FIDM Museum Blog

One last look at 2011--Alexander McQueen peacock dress

 

Before we get too far into 2012, we wanted to mention one final blog post from 2011. When we compiled our Top Five Posts of 2011, our post on Alexander McQueen's peacock dress was an extremely close runner-up. This post trailed very slightly (one page view!) behind our fifth most popular post on Lucile. McQueen's creation was a favorite during our recent FABULOUS! exhibition and we wanted to give you one more chance to revisit it before we begin posting new content for 2012.

All of us at the FIDM Museum thank you for your continued support of our many endeavors! We wish you the very best in 2012. Our next project is the twentieth anniversary Art of Motion Picture Costume Design exhibition, opening February 14, 2012. More on this exhibition soon!

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Alexander McQueen's famed peacock evening dress, currently on display in FABULOUS!, is a crowd favorite. Visitors routinely beeline straight for the frothy dress, which resides on a rotating platform in the third and final gallery of the exhibition. We commissioned it from the Alexander McQueen atelier in 2010 and it took about 7 months to create. It is one of only three extant versions of the dress. And do you see those shoes? These replica shoes, based on those worn with the peacock dress during its runway presentation, were created by our mountmaker extraordinaire.

Evening dress
Fall/Winter 2008-9
Commissioned 2010
Alexander McQueen
Museum Commission
Funds provided by Karen Coombs-Jordan
2010.5.73

Herve Leger

 

Herve Leger's signature bandage dresses consist of elastic bands wrapped round and round the body, sometimes with a curved band strategically placed at bust or hips for emphasis. Sewn horizontally like the funeral wrappings of a mummy, the elastic bands sculpt the body as would a girdle or corset. The resulting "tight and steamy" fit of a Leger bandage dress was not for the faint of heart.¹ Leger's glamorization of the female body signalled the emergence of the strong, sexy and slightly transgressive aesthetic that would influence fashion throughout the 1990s.

Leger first introduced the bandage dress about 1992, a few years after he took note of discarded stretchy elastic bands in a garbage can at a clothing factory. Leger was probably working for Charles Jourdan at the time, having previously worked at Chanel, Fendi, Chloe, Diane Von Furstenberg and Lanvin. Leger's solo collections were invariably riffs on the bandage theme, with color, length, band orientation, and neckline providing variety. This black mini jumpsuit showcases Leger's iconic second-skin fit.

Mini Jumpsuit
Herve Leger
1991-92
Gift of Nancy Riegelman
2006.602.2

Alexander McQueen Peacock Dress

 

Alexander McQueen's famed peacock evening dress, currently on display in FABULOUS!, is a crowd favorite. Visitors routinely beeline straight for the frothy dress, which resides on a rotating platform in the third and final gallery of the exhibition. We commissioned it from the Alexander McQueen atelier in 2010 and it took about 7 months to create. It is one of only three extant versions of the dress. And do you see those shoes? These replica shoes, based on those worn with the peacock dress during its runway presentation, were created by our mountmaker extraordinaire.

Evening dress
Fall/Winter 2008-9
Commissioned 2010
Alexander McQueen
Museum Commission
Funds provided by Karen Coombs-Jordan
2010.5.73

Issey Miyake Pleats Please

 

The concept of Issey Miyake's Pleats Please line is simple: timeless, wearable garments that require minimal care and maintence. As the name of the line suggests, the distinguishing feature of the Pleats Please line are the pleats. Unlike most pleated garments, wherein the pleats are created as part of the construction process, Miyake's pleats are created in a process separate from the joining of seams. Garment pieces are cut 2 1/2 to 3 times the desired size and then sewn together. The oversize garment is then placed between two sheets of paper and run through a heat-set pleating machine. Because Pleats Please garments are constructed from a polyester textile, the resulting mushroom pleats are permanent, holding their shape even through the wash cycle. When the line was introduced in 1993, Miyake noted its hearty character, calling it " 'anti-static, perspiration-absorbent, anti-stain and fast-drying.' "¹ 

Issey Miyake
Pleats Please
c. 2000
Gift of Elizabeth Galindo
2008.886.1

Thanks to the Robert M. Adams Charitable Foundation, we're working on the Rudi Gernreich Archive.

