FIDM Museum Blog

Empress Joséphine's Coronation Ensemble

Empress Joséphine of France lived an extraordinary life, and it all began on June 23, 1763 on the island of Martinique. She was born Marie Josèphe Rose Tascher de La Pagerie (she was called Rose until Napoléon bestowed her with the name Joséphine) to wealthy French Creole sugarcane plantation owners. Before meeting her future husband Napoléon Bonaparte, she had already been married (her first husband died at the guillotine), given birth to two children, and survived her 1794 imprisonment during the Reign of Terror. Just one year later, she met Napoléon and became his mistress. He was intensely infatuated with her, and the two were married in March 1796. As Napoléon rose politically, it became increasingly important that Joséphine present herself as a worthy partner of France’s newest leader; she quickly became an arbiter of taste in the upper echelons of society. 

Baron François Gérard, "Joséphine en costume de sacre," 1807-1808. Château de Fontainebleau.

At the turn of the 19^th century, fashion was in flux; simple neoclassical silhouettes dominated, representing a commitment to democracy and a rejection of the Ancien Régime and its excessive grandeur. Yet unadorned garments made of humble fabrics hurt France’s once flourishing textile and fashion industry, which diminished greatly after the Revolution. Napoléon saw his return to court as an economic opportunity to revive textile manufacturing, and in 1802 he mandated a formal dress code at all court functions – thus instilling a need for skilled dressmakers, Lyon’s sumptuous silks, and lavish embroidery. Muslin garments were no longer allowed at court, as they came to France from India via England, a rival European textile center.

Determining what exactly constituted court dress was still in question. Combining contemporary styles with the necessary splendor of court was a difficult balancing act post-Revolution. Eighteenth-century royal attire was steeped in the past, but France’s new society demanded fashionable silhouettes while maintaining the requisite luxury. Napoléon’s coronation in 1804 provided a singular opportunity to define court dress for all of France – in fact, Joséphine’s costume at this momentous event would influence European court fashions for years to come.

Jacques-Louis David. "Fragment: the coronation of the Emperor Napoléon I and coronation of Empress Joséphine in Notre-Dame de Paris, 2 December 1804," 1807. Louvre Museum.

The stakes of the coronation were high, as it was essential for Napoléon to legitimize his fledgling regime. Both Napoléon and Joséphine’s ensembles incorporated symbolism to associate their reign with France’s great history and traditions, while also introducing original iconography to signify a new era of imperial rule. Jean-Baptiste Isabey designed Joséphine’s gown, and Louis Hippolyte LeRoy, Joséphine’s favored marchand de modes, created it. It followed the favored high-waisted, slim silhouette of the day, but the fabric and embellishment were pure opulence: silver and gold embroidery on the finest French silk, studded with gemstones.

Fall Internship Program

Are you passionate about fashion history and curious about what goes on behind-the-scenes in a busy museum? We welcome you to apply for a Fall Internship with the FIDM Museum! Interns and volunteers are an integral part of our ongoing success; through matching your skills and interests with a specific project, we are committed to offering a dynamic and enriching experience. Interns work closely with staff and receive valuable hands-on training in museum practices. Assignments vary depending on museum needs, but may include research, cataloging, or digitization.

Fall interns must keep a weekly commitment of 15 – 40 hours for at least 12 weeks. We accept interns seeking academic credit for graduate level or above; interns must make appropriate arrangements with their academic institution.  Applications (cover letter and resumé) will be reviewed upon receipt, and qualifying applicants will be interviewed prior to beginning internship. Applications for the fall internship are due on July 1. To submit your application, email info@fidmmuseum.org.

For questions or additional information on our internship opportunities, please contact the Curator’s Office at 213.623.5821.

Rudi Gernreich: Fashion Maverick

The following post was written by Christina Johnson, Associate Curator of the FIDM Museum.

FIDM Museum Rudi Gernreich Archive Storage, 2019.

