Thursday, March 24, 2011
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Arthur Elgort
Congratulations to CFDA Special Tribute Honoree, the talented Arthur Elgot, for decades of fashion inspiration!
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Buren Vs. Spring 2011
Daniel Buren at Staatliche Kunsthalle Baden Banden
Prada S 2011
Thom Browne, S 2011
Jonathan Saunders, S 2011
Monday, March 21, 2011
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Fashion Sues Art, Art Attacks
In 2007, Nadia Plesner began making her work about Darfur, with proceeds benefitting the struggle. The depiction of a Louis Vuitton type bag in one shocking image resulted in a lawsuit for copyright infringement. Plesner then created a foundation to increase awareness of issues but this year the hacker group Anonymous has decided to use this incident to leverage a full targeted attack on Louis Vuitton, both online and in society at large, see more here.
The oppression that inspired Plesner's work has resulted in an oppressive counter-attack. Unfortunately, guerilla methods do not normally accomplish complete revolution; at best there will be reform. This site focuses on how the intersection of fashion and art collapses the territorial boundaries between the two. Fashion and art are united by shared values of creative vision, expression, beauty, and much more. Corporations unite fashion and art by shared values of productivity, revenue and territorial dominance. Fashion and art can exist without corporations, and corporations can exist without fashion and art but mutual respect is the best for all involved. We cannot annihilate centuries of capitalism in one gesture, nor should we aim for destruction. What fashion and art can do for corporations is encourage understanding of the frailty of the human condition, which is not accomplished through aggression. Patrons have long supported creation and there is no reason that fashion, art and commerce cannot work together but all should answer to the same respect for dignity, and at its best fashion and art should lead the way with grace.
Friday, March 18, 2011
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Madame Grès
In Paris through July is an exhibition of designer Madame Grès at Musée Bourdelle. The exhibition features the life work in couture of the designer who was known for draping.
This is the first retrospective of the master of couture. 50 years of work and 80 pieces are presented. More information here.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Soumaya Museum
Opened on March 1st, the Museo Soumaya in Mexico is funded by Carlos Slim to present his private collection.
Triumphant Angel by Dalí
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Death Becomes You
Banks Violette, Not Yet Titled, 2009
In a Samarkand legend, a servant encounters the specter of Death at the market. The ominous figure looks at the servant and the makes a gesture in his direction. Trembling with fear, the servant runs to his master and tells him about the gesture. He asks for a horse and then flees to Samarkand. Later, the master summons Death and reproaches him for frightening one of his best servants. And Death replies, "I did not mean to frighten him. I was just surprised to see your servant today at the market when we have a rendez-vous tomorrow in Samarkand."
Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, S 2011
Rick Owens, F 2011
Death. The decline and decay of mortality allows for renewal and new life, and thus fashion needs death. Death as a concept evokes frailty, darkness, trauma, sickness, decline and most recognizably - black. Black is also the fashion standard, the timeless color code that dominates the closet of the servants in the fashion industry. Black and white have become the serious, non-verbal dialectic for the most significant designers. Color is used to selectively punctuate the conversation in spring but this fall, the specter of death speaks loudly, using macabre capes and gothic overtones.
YSL, F 2011"Hell – golden age. Key words for this hell: ennui, gambling, pauperism. One canon for these dialectics: fashion. The golden age as catastrophe." Walter Benjamin, “Das Passagen-Werk,” 1927-1940. Benjamin was fascinated by the 19th century. "The Raven" from 1845 was a significant turn culminating in the ultimate celebration of death in À Rebours, by Joris-Karl Huysmans in 1884.
"And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain, Thrilled me - filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;...But the silence was unbroken, and the darkness gave no token," "The Raven"
Haider Ackermann, F 2011
Celine, F 2011
“‘They don’t divert me, the pleasures other people enjoy,’” protested Des Esseintes.” ...He obtains a large tortoise and has it covered in gold and gemstones for amusement. In describing the death of the tortoise, he remarked: “it had not been able to support the dazzling luxury imposed on it, the shining garment in which it had been clad.," À Rebours, by Joris-Karl Huysmans
Alexander Wang, F 2011
Lanvin, F 2011
Monday, March 14, 2011
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