FIDM Museum Blog

From the Archives: Jeans by Gaultier

 

Happy birthday to John Paul Gaultier! Born on April 24, 1952, Gaultier celebrates his 62nd birthday today. We're commemorating the occasion by sharing a pair of playful, high-waisted jodphur-style jeans from the designer's JPG by Gaultier line.

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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.

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

Fashion Birthday: Issey Miyake

 

Happy 76th birthday to Issey Miyake, born on April 22, 1938! In celebration of the designer's birthday, we offer this provocative Issey Miyake orange and white ensemble.

Suit
Spring/Summer 2001
Issey Miyake
Museum Purchase
2003.5.7AB

Issey Miyake (b. 1938) learned impeccable dressmaking skills at the Ecole de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne in 1965. Yet in the wake of the decade's mounting social discord and political unrest, he came to believe that the bastion of haute couture was no longer relevant to postmodern lifestyles. Miyake opened his Tokyo design studio in 1970, focused on creating ready-to-wear clothing. "Sometimes my clothes are radical, probably sometimes challenging, but I try not to fear radical things," he explained.¹ 

Miyake's Spring/Summer 2001 menswear collection was termed "Pneumatic pret-a-porter" by the fashion press due to the air-filled padding built into many of the garments. This vivid ensemble was inspired by American football uniforms. The blazer is constructed of printed nylon mesh generally reserved for team jerseys; the knickers contain inflatable plastic bladders inserted over the outer thighs and knees to mimic players' protective gear. The clothing morphs the wearer's body into that of a sports hero, enlarging his frame into an imposing physique while cushioning it to withstand the blows of stressful urban living.

 

1 Wilcox, Claire. Radical Fashion (London: Victoria & Albert Museum, 2001), 112.

Karl Lagerfeld straw boater

 

Boater
Spring/Summer 1988
Karl Lagerfeld
Straw, cotton
Museum Purchase
2007.5.5

Mariner hats—known as boaters—have been popular with women since the 1880s, when they were stylish accessories for yachting ensembles and tailored suits patterned after menswear. Karl Lagerfeld (b. 1938) has reinterpreted this now-classic millinery design in multiple collections, both for Chanel and for his eponymous label, as shown here. In an irreverent take on the yachting theme, Lagerfeld morphs the ridged straw brim into an exaggerated arc—certainly difficult to navigate in a strong headwind. The hat is faced with a painterly rose-motif chintz, a pattern out of sync with the nautical hat, but bold enough to highlight its impressive circumference when worn by a model sailing down the runway.

 

We're hiring!

The FIDM Museum currently has openings for two exhibition installers and one administrative assistant. See below for more information on applying for these positions. To apply, please follow the instructions listed in the job description.

 

EXHIBITION INSTALLERS

We’re hiring exhibition installers! These short-term contract positions will play an important role in mounting the 8th Annual Art of Television Costume Design exhibition. As an exhibition installer, you will work closely with FIDM Museum staff to prepare incoming TV costumes for display.

Two positions are available: 
Contract Registrar – June 16 – July 9
Contract Preparator – June 25 – July 16

Mannequin dressing and museum experience required. To apply, send your resume and a letter of interest to internships@FIDMmuseum.org. Applications due by April 28, 2014.

If you are interested in volunteering, please submit your letter of interest and resume to internships@FIDMmuseum.org by the deadline above. Volunteers are required to commit to a regular one-day-per-week time slot throughout installation (June 23 – July 18, except July 4 holiday). 
FIDM Museum installation hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm.

 

FIDM MUSEUM ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

Summary: Data entry, track and maintain databases, assist with Museum special events. Reports to Museum Coordinator. To apply for this position, please email a resume and a letter of interest to info@FIDMmuseum.org.

Responsibilities:

• Light accounting: data entry in IBM i, track Museum expenditures.
• Maintain Museum mailing list.
• Assist Museum Coordinator on department projects.
• Assist Museum Coordinator and Public Relations Department in execution of all Museum and Museum related special events.
• Available to work evenings or weekends as needed.
• Assist Museum Coordinator in location and transportation of exhibition objects.
• Make travel arrangements for department staff.
• Assist Museum Coordinator in preparing budgets for the Museum.
• Perform other duties as requested.

Qualifications:

• Organized, methodical mind with strong attention to detail.
• Good communication skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word)
• Familiarity with Adobe Photoshop/Illustrator
• Able to lift 25 pounds.