Reorganizing and cataloging the FIDM Museum’s Rudi Gernreich Archive was one of the first projects I began after being hired as Collections Manager in 2003. Although at that point I was very much a nineteenth-century specialist, handling his pieces tempted me to venture a century beyond my beloved crinolines and black-and-white daguerreotypes, and onward to mini skirts, psychedelic colors, and a happening mid-century Los Angeles scene. Since then, I’ve had an abiding interest in this intriguing LA-based designer. I’ve spent hours poring over the FIDM Museum’s collections, as well as archives held by other institutions. I’ve also had the honor of connecting with people who were an important part of his world.

Los Angeles magazine, March 1968; Rudi Gernreich with model Léon Bing in pink dress surrounded by other artists; FIDM Museum Rudi Gernreich Archive, Bequest of the Rudi Gernreich Estate. 

I’m interested in the personal reasons curators decide to embark on certain exhibitions. I’m drawn to Gernreich because of his brilliant fashion designs, and the fact that many are held by the FIDM Museum. I’m also fascinated by the histories of my own backyard. Gernreich called LA home, and I was born here, as were my parents. I also tend to be mesmerized by the object trails people leave behind, and what this ‘stuff’ reveals about multi-faceted personalities. Gernreich is one of those people who left a massive amount of material for us to analyze.

Pattern sketch of dress worn by Léon Bing in Los Angeles magazine above, Resort 1967-68; Gernreich Archive, Bequest of the Rudi Gernreich Estate. 

Rudolf “Rudi” Gernreich (1922-1985) had an extensive output and his designs survive in collections across the United States. Major holdings include: the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Indianapolis Museum of Art, Kent State University Museum, the Cincinnati Art Museum, and at our neighboring institutions, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and UCLA Special Collections. Shortly after the designer’s death, his estate bequeathed his private archive to the FIDM Museum. We welcome all researchers to the archive who wish to explore Gernreich’s creative life. It includes runway samples, headwear, jewelry, footwear, prototypes, and Gernreich’s personal wardrobe. It also contains ephemera such as patterns, catalogs, sketches, and the publicity scrapbooks assembled by Layne Nielson, his Assistant Designer from 1964 to 1969. I give grateful thanks to Layne for his extensive oral histories in 2017 and 2018.

FIDM Museum objects in Fashion Will Go Out of Fashion exhibition, Neue Galerie, Austria, 2000; FIDM Museum Institutional Files.

Selections from the FIDM Museum archive have been loaned to numerous exhibitions, most recently Gender Bending Fashion at The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (2019); The Museum of Modern Art’s Items: is Fashion Modern? (2017-2018); and LACMA’s Reigning Men: Fashion in Menswear 1715-2015 (2016), later traveling to the St. Louis Art Museum and the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney. Exhibitions of note focused solely on this designer’s work include: Rudi Gernreich: A Tribute, curated by Layne Nielson at Otis-Parsons Exhibition Center, Los Angeles (1985); Fashion Will Go Out of Fashion, organized by Brigitte Felderer at the Neue Galerie Graz in Austria (2000), later traveling to the Institute of Contemporary Art, University of Pennsylvania; and the Kent State University Museum’s Rudi Gernreich: Bold by Dr. Anne Bissonnette (2008-2009).

Gernreich with FIDM students and model, California Apparel News, November 5, 1982; Gernreich Archive, Bequest of the Rudi Gernreich Estate. 

Color of the Year: Living Coral

We are now four months into 2019 - have you noticed an influx of coral hues in your social media feed, fashion editorials, or latest tech gadgets? Announced last December, the 2019 Color of the Year ‘ Living Coral’ (officially known as PANTONE 16-1546) “embraces us with warmth and nourishment”^[1] while “symbolizing our innate need for optimism and joyful pursuits.”^[2] A color uniquely linked to nature, Living Coral celebrates beauty found in the outdoors, while also reminding consumers of the importance of environmental preservation; though the color sparks positivity, the latest research shows that about one-fifth of the world’s coral reefs have been lost or damaged.^[3]In fact, several design houses, including Tiffany and Company, have vowed to stop working with the endangered resource, and international trade regulations restrict the exportation of red coral harvested after 1969.^[4]

