Bulletproof Fashion

Gentle Reader -

The traditional fabrications of silks in fashion might be a bit old-fashioned. Performance fabrics may have new uses in high-end, prototypical fashion design:

A moisture-wicking afternoon dress?

Suppose you have been informed that your security detail may be compromised. Shouldn't your clothing be your first line of defense? What about an evening dress that is bulletproof?

Just a thought for future couture.

- AP

Masterdress: Cristóbal Balenciaga

Gentle Reader -

This image of a Balenciaga gown belongs to the Cristóbal Balenciaga Museoa (CBM), the home of many a vintage item made by arguably the greatest male designer of the previous century. Certainly we should give credit to his workrooms, those spaces where the clothes were actually made by skilled staff.

It's a masterdress from 1951, in a class all its own. It does not scream for attention; rather curiously, it has its own presence.

To make the online pilgrimage to the CBM, visit cristobalbalenciagamuseoa.com.

- AP

Worth, Mainbocher: The Online Exhibition

Gentle Reader -

The Museum of the City of New York's exhibition of Worth & Mainbocher can be found here:

http://collections.mcny.org/C.aspx?VP3=CMS3&VF=MNYO28_2

Welcome to a period when fashion was once set by the collaborative effort of personal and professional taste. To get the most of this online exhibition, it's best to use the "magnify" option to get to the details.

Two items of note among the clothes:

Worth: a pale blue evening dress from 1866-67 (ref. 62.190.1A-C)

Mainbocher: a black day dress from 1947 (fall, ref. 58.123.3)

Enjoy!

- AP

Cryptic Mondays: More Fashion Fragments

Gentle Reader -

Some cryptic fashion messages for this Monday:

* The 1940s deserve a re-evaluation: the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the modern era once coexisted in an intoxicating mix

* Geoffrey Beene: a past master that should not be underestimated

* Leather openwork: no, it is not the new lace. But it does reflect the moment.

* Maggy Rouff: overdue for rediscovery.

* Ungaro: ??? Exactly.

* Advice to Hedi at YSL: not too much Hedi, not too much Yves. Get the iconic pieces to work once again as a modern vocabulary

Enjoy unraveling these delightful fragments!

- AP

On Trend: McQueen's Influence

Gentle Reader -

While we may be decades away from seeing YSL's influence finally ebb, there is a clear reference in the current collections (that would be Fall-Winter 2012/2013) to the Spring-Summer 2010 collection of the late (Lee) Alexander McQueen.

Fashion genius? Of course.
Fashion great? It's a developing story.

- AP

An Open Archive from Paris

Gentle Reader -

If you are a fan of fashion as it was once practiced (read: without the need for conglomerates), I invite you to look through the online archive of Jalou, the publisher of L'Officiel and L'Officiel Hommes:

http://patrimoine.jalougallery.com/

Despite some really good collections for fall/winter 2012 now showing, a walk through fashion past is an opportunity to 'situate' the current looks - something only fashion editors usually have the time (or luxury) for.

Enjoy!

- AP

Fashion: Essential Fabrics

Gentle Reader -

After the flurry of Spring/Summer 2012 collections, one thing seemed to stand out:

- those who know how to work with fabrics, and those who are not yet masters

Consider that Cristobal Balenciaga's most famous silhouettes were made with gazar; Yves Saint Laurent's smokings (the evening pantsuit) would not be the same without wool grain de poudre. Do we have to mention Coco Chanel and wool jersey?

Choosing a preferred material to work with may perhaps yield better design than the many options that designers use (or are forced to use) in today's fashion.

- AP