FIDM Museum Blog

Norma Kamali fringe suit, 1986

 

Suit
Norma Kamali
1986
Gift of Liz Mazurski
2012.1142.71AB

Norma Kamali's fringed two-piece suit is a challenging, slightly eccentric, take on 1980s power dressing. During the 1980s, bland, tailored skirt suits defined women's professional dress. These power suits, derived from men's business suits, articulated the idea that dressing for workplace success meant dressing very much like a man. Power suits, with their sedate palette and uniform silhouette, also worked to disguise the individuality of the wearer. Kamali's suit, with its layers of swaying fringe and stylish bolero jacket, challenges the neutrality of the 1980s power suit.

Betsey Johnson sweater, 1983-84

Is it a sweater or is it a dress? A sweater dress? For the fan of Betsey Johnson's playful, eye-catching designs, this question would be of little concern. According to the designer herself, people who wear Betsey Johnson, "don't get stuck in fashion-says-do-this, fashion-says-do-that...The important thing is to be playful. And experiment."¹ Like her clientele, Johnson was aware that strict fashion rules had fallen by the wayside in favor of a more eclectic approach to fashion. Instead of a strict formula for success, Johnson preferred to think of fashion as a catch-all "vegetable soup," a mix of different textures, flavors and colors that changed from person to person.²

Betsey Johnson
1983-84
Gift of Anonymous Donor
2003.40.96

Bubble silhouette, 1958-59

 

Cocktail dress
1958-59
Gift of Steven Porterfield
S2007.897.8

In March 1958, Vogue lauded the new variety in fashionable silhouettes: "a whole lovely flight of new forms--winged, floating, or held slightly away from the body in some mysterious way. It is the variety of shapes that marks these Paris collections."¹ In the accompanying 20-page editorial, readers were introduced to St. Laurent's A-line trapeze dress for Dior, Cardin's bubble hem skirt suit, Madame Grès empire-waist chiffon day dress, and Chanel's slim, two-piece wool suit. The hodge-podge of silhouettes presented in the article suggests that Christian Dior's 1947 New Look silhouette was finally being surpassed by new approaches to the body. The 1958 Vogue article credited the availability of varied silhouettes to the body-skimming chemise dress, which had become popular the previous year.

Chains of Chanel

 

Gilt chains are a recurring visual theme in the Chanel lexicon. Beginning in the 1920s, Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel promoted costume jewelry as an alternative to jewelry made of gold and studded with pearls and precious stones. Chanel didn't just promote costume jewelry, she also wore it herself, pairing bold necklaces of faux pearls, gilt and glass stones with her straightforward daywear. In a famous 1937 photo by Horst P. Horst, Chanel casually reclines and her necklaces fall to the side. Who cares if they are real or faux? In 1938, it was said that her " "gold" necklaces were the biggest and most flamboyant in Paris."¹

After 1953, when Chanel emerged from retirement, she applied gilt chains to her garments and accessories for both decorative and functional purposes. The now iconic quilted leather Chanel bag with a chain strap was first introduced in 1955, and is often called 2.55 because it was released in February 1955. Based on a bag Chanel used in the 1920s, this modest rectangular bag has a chain handle that can be slung over the shoulder, or carried at the elbow. A Chanel suit also features a gilt chain, though it is frequently hidden from sight. The jacket always features a lightly quilted lining with a gilt chain hand-stitched to the interior hem of the jacket. The appearance of chain is echoed in braided trim that is often used to reinforce and decorate cuffs, collar and pockets of the suit jacket.

Chanel
Karl Lagerfeld
1985
Gift of Barbara Bundy
2006.37.4

In his designs for Chanel, Karl Lagerfeld has often reworked the iconic signatures of Coco Chanel. In this black wool dress, Lagerfeld pays homage to Chanel by layering trompe l'oeil chains at the waist of a sleeveless black wool dress. A mix of leather, gold embroidery and bugle beads, the chains reference Chanel’s love of costume jewelry and the casual, carefree way that Chanel wore her own jewelry. The simple silhouette and black ground serve as the perfect foil for the richness of the appliqued belts.

 

1 "New Costume Jewelry" New York Times 30 Jan. 1938: 80.

 

Donna Karan and Robert Lee Morris

 

Donna Karan's first solo collection, presented in spring 1985, was an immediate success. According to a fashion editor who attended the presentation, "pandemonium broke loose after the last three models appeared."¹ Consisting of layered, monochromatic ensembles in cashmere, wool jersey and other subtly luxurious fabrics, Karan's collection responded to the needs of working women like herself: busy professionals with a desire to look both feminine and polished. By design, Karan's clothing flattered a curvier body: "Somewhere in the back of my mind is the figure I always start with—wide shoulders and a shaped body, with round hips."²

The foundation of Karan's signature style was a long-sleeved bodysuit, usually worn with opaque tights. Unlike the standard button-up blouse, the knit bodysuit emphasized and flattered a woman's torso. Over this sleek foundation, Karan layered, wrapped or tied skirts, shawls, coats and jackets. Because Karan favored a monochrome (usually black) palette, the basic components of this versatile wardrobe could be combined to create ensembles suitable for any season, any occasion.