Claude Monet, "Impression, Soleil Levant," 1872, courtesy of the Musée Marmottan Monet

Ironically, rather than representing nature’s vulnerability, coral was once worn to protect children and ward off evil in ancient Rome.^[5] It has been used for centuries as a prized gemstone for jewelry, from Victorian carved cameos to Art Deco pendants, rings, and hair combs; in Native American jewelry, coral symbolizes “success and social prominence.”^[6] And what would Impressionist paintings be without vibrant coral sunsets and plants? Nineteenth century artists used iron-oxide cadmium pigments to achieve the rich, saturated hues for their work - an improvement on the vermillion and minium (“red lead”) pigments used by their predecessors, and certainly safer than the ancient mineral realgar, which contained toxic levels of arsenic.^[7]

Evening Gown
Paquin, Paris, Winter 1912
Helen Larson Historic Fashion Collection
FIDM Museum Purchase: Funds generously donated by Disney Worldwide, 2017.5.55AB  

Pantone’s Color of the Year is selected by the for-profit Color Institute after analyzing current trends in a variety of industries, such as entertainment, art, fashion and design, travel, technology, and even socio-political events. A brief look at the FIDM Museum Collection shows that coral has been in fashion long before Pantone deemed it the official color of 2019; in our storage, Gianni Versace's bold Miami coral lives alongside the silky coral of a couture Paquin evening gown. Here, we're sharing a few of our favorite coral objects with you - treasures indeed, no matter the year!

Hair jewelry brooch with coral bead frame
1800-1899
Gift of Andrea Tice in memory of Carmelita Johnson
2008.46.178      

Lamé and silk evening coat
Jeanne Lanvin, Summer 1931
FIDM Museum Purchase: Funds generously donated by Barbara Bundy
2010.37.2   

 

The Empire Era Silhouette

Our recent exhibition Majesty & Mystery: Saving a Napoléonic Court Gown introduced visitors to the magnificent royal court of Napoléon Bonaparte and Empress Joséphine. The gold and silver splendor seen in the court ensemble on display (currently the focus of our Operation 1804 fundraising campaign) was a marked contrast to the evening dress also shown in the gallery; this fine white muslin creation perfectly illustrated the shift towards simplicity in early 1800s fashion.

"Marie Antoinette in a Chemise Dress," 1783
Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun (French, 1755 - 1842)
Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Even before the Revolution, French fashion was gradually embracing more streamlined silhouettes and humble fabrics. Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun’s 1783 portrait of Marie Antoinette captured the monarch wearing her infamous ‘chemise à la reine,’ a layered white muslin frock that represented the queen’s love of the countryside and her idealized view of peasant life. Though the painting subsequently caused a public outcry because the queen’s attire so resembled an undergarment, members of high society eagerly adopted the gown’s looser style and lightweight fabric. Post-Revolution, this simplified silhouette morphed once again as society looked to the Democratic ideals of ancient Greece and Rome, resulting in fashions that emulated marble statues and Ionic columns. White, semi-sheer, form-fitting gowns with high waistlines directly under the bust were now worn over pale slips, echoing the casually draped garments of ancient civilizations.

Muslin evening dress, c. 1803
FIDM Museum Purchase
2009.5.6

These stark dresses became the perfect canvases to show-off accessories such as fine cashmere paisley shawls, unique headwear, and of course, eye-catching shoes. The slender cut of skirts ensured that shoes would certainly be visible, thus emphasizing the need for brightly colored and beautifully trimmed footwear.

Kid leather shoes, c. 1800
FIDM Museum Purchase
2017.5.123AB

Q&A with Costume Designer Mary Zophres

It is always an honor hosting costume designer Mary Zophres at the FIDM Museum. The three-time Academy Award nominee, four-time BAFTA nominee, and Costume Designers Guild winner for Best Contemporary Costume Design (La La Land) joined us for an afternoon at the FIDM Museum prior to the opening of our Art of Motion Picture Costume Design exhibition. Curator Kevin Jones showed Zophres a rare 1960s man's jumpsuit inspired by the space race, and afterwards she answered questions about designing for both First Man and The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, for which she received her third Academy Award nomination.