Education: Bachelor degree in Business or the Arts.

Work Experience:

• Experience in execution of special events.
• 1-2 years business experience.

 

Who Plans the Annual Art of Motion Picture Costume Design Exhibition?

 

 

The mastermind behind the Annual Art of Motion Picture Costume Design exhibition is Michael Black, FIDM Museum Coordinator. Having worked on this annual exhibition for over 10 years, Mike has a deep understanding of the costume design industry. This knowledge allows us to borrow costumes from film studios, archives, and costume designers. This year's exhibition, the 22nd Annual Art of Motion Picture Costume Design, is open through April 26, 2014.

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Describe your position at the FIDM Museum & Galleries. What is a typical day like? Is there a typical day?

When there is an exhibition in the galleries, my typical day starts out with checking any emails/phone calls that came in overnight. Then I will “turn on” the exhibition. This involves letting the Museum Shop personnel into the galleries, making sure all the lighting is turned on and music is playing. I’ll do a walkthrough of the exhibition to make sure none of the mannequins have any issues such as paper wigs coming unstuck or limbs falling off, and I will check for any burned out lights. I also restock any handouts that are available for the exhibition, and make sure the computer is turned on for people wanting to make donations to the Museum.

The rest of my day is spent between answering emails/phone calls, paying Museum bills, researching upcoming films, making arrangements with our Publications Department and/or outside vendors for various printed needs for upcoming exhibitions. I also work with other departments and outside groups when they have events involving the galleries, making sure we are staffed both in the shop and with adequate security guards, and often acting as a liaison between the Museum and caterers and rental companies. Part of my job requires me to keep a calendar of any events that involve the Museum to make sure we don’t have any conflicts, and working with our Museum Registrar, Meghan Hansen, to plan the workflow for installing and de-installing exhibitions in a timely and efficient manner.

Michael Black, FIDM Museum Coordinator, at the 22nd Annual Art of Motion Picture Costume Design exhibition. 

Embroidered cotton lawn dress, c. 1923

 

Day dress
c. 1923
Cotton lawn with machine embroidery
Gift of Mary Davenport
2000.219.2

Made from cool, lightweight cotton lawn, this sleeveless 1920s dress is the perfect spring frock. Like many fashionable 1920s dresses, it is shaped only by minimal bust darts. Often described as youthful or boyish, this slim, untailored shape was the dominant silhouette throughout the 1920s. Waist definition, such as a sash or seam, was usually placed below the natural waist. This dress ignores the natural waistline, featuring instead a low, softly gathered dropped waist. Vertical lines of stylized floral embroidery, possibly roses, emphasize the columnar silhouette of the dress. This same embroidery dictates the purposefully uneven hemline.

Hem detail

Though roses have been a popular motif for centuries, they were given a new look during the teens and twenties. During these decades, they were stylized into flat, geometric roundels like those seen on the dress above. Artist Paul Iribe is credited with developing this modern, Art Deco version of the rose, which was used frequently by Paul Poiret. Poiret's 1913 dress for Denise Poiret, La Rose d'Iribe, features a stemmed variation, with the name of the dress indicating the origin of the stylized rose. This new rose became a decorative staple, appearing in a variety of colors and contexts. 

The pink and purple color palette seen on this dress was discussed by Vogue in 1925. Floral colors were gaining favor, with "rumor predict[ing] popularity for...new members of the mauve, cyclamen, and violine families."¹ Here, the soft pink lawn ground provides the perfect foil for colorful embroidered flowers and foliage.

 

1 Vogue 15 Feb. 1925: 46.

From the Archives: Vivienne Westwood suit

 

Happy birthday to Dame Vivienne Westwood! Born on April 8, 1941, Westwood's career has spanned generations of fashion, from 1970s punk to her more recent interest in historicism. Today we salute her work by taking a close look at a plaid wool suit she designed in the early 1990s. 

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British designer Vivienne Westwood (b.1941) began her fashion career in the early 1970s, just as the prevailing fashions began a shift towards the aggressive look of punk. Embracing a design sense that explored the possibilities of decay and destruction, punk was a challenge to the concept of clothing as a means to beautify the individual. Though Westwood did not single-handedly generate the edgy and confrontational look of punk, her early work is closely associated with the visual essentials of punk style, including bondage references and intentionally ripped or torn fabrics. While these design features may seem almost commonplace today, in the late 1970s they were a radical departure from the romantic and non-Western influences present in late sixties style. This new look was simultaneously shocking and influential.

