FIDM Museum Blog

1970s Gunne Sax dresses

 

Gunne Sax's aesthetic has been described as feminine, nostalgic, Victorian, old world and romantic. Though the brand is now closely associated with formal and bridal wear, its origins date back to late '60s San Francisco. In 1969, San Francisco boutique Gunne Sax needed a house designer. Enter Jessica McClintock, an elementary school teacher with a life-long interest in fashion. When a friend told McClintock of the opening at Gunne Sax, she applied immediately. In a testament to the freewheeling spirit of 1960s San Francisco, McClintock was hired despite her lack of formal training in fashion design or clothing manufacture. In the beginning, McClintock designed small collections of about 20 garments. Within a few months the San Francisco department store I. Magnin started retailing Gunne Sax dresses. The mood of Gunne Sax was based on McClintock's personal vision: "I brought to [Gunne Sax] my own concept of clothing based on romance--nostalgia created by a mixture of prints, ribbons, laces, muslins and braids. It was 1969, the "mini" era was ending, and the Gunne Sax "Country," "Edwardian," and "Prairie" era was beginning."¹ 

Gunne Sax by Jessica McClintock
c. 1975
Gift of Roxanne, Byrnadette & Frank DiSanto
95.817.1

How do curators dress when doing research?

Our curators go the extra mile when they’re researching an exhibition!

Wearing historically accurate dress, inside and out, Kevin Jones and Christina Johnson recently attended the Jane Austen Evening in Pasadena, CA. Sponsored by the Society for Manners & Merriment, this annual event consists of dancing, refreshments and entertainment in the spirit of Jane Austen’s era. Aside from enjoying an evening out, Kevin and Christina had a serious mission: field research for FIDM Museum's Fall 2013 Empire & Romantic exhibition, which will focus on the years 1800-1835. The lifetime of celebrated author Jane Austen (1775-1817) coincides with this era, so the Jane Austen Evening was the perfect opportunity for Kevin and Christina to kick-off their research.

This photo captures Kevin and Christina in their reproduction ensembles. Christina wears a gown of plum silk based on a French fashion plate and flat leather dancing slippers with ribbon ties. Kevin wears a white shirt and cravat, fall front breeches, waistcoat (vest) and dress coat. Their ensembles were designed by Mela Hoyt-Heydon, friend of the FIDM Museum, union costume designer for the entertainment industry and faculty member at Fullerton College Theatre Arts Department. Most of the costume elements were designed by Mela for a stage production of Jane Austen's 1813 novel Pride and Prejudice.

After attending the Jane Austen Evening, Kevin understands why gentlemen of Jane Austen's era always brought a change of linens to Assemblies: dancing is a cardio workout! Also, it's tiring to keep your arms in the proper dance position all evening. Christina learned that wearing a corset greatly improves a lady's deportment, and that fans are necessary after an evening of dancing in a packed ballroom.

Stay tuned for occasional updates as Kevin and Christina develop themes and select objects for this 2013 exhibition. They’re on the hunt for enlightening resources describing the dress and society of 1800-1835. If you know of something useful, send us your suggestions!

 

Blanche and Simone velvet hat, c. 1930-33

 

The 1931 Paris Exposition Coloniale Internationale was designed to showcase the artistic and cultural achievements of France's colonial possessions, while also demonstrating the mutual benefits of the colonial relationship. At the time of the Exposition, France's expansive colonial empire was second in size only to Britain's; by the 1930s, France and its colonies occupied "9.3 percent of the inhabited landmasses of the world."¹ With colonies in Africa, south Asia, Oceania, and the Caribbean, French political rule and cultural influence affected nearly every corner of the globe. Opening in May 1931, the Colonial Exposition brought the arts, architecture and people of France's colonies to Paris for a six-month stay. A correspondent for American Vogue visited the Exposition and described it as being akin to a trip around the world: "you are suddenly transplanted to far colonial lands--to jungles of Africa, to palaces of Angkor, into whole villages of Congo huts, to Chinese temples."²  The Exposition was widely covered in the international press and very popular; over 33 million visitors, from France and beyond, attended the Exposition. 

Headwrap style hat
1930-33
Blanche and Simone
Silk velvet
FIDM Museum Purchase
2009.5.21

20th Annual Art of Motion Picture Costume Design opens February 14, 2012

 

The FIDM Museum is proud to present the 20th Annual Art of Motion Picture Costume Design exhibition. Celebrating the art and industry of costume designers, this exhibition presents more than 100 costumes from twenty films released in 2011, including all five Academy Award nominees for Best Costume. Selected costumes from Anonymous, The Artist, Hugo, Jane Eyre, W.E, Immortals, Super 8, Warhorse and other films provide an up-close view of the costumer's art.