Mary Zophres in the FIDM Museum Permanent Collection, viewing a 1966 man's jumpsuit

What are your impressions of the Ruben Torres jumpsuit?

This is perfect for First Man - it’s fashion inspired by the first trip to the moon! Originally, when they first started the space program, they put the astronauts in silver because it was from the lore and the TV shows - what the public thinks of. They have to get everybody’s approval and involvement in thinking it’s a good idea. How can we make this appealing? So they did it in silver. The silver suits were for Mercury [1958 - 1963]. After that they decided to make them white because they were going closer to the moon and the reflection was harmful. They needed something that would not bake - silver attracted the sun and white sort of bounces off.

Man's silver lamé jumpsuit
Rubin Torres, 1966
FIDM Museum Purchase, 2013.5.56

The seven Mercury astronauts, 1958-1963; photo courtesy of NASA

Did you go to NASA to do research for First Man?

We did. During prep we had a day trip to go down and take a look at everything and measure, but you’re not allowed to touch them. The X15 we did get to handle, but it was not at NASA - it was with a collector outside of Los Angeles. For that visit, we had gloves on but we could handle and touch and feel it. NASA was super cooperative, they loved the movie, but the suits are fragile now. They wanted to cooperate with us because they wanted us to get it right.

Neil’s Apollo 11 suit was being restored because they’re going to display it at the Air and Space Museum for the 50th anniversary of the mission. So his wasn’t there, but we had Buzz Aldrin’s and Michael Collins’. They’re slightly different: Collins stayed in the ship, so his suit was slightly different than the ones that go on the moon.

Mary Zophres and the replica Apollo 11 spacesuit used in First Man at the opening reception for the Art of Motion Picture Costume Design exhibition

What materials did you use for the spacesuits?

For Apollo we used Beta cloth; we had it woven for the film.

Where was it woven?

Western Costume helped us source it out, and so did NASA. It’s the same company that makes the fabric for NASA. Super, super expensive! The X15 fabric we also had made - we found something close, and that company did a special run for us. Also expensive but it was worth it.

Ryan Nagata made the X15 space suit for us. I started doing research for this film and I came upon his website. He used to make space suits as his hobby and now it’s turned into his career. He’s so good at it. He’s so knowledgeable about the space program it’s unbelievable. First we approached him about making all the suits for the film, but he’s a one man operation and it was not possible. But he made two Gemini suits for us and the X15. For the X15 we used real parts - it’s a beautifully made suit. He came with us to that collector to look at the original suit. We were striving for authenticity and he believed us. We provided the material and of course when we were making it we were back and forth from our shop to his shop, but in the end we rented it from him so he would own it. And we made the boots - Jitterbug is a boot maker in Canada. They ended up making all of our space boots.

Mary Zophres' costumes from First Man

Summer Internship Program

The FIDM Museum is excited to announce our Summer Internship Program is open for applications. Interns work closely with FIDM Museum staff and receive valuable hands-on training in museum practices. We are currently seeking talented and motivated graduate students to assist with a variety of projects.

The Museum offers two funded opportunities and several volunteer positions. All applicants should be currently enrolled in a graduate program in fashion history or museum studies; consideration will also be given to students beginning their graduate program in Fall 2019.

The Lori and Sal Santamaura Summer Study Grant is open to U.S. citizens. This Study Program will include a collections-based project, cataloging, research, and installation experience. Additionally, the student will have the opportunity to shadow each FIDM Museum staff member and participate in educational field trips to other local collections. They will work on a FIDM Museum collections-based research project of their choice; findings will be presented on the FIDM Museum Blog.

The Donald and Joan Damask Summer Study Grant is open to U.S. citizens. This opportunity focuses on collections management projects determined by collections staff. Additionally, a research project of the students’ choice will be presented on the FIDM Museum Blog.

Both the Santamaura and Damask Grants are eight weeks in duration over the summer months (35 hours per week during business hours; schedule to be arranged with supervisor) and consists of a $1,000 stipend; $500 will be paid to the student on their first day at the FIDM Museum, and the remaining $500 will be given on the day of their completed internship.