Remember the Rudi Gernreich Archive? Consisting of accessories, garments, paper patterns, furniture, scrapbooks and other miscellaneous items, this collection demonstrates the breadth and depth of Rudi Gernrich's creativity. Our post Transforming the Rudi Gernreich Archive described some of the steps we've taken to ensure the continued preservation of this extensive and varied collection. Thanks to a generous grant from the Robert M. Adams Charitable Foundation, we've been able to begin intensive work with an important component of the archive, Rudi Gernreich's scrapbooks.

Rudi Gernreich's 32 scrapbooks consist primarily of press clippings. Because of his innovative, sometimes controversial designs Gernreich received extensive press throughout his career. As you can see from this image, the paper clippings were taped or glued to the page. With age, the tape has become extremely discolored, not to mention brittle.The paper of the clippings themselves has also deteriorated with age. Though nothing can be done to reverse this process, our goal is to prevent further damage. The page seen here features articles and correspondence related to Gernreich's notorious topless bathing suit.

Page from Gernreich's topless bathing suit scrapbook, c. 1964

19th Annual Art of Motion Picture Costume Design Exhibition now open!

 

Did you see The King's Speech, Alice in Wonderland or True Grit? What about Clash of the Titans or Burlesque? Selected costumes from these and other films are currently on display at the FIDM Museum. Featuring costumes from 20 films released in 2010, our annual exhibition provides an up-close view of the costumer's art.

The exhibition is FREE and open to the public, Tuesday – Saturday from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. through April 30th, 2011. Please note that the FIDM Museum will be closed April 22 through April 25 for Spring Recess.

Until you have a chance to see the exhibition in person, here's a sneak peak. You'll have to visit our galleries to see what other costumes are on display!

 

Collen Atwood for Alice in Wonderland. The costumes from Alice in Wonderland are nominated for a Costume Design Academy Award. A prolific costume designer, Atwood has received many Oscar nominations for her costume designs and won twice: Memoirs of a Geisha in 2006 and Chicago in 2002.

 

Re-Designing History Illustration Competition winner inspired by Lolita style

 

Remember our Re-Designing History illustration competition? In conjunction with our current exhibition, Re-Designing History: FIDM Museum Study Collection, 1850-2000, we sponsored a competition for current FIDM students. The goal was to create a design inspired by this c. 1872 fuschia day dress. Our panel of judges selected three winners based on the following criteria: overall creativity, visual composition, and design inspiration. Thank you to the many students who submitted illustrations, and congratulations to the competition winners: Katrina Andrews (3rd Place, Fashion Design), Marc Blaskovits (2nd Place, Graphic Design) and Elizabeth Teemley (1st Place, Theatre Costume Design). As 1st place winner, Elizabeth's illustration will be on display in our gallery until Re-Designing History closes on December 17, 2010. Elizabeth describes her design process, inspiration and style in the following entry.

 

Hello, everyone. Elizabeth Teemley here. Thank you all for your congratulatory words and your interest in my art. I must say I was surprised, but honored, to be selected as a winner in the Re-Designing History competition. On top of winning, I have an opportunity to share a little about my art. As might be apparent in my illustration, I am inspired by anime and Japanese comics. My favorite fashion trend originates in Japan, as well. You may have heard of a style called Lolita. It is a fashion that draws primarily from Victorian children's clothing. Lolita girls are particularly obsessed with Alice in Wonderland. I, too, am inspired by Alice's innocence and how it contrasts with the somewhat dark and mysterious wonderland she enters.

Elizabeth Teemley's 1st place illustration

Re-Designing History: FIDM Museum Study Collection, 1850-2000

 

Re-Designing History: FIDM Museum Study Collection, 1850-2000 is now open!
This free exhibition is open to the public Tuesday–Saturday, 10am–4pm, until December 17, 2010.

Coat
c. 1926
Silk & lamé brocade & mink
Gift of Ms. Judy Thomsen
FIDM Museum Study Collection
S2004.823.15

The FIDM Museum Study Collection contains 2,000 objects spanning 200 years: haute couture and ready-to-wear garments, accessories, non-western dress, and textiles. Study Collections are located on all four FIDM campuses: Los Angeles, San Francisco, Orange County, and San Diego. Students, scholars, designers, and the public access the collections for hands-on education—school projects, personal research, and design inspiration. Individual objects are examined in Museum storage or, combinations are assembled for classroom study—such as historical construction, pattern development, and sewing techniques.