The exhibition will also showcase classic film costumes from the FIDM Museum collection and the Department of Recreation and Parks, City of Los Angeles, Historic Hollywood Collection. Some of these same costumes were featured during the first Art of Motion Picture Costume Design exhibition in 1993. Worn by Fred Astaire, Ingrid Bergman, Jean Harlow, Marlene Dietrich and other Hollywood legends, these historic objects celebrate the history and glamour of Hollywood costuming.

 

Gloves in the 20th century

 

In contemporary fashion, gloves are generally overlooked. Warm knitted gloves keep our hands warm in winter, while sturdy canvas or leather gloves protect our hands during gardening or construction projects. Protective gloves (or sometimes mittens) fill an important role, but because they are primarily utilitarian, function often trumps design. Though brightly colored winter gloves are often cheerfully appealing, they aren't worn just for their appearance; if they aren't warm enough, you'll probably purchase a different pair. When was the last time you wore a pair of gloves simply because their elegance was overwhelming?

Evening gloves
c. 1952
Christian Dior, designer
Lionel Legrand, maker
Leather, rhinestone, bugle beads & sequins
Museum Purchase
2006.5.4AB

In the archives: Silver paper headdress, c. 1860

 

First published in July 2010, this post explores the connections between a delicate nineteenth century headdress in our collection and dress of the ancient world.

 

Anyone interested in the history of fashion quickly realizes that fashion is a series of cyclical repetitions. Contemporary silhouettes, colors and design details reference recent and historic styles, often with only slight modifications to bring a garment into the present moment. This cycle isn't new or unique to contemporary culture; documented revivals of historic fashions exist in the nineteenth century and earlier. Fashion historian Barbara Baines has suggested that revivals of historic dress styles are due to a number of factors, including nostalgia and an interest in associating oneself with specific, perceived characteristics of the past. In addition to these psychological factors, concrete events like an archaeological discovery, museum exhibition or period film can inspire a revival of historic styles.¹

One of the most frequently occurring revivals is that of ancient Greek and Roman dress. This can take the form of a draped garment inspired by Greek and Roman statuary or the presence of a motif like the Greek key. In the nineteenth century, the influence of Greek and Roman dress was seen in the slim, light-colored, empire waist dresses popular at the beginning of the century and the artistic or aesthetic styles that emerged in the 1860s. Also popular in the nineteenth century were jewelry and accessories inspired by the styles of ancient Greece, Rome and other ancient cultures. In 1864, Godey's Lady's Book noted the popularity of historic revivals in jewelry: "Roman, Greek and Egyptian [jewelry] are greatly in demand."²

Silvered paper headdress
c. 1860
Museum Purchase
2008.25.2

Delicate headdresses made of jewels, ribbons and real or artificial flowers and leaves were popular in the late 1850s and early 1860s. These were worn primarily for evening or formal dress, and often matched or complemented motifs seen on the dress itself. Whether incorporating roses, ribbons or the oak leaves seen here, this style is a clear reference to the crowns seen on ancient Greek and Roman statuary. In both ancient Greece and Rome, wreaths of flowers or leaves were awarded to Olympic athletes, military commanders and supreme rulers. Oak leaves and acorns have a particular significance, as they were sacred to the Greek god Zeus and his Roman equivalent, Jupiter.

Like many consumer goods of the mid-nineteenth century, headdresses could be purchased at multiple price-points. The most lavish, worn by royalty and wealthy aristocrats, incorporated precious jewels, gold and silver. More modest headdresses were made of leftover ribbon and fresh flowers. The silver paper headdress seen here was perhaps a less expensive version of the diamond headdresses worn by the upper echelons of society. Like some of its more expensive cousins, this delicate paper headdress was meant to tremble delicately when the wearer moved. Each leaf and flower is wired to the headband, so that the slightest movement creates a delicate, trembling movement akin to the wind gently brushing the leaves of a tree.

 

1 Baines, Barbara. Fashion Revivals: from the Elizabethan Age to the Present Day London: Batsford Ltd. 1981.
2 "Fashions." Godey's Lady's Book and Magazine Jan. 1864: 103.

 

Evening dress, 1925-27

 

Vibrant patterns and bold colors are common characteristics of textiles dating from the 1920s. Rejecting the Belle Epoque palette of off-white and cream accented with pale pink or soft blue, textile designers drew from a variety of eclectic sources to create patterns showcasing a rainbow of saturated colors. Design inspiration came from near and far, with elements of European folk art, modern art movements, non-western cultures and classical civilizations all influencing 1920s textile designs. Though noteworthy in their own right, these textiles were also part of a larger design movement called Art Deco. Originating in France around 1910, Art Deco was based on a luxurious interpretation of modern life. The movement influenced all areas of design, including architecture, fashion, graphic design and decorative arts. Disseminated via the well-attended Paris Exposition of 1925, Art Deco became a universal style that influenced both mass-produced and elite design throughout the world.