Volunteer internships (non-funded) are also available. Assignments may include exhibition installation, research, cataloging, or digitization. We accept students seeking academic credit; interns must make appropriate arrangements with their academic institution.  Summer interns must commit to working 35 hours per week for eight weeks.

Applications (cover letter and resumé) for internships are due April 1, 2019. Applications will be reviewed upon receipt, and qualifying applicants will be interviewed prior to beginning the program. Applicants will be considered for all internship opportunities. On your application, please inform the FIDM Museum if you cannot accept a non-funded internship.

To submit your application or for additional information, contact us via email: info@FIDMmuseum.org. We look forward to hearing from you!

FIDM Museum interns, volunteers, and staff at the 2018 Art of Television Costume Design exhibition opening

The Legacy of Karl Lagerfeld

Dark glasses, ponytail, and a crisp starched collar: even for those outside of the fashion industry, designer Karl Lagerfeld (1933 - 2019) was an immediately recognizable self-made icon. Known for his acerbic wit (quoted eagerly in the press) and irreverent attitude, Lagerfeld was the definition of a Renaissance man. His relentless curiosity and quest for knowledge, dedication to art and literature, and voracious collecting - the amassed books in one of his homes is said to have stretched over three miles long[1] - set him apart, but it was his innate understanding of culture and “ability to identify, articulate, and frequently anticipate changes in the zeitgeist”[2] that defined his spectacular career. Lagerfeld’s work for top fashion houses such as Chloé, Fendi, and Chanel proved his creative dexterity, and more importantly demonstrated how to keep fashion (and brand names) relevant over decades of collections: “If all the world changes, you have to change your designs, too.”[3]

Karl Lagerfeld on the Chanel Couture runway
S/S 1993
Photograph by Michel Arnaud
Gift of Arnaud Associates, SC2000.1095.1 

Born to a wealthy family in Hamburg, Germany, Lagerfeld often spoke of the influence his strong-willed mother had on his childhood. It was she who encouraged him to read and converse cleverly from a young age – by his account, his quick and forceful manner of speaking was a by-product of her impatience with listening to his youthful tales.[4] He was perpetually fascinated with fashion, and as a teenager moved to Paris to pursue the field; he got his start at age 21 when he won the 1954 International Wool Secretariat competition in the coat category (18 year old Yves Saint Laurent famously won the same year in the dress category). The competition led to Lagerfeld’s hiring at the couture house of Pierre Balmain, where he stayed for three years before moving to Jean Patou for five years.[5] Enticed by the refreshingly rebellious attitude of ready-to-wear in the 1960s, he left the world of couture to act as a freelance designer for youthful, chic brands including Krizia, Charles Jourdan, and Tiziani.

Evening ensemble on display in Capturing the Catwalk (2018)
Karl Lagerfeld for Chloé, S/S 1984
FIDM Museum Purchase
2009.5.8A-C

It was at Chloé, a French house known for its romantic, bohemian aesthetic, that Lagerfeld learned to become “the shape-shifter”[6] – a designer capable of adjusting his collections to suit the cultural climate. Art nouveau references alternated with outrageous trompe l’oeil surrealist embellishment (as seen in his final S/S 1984 collection, an homage to dressmaking). After working with the house for a decade, Lagerfeld was named the head designer in 1974, a position he held until 1983 – though he returned for a brief period in the mid-nineties to inject his signature brazenness back into the brand. His mantra at Chloé, and perhaps throughout his career, was that “Fashion does not have to prove that it is serious. It is the proof that intelligent frivolity can be something creative and positive.”[7] In the meantime, Lagerfeld had maintained a close relationship with the Italian house Fendi since 1965; he was still designing as Creative Director at the time of his death. Lagerfeld was responsible for creating Fendi’s signature “FF” logo, foreshadowing his frequent use of the interlocking double C’s during his time at Chanel. He has said that the double F’s stood for Fendi Fun, Fendi Fur, or Fun Fur, depending on the interview – either way, the logo was undoubtedly a nod to Lagerfeld and Fendi’s inventive (if controversial) use of fur in ready-to-wear.

