i have been found''difficult'',never fitting in, as i did not seem to be able to simply answer a ''normal''question....instead always raising new ones.

this was not a problem when doing my Bachelor of Philosophy

...but i feel ''being difficult'' once again during this course...i don't understand the word ''compile''...

ok. but i do understand the 6 functions of dress, so in my preparation to the final post of assignment 3.1, i just want to share these great  images i found ...in the mean time i will try to figure out what compile means, and what we are expected to submit...

 unknown boy in street

images of garments, assignment 2.1

De Boertjes,photo taken in 1938,of curator Willem Sandberg of  the Stedelijk Musem, explaining an exhibition on 100yrs of French art to visitors. 

 ...i find this image fascinating, somehow capturing everything...The visitors are dressed in typical dutch folkloristic costume made of cotton, and by that showing their status as farmers. The ''artistic/intellectual scene'' is represented by museum curator dressed in a suit (probably wool).To me this picture shows different worlds, just by the way the people in the picture are dressed, they are connected via de Artwork.Art Communicates....

Fashion is Art, Art is Fashion

The image above is considered to be Johannes Vermeer's Masterpiece , the milkmaid, painted in 1658. The reason choosing to post this painting, next to its beauty ,and showing garment and textiles, is its influence in today's fashion... The aesthetic contemplation of paintings like these become a source of inspiration for contemporary fashion, transcending the historical content of what is shown. Designers like Galliano ,in a creative act ,show their interpretation of the Golden Age paintings....The Dior Haute Couture Spring 2009  Collection....

Theatrical fabrics as velvet/silk/organza and lace are used. Main feature in the work of  Galliano is the textile/ fabric choice, especially the middle dress, creating an illusion of ironwork. The fabrics are intrinsic to the design of the dresses. This design technique/style is not new, like shown in underneath image, dated at the end 19th century. A silk evening dress by the House of Worth.

The black velvet and white satin textiles are woven ''a la disposition'', with the intent that each piece becomes a specific part of the dress. The House of Worth, was one of the most important fashion houses in Paris during 1858-1956, owned by the 2 brothers Jean-Philippe and Gaston Worth. Their dresses where made of Crepe the Chine, mousseline, lace, tule, chiffon and Jugendstil embroideries. 

Another designer inspired by painters, and considering himself as an artist was Paul Poiret. He had the painter Raoul Duffy design textiles  for him.Paul Poiret broke with the tradition, of women wearing a  corset, he introduced dresses with a high waistline, and his gowns where simple with no thrills compared the era before. He dominated the fashion scene untill 1914.

I choose below images to grasp ''the feeling the form' of his designs. These images where made 

by Paul Poiret, and show the contrast with House of Worth design-style, soft fabrics are used, and instead of the illusion of an iron look, rubber was used when the silhouette of a women was such that a ''corset''was needed. Smooth and soft draped fabrics....

Another designer breaking with tradition was Coco Chanel, introducing in 1926 ''the little black dress'',a short, collarless, longsleeved, blouse-dress. Coco Chanel was the first to make clothes out of woolen Jersey. The little black dress became an icon in the fashion world...and today its considered as a ''must have'' in each women's wardrobe

jersey wool dress

 I started this post with the dutch art influences on fashion, discussing some french fashion houses, to conclude my assignment with the Belgian.Belgian Fashion stands out according to me, one only has to look at the website of the Antwerp Fashion School, and look at the shows and work  of the different years, (not only graduation).

Antwerp Fashion Show 2009

Last but not least.... Dries van Noten, especially his use of natural textiles, and a balanced use of printed fabrics in his collections continue to inspire me for years...

Dries van Noten 2009, 

inspiring textile project

In my search for the second assignment concerning images of garments made out of different textiles, i went for inspiration to Gerrit Rietveld Academy , and clicked onto their Textiles divison,

website:

http://www.gerritrietveldacademie.nl/txt

i just want to share these beautiful images of 2 of their projects 

But one should really take some time and explore all of these projects, very inspiring and interesting i believe...

Fashion Source Book

i just love fabrics...i discovered i have a new addiction, instead of websearching on YOOX or NET-A-PORTER, i am now dividing my weekly ''routine'' into visiting the fabric stores in the city (discovered 4 great ones)...

apparently all left-over fashion fabrics from Dolce&Gabbana, Moschino, Armani are shipped to eastern europe....

This is my main source of inspiration, my starting point of whatever i am creating...

there fore i believe these pictures to be a good staring point of my Fashion Source Book, that i am going to start creating as from today within my Master Course History of 20th Century Fashion Arts. Being mainly influenced by Western European cultures, lived in Italy, France, Belgium and Holland, i now find myself living in a country where Fashion & Street Wear show an inconsistency i have never experienced before....

The local Fabric stores sell Dolce & Gabbana (notice the dots on the picture...), Versace, Dior, Armani...but when you then take a look at the people in the street...a bigger gap in style between the style of these Fashion Houses and the  Ukrainian people wearing these fabrics i have not experienced before. The length of the high-heel's is approximately the same as the length of their mini-skirt, and everybody has a certain dose of ''bling bling''

I suddenly realise how Fashion and StreetWear is influenced by culture, social status and history (both social and political). I am living in a former Communist Country, with poverty and curruption all around. Electricity and tabwater are not for granted...and yet, everybody (poor to rich) is ''dressed up'', and glitters its way in the street....