FIDM Museum Blog

Operation 1804: History for the Future

Today we're delving into the FIDM Museum's Operation 1804 project with Associate Curator Christina Johnson. Read on for Christina's interpretation of this important undertaking.

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Associate Curator Christina Johnson with the train portion of the Napoléonic court ensemble

Some people might believe that curators who work with historic materials are obsessed with the past. After all, we do spend quite a bit of time with objects made a generation (or more!) before we were even born. I believe the most significant contribution a curator can make is aligned entirely with the future—ensuring the objects in their stewardship (and the corresponding research) are preserved for generations to come. That is our intention with “Operation 1804,” the fundraising effort to acquire a rare three-piece Napoléonic court bodice, skirt, and train with provenance linked to Empress Joséphine of France (Quick ‘Cliffs Notes’ review--1804 refers to the year of her husband Napoléon’s coronation). The FIDM Museum has introduced the project with the exhibition Majesty and Mystery: Saving a Napoléonic Court Gown, currently in our History Gallery.

Taking measurements of the skirt

Our curatorial team gives quite a bit of thought to any long-term undertaking, especially one that we need to fundraise for. Why should our institution acquire this ensemble? To give the official (and perhaps dry) answer, according to our policies, the FIDM Museum is charged with collecting “objects with outstanding design merit,” defined as: having 1)“dynamic visual appeal;” 2) “being an excellent example of an era, culture, or a designer’s work; and 3) “having meaningful artistic and social significance.”[i]  This artifact certainly meets the criteria.

The ensemble is also an unprecedented opportunity to conduct an object-based study focused on a clothing type that seldom survives. There are only a handful of royal court gowns from this era held by American institutions; I know of no other similar artifact worn by Empress Joséphine preserved in the United States. Partly, this is because of the expense of materials. Precious metals were often removed from textiles—especially once a regime had ended—and melted down to be reused. Also, the First Empire-era fad of combining yards of delicate silk net with heavy metal embroidery didn’t bode well with the objects’ longevity. So much was destroyed.  Today, during a time of pressing social justice causes, it’s possible we will receive questions about why the clothing of the rich and royal should be purchased and preserved for posterity. I’ll counter with another question—what about the many artisans who made these objects? As we think about the full extent of societal history, just as many people who are not remembered by name in the history books have been immortalized in the making of elite dress such as this, including skilled embroiderers, seamstresses, and other tradespeople. In acquiring the ensemble, we aim to discover more about their world, too.

Research underway

I’d like to describe how Curator Kevin Jones and I are approaching the research for this project. After spending a fair amount of time with our coworkers  “oohing and awing,” we got to work. I begin by immersing myself in any topic I study. This includes compiling an extensive bibliography of books and papers to consult (sometimes with the help of a graduate student intern or a knowledgeable volunteer), and more importantly, I make the time to read them! I also search out experts already studying the subject matter and review their work. We’ll be reaching out to other scholars once the ensemble is purchased, as I’m a firm believer that a collaborative approach between curators, historians, makers, and innovators produces the best results in our field. It’s immensely helpful that institutions are adding more resources to their online collections databases each day. Not only does this help with amassing related visual and written evidence, it also certainly saves time and funds to conduct preliminary research at my desk instead of hopping on a plane bound for days spent at French archives.

The bodice

Crêpe Paper Fashions

“There is a new ‘wrinkle’ in dresses. As a matter of fact, they are all wrinkles, for they are made from the pretty crêpe tissue paper…”[1]

The use of paper in fashion has a long history, spanning centuries and civilizations across the globe. Yet the introduction of crêpe tissue paper in the late 19^th century sparked a new interest in the endless possibilities of this fabric-like fiber. Already a popular material for making artificial flowers and home décor, tissue paper was first given its machine-made crinkle by an English manufacturing company in the late 1880s.[2] Massachusetts paper goods company Dennison Manufacturing added imported crêpe paper in a vivid array of colors to their list of offerings around 1892; the company eventually went on to produce their own crêpe paper lines in 1914.[3] Recognizing the artistic promise of tissue and crêpe paper, Dennison’s created a specialized Art Department that provided in-store craft demonstrations and published instructional pamphlets.

Booklet
How to Make Crepe Paper Costumes
Dennison Manufacturing Co., 1925
Gift of Ron Bernstein, SC2011.1145.2

By the turn of the century, crêpe paper became a fashionable material for all manner of crafts: dressing table accessories for the boudoir, cotillion favors, lampshades, and party décor. Harper’s Bazaar touted the ease of braiding crêpe paper to make sturdy accessories like sewing bags and even bedroom slippers.[4] The magazine also recommended a more unusual use: adding a sheet of rose crêpe paper to the wash to restore the color of a faded pink blouse![5]

Girl's crêpe paper flower costume in Art and Decoration in Crepe and Tissue Paper, Dennison Manufacturing Co., 1917, via hathitrust.org.