Two piece suit with tie
Vivienne Westwood
Autumn/Winter 1993
2004.5.61A-C
Museum purchase

 

Hollywood Behind the Scenes: Exhibition Post-Production

 

Today we bring you the final installment in Registrar Meghan Hansen's three-part series on producing the Art of Motion Picture Costume Design Exhibition. Today's post answers one of the most common questions about this annual exhibition: “Is [insert name of famous actor] really that short/tall/thin/large?” Thanks to Meghan for sharing her insights on the planning and teamwork required to get this (or any) exhibition up and running! 

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The final phase of exhibition installation is both creative and administrative. The mannequins are dressed according to reference images provided by the costume designer, studio, or production office; we also make proficient use of the Internet Movie Database (IMDB.com) and other internet sources. As Museum Registrar, I keep all of these resources organized according to the needs of the installation team. This year we had three tablets loaded with all available reference images and condition reports, so that anyone dressing a mannequin could refer back to this vital information. Since, as a rule, we are interpreting the costumes as they were seen in the film; we do not allow ourselves very much creative license. As each ensemble is dressed, I review the reference images and condition reports to finalize the styling and be sure that costume elements were not forgotten.

At center, this costume designed by Marlene Stewart for Tom Cruise’s character Jack in Oblivion features a futuristic motorcycle-style jacket. Zipped or unzipped? Reference images, designer feedback, and the realities of a large-chest mannequin led to the decision to leave it unzipped. Loan courtesy of NBC Universal Studios.

 

Hollywood Behind the Scenes: Exhibition Production

 

Part two of Registrar Meghan Hansen's three-part post on producing the 22nd Annual Art of Motion Picture Costume Design Exhibition. Today's post focuses on a fascinating aspect of the process: matching costumes to mannequins.

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As I mentioned in my last post, the costumes loaned to FIDM Museum for this annual exhibition are received mere weeks before the exhibition opens. This presents a logistical challenge for everyone involved in the exhibition planning and execution. As a result, we have begun to use technology for condition reporting, in what used to be a pencil and paper game. The tablet allows the note-taker to quickly type inventory and condition information, as well as take photos within the same app. Photos can even be drawn on with a color-coded “marker” to indicate areas with condition issues.

FIDM Museum digital condition report with inserted reference image and markings to indicate condition issues.

While it would be faster to skip the step of conditioning the objects, it is an essential part of our stewardship of the museum. These documents will be indispensible should there be a disagreement with a lender or an insurance claim. While we hope nothing of that sort happens, these are the things I must think about as the Museum Registrar. Be thankful you do not have to!

Hollywood Behind the Scenes: Exhibition Pre-Production

 

When you visit the 22nd Annual Art of Motion Picture Costume Design Exhibition, you'll see a flawless display of more than 100 costumes. Of course, those mannequins didn't dress themselves! Today's post, written by FIDM Museum Registrar Meghan Hansen, describes all the pre-planning that happens in the weeks before the exhibit opens to the public. It's the first of three posts offering a behind the scenes look at this beloved annual exhibition.

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When I tell people I am a Museum Registrar at a fashion museum, I am usually met with kindly nods or blank stares. And the next question, "So you design clothes?" Or perhaps more closely to the truth, "You're a curator?" While I'm fortunate to work at an institution that gives me such opportunities (and I have curated a few small installations in our Perfume Gallery), that's actually not part of my job description. As registrar, I do the "boring" paperwork—loan forms, inventory, insurance, accessioning and de-accessioning collections, and so forth. But there is a whole world of excitement and variety to this job, that isn't immediately apparent from my job description. I thought I'd fill our readers in on what a registrar does, in the context of our current exhibition, the 22nd Annual Art of Motion Picture Costume Design Exhibition.

The first days of exhibition installation for the 22^nd Annual Art of Motion Picture Costume Design exhibition.

Let's imagine we're on a movie set: who is in charge? The director, you say? The director is certainly the creative boss of a movie production, but the real bosses are the producers. They choose the script, find the funding, make the budget, hire the director and other creative "above-the-line" types, and run the day to day operations of the filming. The producers may never put their hands on a camera or give notes to an actor, but they are responsible for getting the film shot, edited, and distributed.