Fashion is cyclical, and savvy designers glean inspiration from previous centuries. There are countless ways to rethink retro styles: great design remains a potent source even when outmoded. Our purpose in cultivating the Study Collections is to learn from successful designers and expand the knowledge of fashion history.

Vivienne Westwood
c. 2002
Silk chiffon & gold lamé
Museum Purchase
FIDM Museum Study Collection
S2004.5.3
    
To complement the exhibition, we will host the Re-Designing History Speakers Series. FIDM Museum curators Kevin Jones and Christina Johnson, and Carolyn Robertson, head of FIDM’s History of Costume Department will provide insights into the history of fashion. A guided tour of Re-Designing History will follow each presentation. All programs start at 11am and are free and open to the public.

Saturday, November 6
Kevin Jones & Christina Johnson
An Introduction to the FIDM Museum
Doris Langley Moore: Ultimate Woman in Fashion

Saturday, November 13
Carolyn Robertson
The Early 20th Century Woman: Her Changing Self-image

Saturday, December 4
Carolyn Robertson
Art: The Compelling Force behind Fashion

Saturday, December 11
Carolyn Robertson
Embellishment: More than Decoration

 

Please Note: The exhibition will be closed on November 11, 2010 for Veteran’s Day and November 25–27, 2010 for Thanksgiving break.

Crochet

Despite the fact that knitting and crochet employ similar tools (hands, yarn and a long, pointed implement) crochet is often labeled the "other yarn craft." This remains true even within the context of the early 21st century, which has given rise to a tremendous revival of interest in all do-it-yourself hand-crafts. Their differing levels of popularity might be due to the inherent nature of these two yarn crafts. Crochet lends itself more towards open, lace-like finished projects, while knitting usually produces a dense, sturdy product prized for its warmth. Within the context of garment creation, crochet is more frequently used to create elegant garment accents or embellishments, such as cuffs, collar or shawl, rather than an entire garment. In contrast, knitting is used to create garments which become the focal point themselves.

Though no scholar has been able to pinpoint the exact origins of crochet, within the European context it probably developed from tambour needlework, a type of needlework originating in modern-day India, Pakistan and/or Turkey but practiced by European women. In tambour, a hooked needle is pushed through fabric stretched on a frame, pulling a thread through the fabric to create a chainstitch. At some point, the fabric was discarded and the thread or yarn worked on its own with the hooked needle. This evolution probably occurred sometime around 1800, as pre-1800 examples of European crochet have not been located by scholars.

Crochet took on particular importance in Ireland, where it was introduced by Irish nuns in the early 19th century. Irish nuns used crochet to approximate motifs found in Venetian lace and taught this skill to girls and women throughout Ireland. The resulting lace-like product was marketed as an affordable alternative to expensive but highly desirable bobbin or needle lace and was sold throughout Europe and North America. Used often as garment trim, Irish lace was also incorporated into decorative items for the home and personal accessories.

This small purse of Irish crochet dates from about 1905-10 and was probably created from a pattern featured in a fashion periodical. Patterns for small crocheted purses, often decorated with beads, were common in the first decade of the 20th century. Due to the relative speed with which they could be produced, purses were often suggested as the ideal hand-crafted gift.

Purse
1905-1910
Gift of Tina Brown
S2008.925.6

Deconstruction in fashion

These days, it's fairly common to see garments incorporating raw edges, exposed seams and distressed textiles. Giving garments an unfinished appearance and hinting at the process of design and creation, this style is usually called deconstructionism. Initially intended to challenge widely held perceptions that garments must be flawlessly finished and enhance accepted definitions of beauty, these design elements have become so widely utilized that they've nearly lost the ability to shock and discomfort. Only extreme deconstruction can stop us in our tracks, such as the shredded and torn disarray of this Jean Paul Gaultier tank top. Though it appears to have been severely mistreated, this mesh tank was designed and manufactured to look tattered and torn.

Tank top
Jean Paul Gaultier
2002
Gift of Lee Sheppard
2003.38.1