The novelty material was similar to a woven textile such as cotton gauze or silk georgette, allowing the possibility that “any pretty evening frock can be copied in the crêpe.”[6] Consumers quickly realized crêpe paper was strong enough to fashion fans, hats, parasols, bags, and even garments; it was particularly suitable for fancy dress ensembles, as the wearer could make an outlandish costume for a fraction of the cost. Starting in the 1890s and continuing throughout the early 20^th century, crêpe paper costume parties for both adults and children became a popular amusement.[7]

Child's fancy dress costume: dress and fan
Crêpe paper, 1920s
Gift of Steven Porterfield, SC2014.897.27AB

Child's fancy dress costume: dress and hat
Crêpe paper, c. 1910-1915
Gift of Manlove Family, 2006.870.37AB

Intern Report: Raymond Duncan

The FIDM Museum was thrilled to host the CSA Western Region Jack Handford Summer Scholarship winner, Axelle Boyer. A Ph.D. student in History of Art and Visual Culture at UC Santa Cruz, Axelle previously received her M.A. in Fashion Studies from Parsons School of Design. Her research interests include body adornment, style, and fashion of the African diaspora. Axelle spent her time at the Museum working with our Special Collections, and in the process discovered a intriguing booklet by artist Raymond Duncan. Below, Axelle delves into Duncan’s fascinating world – including his foray into garment and textile design. 

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“Make Yourself in Working:” Raymond Duncan and the Art of Living

In August 2018, while working in the FIDM Museum’s Special Collections, I came across a brochure that didn’t quite fit in with the collection of glossy ephemera that I was processing at the time. The collection in question included archival issues of Vogue, Chanel catalogs, and backstage photographs of 90s supermodels. The object at hand was a small booklet made of loose and yellowed pages with abundant writing and a few illustrations.

Booklet
Raymond Duncan Winter Exhibition of Parisian Art
1910-1920
FIDM Museum Purchase, SC2017.5.96

A quick Google search informed me that Raymond Duncan (1874 - 1966) was the brother of renowned American dancer Isadora Duncan (1877 or 1878 - 1927). Born in San Francisco, the brother and sister had relocated to Europe in the 1890s – like many of their compatriots at the time. While Isadora rose to fame as one of the pioneers of modern dance, Raymond became a prolific painter, poet, playwright, actor, and a proud advocate of weaving, printing, sandal-making, and vegetarianism. In 1911, he opened a school on Paris’ Left Bank, called the Akademia Raymond Duncan, where he taught free courses in the various arts and crafts that he had honed, gave philosophical lectures, and staged plays.

The brochure opened with a short biography of artist Raymond Duncan, and went on to provide curious and dithyrambic descriptions of his art works. The disparate assemblage included 15 “brush-dyed” and block-printed textiles classified under the category “Paintings;” a “series of studies,” which were also block-printed and “dyed in by brush” on various textiles; seven woven rugs; and 13 books under the category “Book-printing.” The brochure was actually a self-published catalog attesting to Duncan’s multimedia endeavors, and had seemingly been written by the artist himself.

Raymond Duncan with his wife and child
1912
Bain News Service, N.Y.C.
Library of Congress

It wasn’t so much the text of the catalog that intrigued me, but rather the exquisite prints that adorned its pages. The three illustrations were block-printed on paper using a carved wood block (“bois gravé”). Art Nouveau influences are manifest in the curvilinear lines of the dreamy forms and bodies represented. The figures were also reminiscent of the flowing movements of Isadora Duncan’s modern dance, while the titles of the pieces – “Orpheus,” “Pastorale” – referenced ancient Greek literature and mythology.