Evening ensemble
Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel, 1994-1997
Gift of Mrs. Alfred Bloomingdale
S2010.116.1A-D

Cocktail dress on display in Capturing the Catwalk (2018)
Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel, 1985
FIDM Museum Purchase: Funds generously donated by Barbara Bundy
2006.37.4

Fashion Council Royal Tea

The FIDM Museum Fashion Council is integral to the day-to-day operation of our institution. Because of the Museum's commitment to providing free admission, we rely on the group to support important acquisitions for the Permanent Collection - including our latest project, Operation 1804. Fashion Council's fundraising activities, hands-on volunteer hours, and educational events not only enrich the Collection, but also fulfill the Museum's mission and benefit our fashion community. In fact, in 2018, Fashion Council members contributed over 4,282 total volunteer hours and raised nearly $209,000 in both financial and in-kind donations. As a non-profit organization, we truly could not exist without their incredible dedication!

Fashion Council Members in the Majesty & Mystery exhibition, L to R: Associate Curator Christina Johnson, Fashion Council Chair Mima Ransom, Curator Kevin Jones, Fashion Council Members Linda Knoth and Jeannine Abraham

Now, it's time to kick off Fashion Council's 2019 calendar with one of our favorite events: The Royal Tea! Join us on Friday, March 8 at 12 pm for this highly anticipated annual gathering. Held outside in an elegant tent, the afternoon is a chance to meet new friends who share a love fashion history, enjoy a delicious and proper English tea, and experience two FIDM Museum exhibitions, The Art of Motion Picture Costume Design and Majesty & Mystery: Saving a Napoleonic Court Gown. After presentations from our Curator and Museum Associate, you'll take a private tour of both exhibitions. All proceeds benefit Operation 1804 and our proposed acquisition of a rare Napoleonic court gown! 

See the invitation below for more information; to purchase a ticket, click here. Polish your crown and dust off your orb and scepter - we look forward to hosting you for a royally good time!

Art of Motion Picture Costume Design Now Open!

 

February is a special time of year for the FIDM Museum; our gallery transforms into another universe, with cowboys and rock stars, queens and superheros, stylish con artists and brave activists representing a year in film costume design. For the 2019 exhibition, now in its 27th year, we've focused on how costume designers create an entire visual world from scratch - from the leading actor to the thousands of extras, each wardrobe decision helps to immerse the audience into a new reality. It is the job of costume designers and their teams to dream, design, and execute the wardrobe for each world, no matter the time period, physical setting, or film genre.

The exhibition also highlights the costume design process from start to finish. As you wander through the gallery, see how designers costume a character with sketches, mood boards, and reference photos on tablets available to browse. Behind-the-scenes videos for a selection of films further delve into the complicated process of building a universe of screen. Once again, we are thrilled to include all five nominees for the Academy Award for Best Costume Design: Sandy Powell (Mary Poppins Returns and The Favourite), Ruth Carter (Black Panther), Alexandra Byrne (Mary Queen of Scots) and Mary Zophres (The Ballad of Buster Scruggs). 

As always, the exhibition is free and open to the public from February 5 - April 12; note that the Museum is closed on Friday, February 15. Extra motivation to attend in the first week: the one-of-a-kind replica spacesuit created for Ryan Gosling's Neil Armstrong in First Man (costume designer Mary Zophres) will only be in the gallery for one week - make sure to visit before February 9 to see this impressive suit in person! Stay tuned throughout the run of the exhibition as we announce our schedule of events - you won't want to miss seeing your favorite costume designer speak in person!

Every costume in the exhibition represents an exciting contribution to the craft of costume design - in this exhibition, blockbuster fan favorites and small art house films alike are equally valued for the designer's creative vision. Scroll down for a peek inside the gallery, as well as a glimpse into our opening night reception on February 2.

Welcome to the 27th annual Art of Motion Picture Costume Design exhibition!

Mary Zophres, Academy Award nominated costume designer for The Ballad of Buster Scruggs; Zophres stands in front of the space suit from her film First Man (on display for one week only!)