Evening dress
1925-27
Gift of Mrs. Geroge Holden
83.360.1

Marc Bohan for Christian Dior, c. 1966

 

Marc Bohan for Christian Dior
c. 1966
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. George Sidney
S2001.27.1

When Marc Bohan presented his first haute couture collection for Christian Dior in 1961, the New York Times reported pandemonium: "the shouting, clapping, surging mob at the press showing caused chaos in the elegant salon. M. Bohan was...kissed, mauled, and congratulated. Chairs were toppled."¹ Bohan's collection was inspired by the 1920s, and featured short chiffon dresses with dropped waists and double-breasted jackets with a straight line. The enthusiastic reception to Bohan's collection signaled not only approval of his designs, but also relief that the most influential house in the haute couture was making a comeback after the rocky years of Yves Saint Laurent's tenure. Appointed head designer for Dior after the founding designer's death in 1957, the young and mercurial Saint Laurent's first collection for Dior was warmly received. But Saint Laurent's 1960 "Beatnik" collection, which featured leather skirts and black turtlenecks, was too much for the women who patronized the haute couture. In contrast, Bohan was an experienced designer, who had worked in the haute couture since 1945. His first position was at Robert Piguet, though he soon moved to Molyneux, later becoming head designer at Maison Patou.

Jeans by Gaultier

 

Jean Paul Gaultier specializes in joyfully rejecting conventional distinctions between masculine and feminine dress. 'Une garde-robe pour deux' (A wardrobe for two), a 1985 Gaultier illustration, portrays a man and women in nearly identical ensembles of wide-legged trousers, midriff-baring tops and oversized jackets. In a play on expectations, Gaultier gives the man a long pony-tail, while the women sports short hair. Gaultier's most notorious experiments in gender-bending are his skirts for men. First introduced in 1985, Gaultier played with the idea of men in skirts through the 1990s. He offered a variety of styles, including kilts, sarongs, tunics and long maxi skirts. Gaultier's comment, "masculinity is not connected to the clothes you're wearing--it's in the mind," offers a basis for his belief in this sometimes controversial mode of dressing.¹ For Madonna's 1990 Blond Ambition tour, Gaultier designed a blue velvet cone bra to be worn by male back-up dancers. This bra complemented Madonna's own outfit, a pale pink corset.

Gaultier's belief that men should adopt clothing typically worn by women is unusual in the history of fashion. Though women have a long history of borrowing and adapting elements of menswear, women's dress rarely influences men's sartorial choices. The realm of functional sportswear is one in which women have borrowed heavily from men. In particular, women adopted a feminized version of male riding attire beginning in the late seventeenth century. A woman's riding ensemble usually included a fitted jacket worn with a full skirt designed specifically for riding side-saddle. For the dedicated horsewomen, full skirts could be both embarrassing and dangerous. If a rider fell, a voluminous side-saddle skirt could become entangled, endangering the rider, or it could fall aside and reveal a woman's undergarments. For both of these reasons, by the late nineteenth century, many female equestrians began wearing riding trousers, either under their skirts or as a garment in its own right. By the 1920s, women's riding habits frequently included the style of trousers called jodphurs; some daring women even wore jodphur-based riding habits as everyday dress. These high-waisted jodphur-style jeans from Gaultier's JPG Jean's line update riding trousers in street-worthy denim.

Jodphur-style jeans
JPG By Gaultier
1995-96
Museum Purchase
2007.5.15

Knowing that they're by Jean Paul Gaultier, you should expect some kind of twist. Buttoned-up, these look like a basic and very wearable version of the ubiquitous jeans. But unbutton the high waist and a trompe l' oeil corset is revealed! The contrast of white cotton with darker denim also suggests the typical menswear pairing of white shirt with dark suit. This playful combination of masculine and feminine elements is pure Gaultier.

2007.5.15

A survey of Gaultier's work is currently on exhibit at the Dallas Museum of Art. The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk will be on view through February 12, 2012. See a short video filmed inside the exhibition here.

1 Polan, Brenda and Roger Tredre. The Great Fashion Designers. England: Berg, 2009. 202.

 

Lily Hanbury picture postcard

 

In the late nineteenth century, London theatres staged productions designed to entertain the working and middle classes. Operettas, comedies, melodramas and Shakespearean drama offered theatregoers "an escape from the dreary monotony and daily discomfort of lives spent mostly in the business of survival."¹ Despite its appeal to the lower classes, theatrical entertainment was also popular among the elite. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert frequently attended the London theatre and had a particular interest in Shakespearean productions.

Naturally, theatrical productions required talented performers. With some exceptions, men filled most of the roles required to stage plays, including writing scripts, managing theatrical troupes, directing and producing. Popular actresses, however, frequently surpassed their onstage roles, becoming internationally known celebrities. This celebrity was only tangentially related to acting skill. Instead, it depended on the attributes that still define twenty-first century celebrity: adherence to particular standards of beauty, glamorous self-presentation and savvy self-promotion. Involvement in a low-level personal scandal with romantic overtones was helpful too.

Lily Hanbury postcard
c. 1900
Gift of Ken Weber
2009.924.20