"Isadora Duncan: studies"
Photograph by Arnold Genthe
1915-1918
Jerome Robbins Dance Division, The New York Public Library Digital Collections

Raymond Duncan Winter Exhibition of Parisian Art
Pastorale, 1910-1920
Wood block print on paper
FIDM Museum Purchase, SC2017.5.96

Raymond Duncan Winter Exhibition of Parisian Art
Orfeus, 1910-1920
Wood block print on paper
FIDM Museum Purchase, SC2017.5.96

Capturing the Catwalk: Fall Lecture Day

Recently, Los Angeles hosted a plethora of exhibitions dedicated to fashion photography: Capturing the Catwalk: Runway Photography from the Michel Arnaud Archive at the FIDM Museum; Icons of Style: A Century of Fashion Photography 1911-2011 at the Getty Museum; and In High Style: The Photography of Neal Barr at the Museum of Ventura County. The FIDM Museum Fashion Council gathered the experts, curators, and contributors to all of these extraordinary exhibitions for their annual Fall Luncheon & Lecture Day on October 27 - an afternoon focused on all things fashion photography. The event, which raised funds for future FIDM Museum acquisitions, coincided with the opening of Capturing the Catwalk on the FIDM Orange County Campus, curated by FIDM Museum Registrar Meghan Hansen. After presenters Shelly Foote and Paul Martineau discussed their work on their respective exhibitions, the day culminated with a conversation between Meghan Hansen and former runway photographer Michel Arnaud. 

Arnaud, whose career spanned three decades, initiated this project when he generously donated his personal collection of over 180,000 slides to the FIDM Museum in 2000. Meghan has overseen the digitization of each photo (a task that is roughly a quarter complete) while also matching the runway shots with objects in the Permanent Collection. Through extensive research and personal interviews with Arnaud, Capturing the Catwalk came to life. The exhibition uses the rich resource of the photography archive to narrate the history and development of the runway, next to the garments that graced the stage.

Capturing the Catwalk: Runway Photography from the Michel Arnaud Archive will be open on the FIDM Orange County campus (17590 Gillette Avenue, Irvine, CA 92614) until August 2019. Members of the public are welcome to attend by appointment; please call 949.851.6200 to schedule your visit!

Lecturers: Shelly Foote, formerly of the Smithsonian Institution (Retired); FIDM Museum Guest Curator/Registrar, Meghan G. Hansen; Paul Martineau, Associate Curator, Dept. of Photographs, Getty Museum; and photographer Michel Arnaud.

FIDM Museum Fashion Council Chair Mima Ransom with FIDM Museum Curators Kevin Jones and Christina Johnson.

Fashion Council members Joan Beer Damask and Donald Damask.

Mugler-Inspired Costumes: Part Two

Just in time for Halloween, we're sharing Part Two of our Mugler-Inspired Costumes! As we learned in our previous post, Thierry Mugler used his runway to play out exotic fashion fantasies - everything from insects to angels, robots to rhinestone cowgirls appeared in his whimsical presentations. You'll notice that unlike today's fashion shows, these presentations were full of movement; rather than disappearing behind the clothing, Mugler's models act out his elaborate stories with emotion. Dancing, running, marching, flirting, and even bobsledding (see below!) were not unusual in Mugler's world.  

We hope you find the perfect costume for your own personal catwalk on Halloween!

Note: all photos by Michel Arnaud, Gift of Arnaud Associates.

Bobsledder, F/W 1984

Army of Insects, S/S 1997

Snow Queen, F/W 1981

Star Wars Extra, F/W 1983

Mugler-Inspired Costumes: Part One

Halloween is just around the corner, but if you still haven't selected your costume, we've got you covered! Look no further than the treasure trove of inspiration found in Thierry Mugler's wonderfully whimsical runway shows from the 1980s and 90s. 

Known as the “PT Barnum of the fashion world,” Mugler’s extravagant runways built his reputation as the ultimate showman. Atlantis, Mount Olympus, Aliens, Superheroes, Insects, Hollywood, Robots, and the Wild West are just some of the themes that appeared in his surrealistic presentations. Mugler saw the fashion show as an opportunity to build new worlds of fantasy, to tell the story of a heroine on an extraordinary adventure each season. In addition to storyboarding the production – a result of his early love of comic books – Mugler personally directed each aspect of the show, from lighting, sets, and music to models, makeup, and hairstyles. The fashion shows were intended to  stir publicity for the more client-friendly collection; after the outlandish runway, the showroom was stocked with the best-selling ‘store suits’ that were the foundation of his business. 

Thanks to the Michel Arnaud Fashion Photography Archive, we have hundreds of images from Mugler's runway shows - and it was not hard to find outrageous ensembles that could double as Halloween getups. In fact, there are so many to choose from that we thought this subject deserved two entries; stay tuned next week for part two of our Mugler costume inspiration! 

Note: all photos by Michel Arnaud, Gift of Arnaud Associates.