This red Donna Karan knit bodysuit pairs with a matching skirt.

Bodysuit
Donna Karan
c. 1990
Gift of Mary Dubrow
S2005.855.2A

Summer dresses

 

The FIDM Museum is based in Los Angeles, so we're fortunate to experience moderate temperatures throughout the year. Given that Los Angelenos can often wear gauzy, lightweight clothing even in December, we sometimes loose track of the fact that summer is a distinct season. But there's something to be said for winter, if for no other reason than when it's over, summer clothing is a welcome change from heavy winter garb. With that in mind, we're welcoming the start of summer (we're a few days late...the summer solstice occurred on June 21) with a few summer dresses from our collection. First up, a red and purple halter dress. Any guesses as to who the designer is? The answer is after the jump.

Thierry Mugler jellies

 

Remember jellies? Brightly colored, glossy plastic jelly shoes, usually shortened to jellies, were a 1980s fad. Made from injection molded plastic, jellies were available in a rainbow of colors and often had a textured (braided, ridged, etc.) surface. Though slip-on jellies were the most common style, buckle jelly sandals and even jelly lace-ups were also available. This pair by Thierry Mugler are in the classic slip-on style, though the lightning bolt cut-out gives them a unique character. Though it's a bit difficult to see in this image, the shoes are embedded with gold glitter.

Apollo jelly shoes
Thierry Mugler for Grendha
1985
Museum Purchase
2004.5.67AB

Dressing for a royal wedding

 

If you've been following media reports regarding the wedding of Kate Middleton and Prince William, this advice will sound familiar. For women attending a royal wedding, "hats are required, and there will be lots of big brims and fitted toques...many will wear long gloves with their short sleeves. Men should be in morning coats [or] dress uniforms."¹ This advice is nearly identical to that given on a recent ABC News segment, Royal Wedding Style Guide for Guests. You might be surprised to learn that the advice referenced above actually dates from a previous royal wedding, that of Lady Diana Spencer and Prince Charles in July 1981. Though 30 years apart, the dress code specified on the invitations for both royal weddings is nearly identical.

It's interesting that neither invitation specifies appropriate feminine dress; only male attire is referenced directly. Are women expected to somehow intuit suitable dress for historic and formal weddings? The 1981 article referenced above also noted that women shouldn't wear full-length dresses (too formal) or pants (too casual). Worn by Betsy Bloomingdale to the 1981 wedding of Charles and Diana, this silk day dress fits the bill--neither too long nor too short, it was entirely appropriate for the occasion.

Day Dress
Marc Bohan for Dior
Spring-Summer 1981
Silk crêpe, silk chiffon
Gift of Mrs. Alfred Bloomingdale
2006.116.78BC/C

Mary McFadden

 

If you read our recent post on Mariano Fortuny, this dress may look somewhat familiar. Slim, columnar and featuring narrow pleats, this Mary McFadden (b. 1938) dress is reminiscent of Fortuny's iconic Delphos dress. Though both share an obvious interest in the dress of ancient Greece, unlike Fortuny's unstructured silk gowns, this McFadden evening dress uses boning to shape the bodice.

Mary McFadden
1984-86
2002.149.36
Gift of Patricia G. Waldron, M.D.

Ted Lapidus fur, c. 1983

 

Bill Cunningham's recent On The Street video "Fabulous, Mr. Fox," pointed out something I've noticed over the past few months: a renewed interest in animal prints and fur, both real and fake. In November 2010, the New York Times featured an article on fur coats made from nutria, a voracious rodent. Vogue's December 2010 editorial titled "On The Prowl" highlights a trend for "wildcat-print heels roam[ing] the urban jungle."¹ And don't forget the Fall 2010 Chanel collection, which featured shaggy fake fur showcased against a frozen background, including chunks of an iceberg reportedly transported from Scandinavia.

Some have suggested that the renewed popularity of fur and animal prints can be directly tied to the prevalence of fast fashion. When fashion-forward styles and designer capsule collections can be bought inexpensively at mass-market retailers, those with the interest and financial resources purchase status items (fur, specific handbags) unavailable at lower price points. Thus, fur is driven into a niche market, reinforcing its status as a luxury item. Ironically, some mass-market retailers, including H&M and Forever 21, have stopped using fur and/or exotic leathers in their collections. Though made for ethical reasons, this decision further reinforces the idea of fur as a rare and desirable commodity.

Knee-length fur coat
Ted Lapidus
Wolf/coyote/leather
c. 1983
Gift of Jo Holzman
2006.871.2