Disco Ball, F/W 1990

Sassy Skunk, F/W 1997

Party Pom Pom, S/S 1991

RoboCop, F/W 1990

Majesty & Mystery

The FIDM Museum History Gallery is a treasured part of our institution. It gives us the ability to showcase our vast Permanent Collection, or, in the case of the History Gallery’s current exhibition, an object that we hope to acquire! In the coming months, we are thrilled to take you behind-the-scenes of Majesty & Mystery: Saving a Napoléonic Court Gown. This unique exhibition introduces the Museum’s newest proposed acquisition: an extremely rare c. 1804 court gown possibly worn by Empress Joséphine, wife of Napoléon Bonaparte. As visitors explore the gallery, we share the historical importance of this gown, our research to confirm its provenance, plans for future conservation, and our fundraising efforts to make the gown part of our Permanent Collection. For those readers who are not local to Los Angeles, join us today for a virtual walk-through of the exhibition.

After a distinguished military career and surprising coup d’état, Napoléon Bonaparte (1769-1821) was crowned Emperor of France in Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris, on December 2, 1804. Beside him at the coronation was his wife Marie -Joseph-Rose de Tascher de la Pagerie de Beauharnais (1763-1814), whom he called ‘Joséphine’. Emperor Napoléon’s reign lasted until 1815; together, he and Empress Joséphine ushered in a remarkable era of artistic expression. A strict dress code was mandated at imperial court functions and the Empress was the ultimate arbiter of style. For formal occasions, ladies wore fashionable high-waist gowns and trains made from yards of French-produced silk satin, lace, velvet, and net with precious metal embroidery motifs that symbolized the rulers: Bees, Roses, and—seen here—Tulips. The astonishingly rare Napoleonic court ensemble at the focus of this exhibition was worn by a high-ranking member of the imperial circle—possibly even the Empress herself.

Skirt
France, 1804-1809
Metallic embroidery & silk net
FIDM Museum Proposed Acquisition, L2017.9.1

The court ensemble is said to have been made for Empress Joséphine by her court dressmaker Louis Hippolyte LeRoy, who worked with designer Jean-Baptiste Isabey. It descended in a British family which stated a relative purchased it after Napoléon complained of its exorbitant cost and refused to pay the bill. The skirt is made of silk net embroidered with gold and silver in geometric and stylized floral patterns. Sheets of metal were pounded and sliced to create thin strips, which were passed through the net yardage while stretched across a frame.

Bodice
France, 1804-1809
Metallic embroidery & silk net
FIDM Museum Proposed Acquisition, L2017.9.1

The extremely short cut of this bodice confirms it was made in the first decade of the nineteenth century. Embroidery fragments suggest the spiraled silk sleeves probably had additional net over-sleeves. The dark staining on the proper left side of the bodice indicates that the area once had metallic embroidery. 

Train
France, 1804-1809
Metallic embroidery & silk net
FIDM Museum Proposed Acquisition, L2017.9.1

Capturing the Catwalk: Luncheon & Lecture Day

Join the FIDM Museum Fashion Council for our annual Fall Luncheon & Lecture Day on Saturday, October 27 at the FIDM Orange County Campus! We will celebrate the opening of Capturing the Catwalk: Runway Photography from the Michel Arnaud Archive in the OC gallery space; to mark the occasion, the afternoon symposium will focus on the art of fashion photography, 1911-1998.

We are thrilled to be joined by Paul Martineau, Associate Curator, Department of Photographs, Getty Museum, who will speak about the Getty's latest exhibition Icons of Style: A Century of Fashion Photography (open until October 21). Shelly Foote, formerly of the Smithsonian, will present on In High Style: The Photography of Neil Barr, an exhibition that took place earlier in the year at the Museum of Ventura County. Finally, our own FIDM Museum Registrar and curator of Capturing the Catwalk, Meghan Hansen, will take us through her curatorial journey for this exhibition. Renowned runway photographer Michel Arnaud will also be in attendance for a lively day of fashion discussion!

As always the event will begin with a beautiful luncheon, with plenty of time to socialize and explore the exhibition. All proceeds benefit the FIDM Museum acquisition fund. For more information and to register, click here.

Photograph by Michel Arnaud for Harper's Bazaar
Vivienne Westwood Ready-to-Wear, Fall/Winter 1993-1994
Gift of Arnaud Associates
FIDM Museum Special Collections, SC2000.1095.1 AS030102

 

 

Intern Report: Costumes on a Voyage

Today's post is brought to you by our summer intern Caela Castillo, who helped install the Art of Television Costume Design exhibition. Caela is a graduate student at the Fashion Institute of Technology in the MA Fashion and Textile Studies: History, Theory, and Museum Practice program. She also has an MA in History and Public History from Loyola University Chicago. She has previously interned at the Museum at FIT and the International Museum of Surgical Sciences in Chicago, and has contributed to exhibitions in California, Chicago, and New York. Her research interests include late 19th and early 20th century Paris; she is currently working on several research projects, including the life of Nancy Cunard and 1920s fashion magazine Art, Gout, Beauté.

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Outlander costumes designed by Terry Dresbach on display in the FIDM Museum. Photograph by ABImages.

Currently on view in the Art of Television Costume Design exhibition are five costumes from season 3 of Outlander, which airs on Starz with costumes by Emmy-nominated designer Terry Dresbach. The show, based on the best-selling novels by Diana Gabaldon, tells the story of a 20th century woman who stumbles back in time to 18th century Scotland. Season 3, based on the third book in Gabaldon’s series, is aptly titled Voyager; the costumes in this season reflect the journey the characters take across time and space. As a fan of both the Outlander books and show, I was excited to be able to handle the costumes as an exhibition intern for the Museum, and use my knowledge of the story and its characters to accurately dress the ensembles. Knowing the context of the costumes and the actors who wore them was an important factor during the installation of this exhibition. Since mannequins rarely resemble actual humans, it took several hours to prepare each mannequin and have the costume fit well. An hour of that was attempting to get Jamie’s boots on uncooperative mannequin feet! Being able to recall specific details about the costumes helps the dressing process and allows us to provide a more vibrant exhibition for visitors.

Costumes worn by the characters Jamie (Sam Heughan) and Claire (Caitriona Balfe), designed by Terry Dresbach. Photograph by ABImages.

Detail of Jamie's boot.

Geoffrey Beene

"What makes Geoffrey Beene great? Is it the sophistication of his cut that makes the most bulky fabric seem airborne? The curved lines that give a graceful femininity to clothes without dipping into banality? It is all this but, more important, it is the designer’s unceasing struggle to find new materials and new shapes that flatter a woman’s body.”[1]

Photograph by Michel Arnaud
Geoffrey Beene at his Spring/Summer 1991 runway presentation
Gift of Arnaud Associates, SC2000.1095.1 

Described as cerebral, modernist, and the “architect of American clothing,”[2] designer Geoffrey Beene (1927 – 2004) made an indelible mark on fashion in the 20^th century – and his visionary creations influenced how women would dress in the next centennial, too. His journey began as Samuel Albert Bozeman Jr. in Haynesville, Louisiana, where he was born into a family of doctors yet maintained a keen eye for design throughout his childhood. He followed the family tradition and enrolled in medical school at Tulane University – legend has it he sketched Adrian gowns over the figures in his Grey’s Anatomy textbook.[3] Leaving the medical field behind, his family sent him to California to live with an aunt, and a brief stint working with the window displays at I. Magnin in Los Angeles was followed by Traphagan School of Fashion in New York City. However, it was Beene’s time in France that taught him the principles of good design and the art of dressmaking.

Evening gown                                      Image courtesy of Vintage Hamish, Vogue.com
Geoffrey Beene, 1971
Gift of Lenore Greenberg
89.1977.059.20

Beene moved to Paris in 1948 and experienced the fervor caused by Dior’s famed New Look. Yet it was another designer he credits with opening his eyes to the whimsical possibilities of fashion: Elsa Schiaparelli. While apprenticing with couturier Edward Molyneux, he attended Schiaparelli’s collection presentations and was immediately drawn to her innovative aesthetic. “At that moment I had never seen anything but serious clothes, and this had such charm. It set off my mind.”[4] After studying at the Ecole de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne and Académie Julian, Beene returned to New York City and set about making a name for himself on Seventh Avenue.

Day dress
Geoffrey Beene, c. 1969
Gift of Roxanne, Byrnadette & Frank DiSanto
95.817.c.1969.08.48

Harper's Bazaar, February 1966

In post-war American fashion, manufacturers still reigned supreme, hiring talented young designers to produce profitable looks – for example, Claire McCardell for Townley Frocks, Rudi Gernreich for Walter Bass, and in 1952, Geoffrey Beene for Harmay. Yet while Beene was eager to experiment with new designs, Harmay only wanted interpretations of the clothes coming out of Paris. He left the brand in 1958 and found more flexibility with manufacturer Teal Traina, but it wasn’t until he opened his eponymous line in 1963 that he truly gained the artistic freedom he desired.

Evening gown
Geoffrey Beene for Robinson's, September 1966
Gift of Judy Carroll
2014.1291.2

Vogue, September 1, 1966