Elle Talk- Marios Schwab

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Somerest House- Dior Illustrated

Text yet to come, but I thought you might like to peak into the exhibition for now ...

I only wear faux fur because I love animals

November 13th, 2010
It was a cloudy Saturday afternoon on Kings Road, right in front of Peter Jones..

Years ago I saw a video on the making of leather; alligators were hanging on racks waiting to be made into crocodile hand bags and shoes. I almost vomit. I am not a huge fan of alligators because they do look rather scary, but what have them done to deserve death, by human?


I wouldn't want anyone wearing your skin, and your children's skin on their shoulders just to keep them warm, so why would you wear theirs?

Design Museum, London: Drawing Fashion

Design Museum, London: Drawing Fashion

In Drawing Fashion, the Design Museum turns the clock back to early 1900’s and reminds us of the beauty of fashion illustrations, that reflect time and craftsmanship with some of the greatest fashion illustrators: Etre and Georges Lepape for the House of Poiret, Rene Gruau, André Edouard Marty, and pop art influenced Antonio Lopez, concluding with current artist like Mats Gustafson, Aurore de la Morinerie and Francois Berthoud.

Fashion journals were the forebears of the fashion magazines we now called “glossies” while cameras, technologies, and fast fashion have brought about the demise of fashion illustration. Curators of the museum take us through the beauty of fashion illustration chronologically. It began with “From Gold to Silver, 1910-29”. It was the decade of Word War 1, Wall Street Crash in 1929, and followed by the Great Depression. Coco Chanel’s introduction of the Little Black Dress in 1926 was a reaction to practicality and equality. Amazing drawings with enlightening details were drawn by artists such as Lepape, Etre, and Iribe for fashion magazine like La Gazette du Bon Ton. In 1921, Condé Nast bought La Gazette du Bon Ton, and French Vogue was born. Vogue’s precious original covers from 1921’s, illustrated by Lepape are shown preciously in the exhibition, we get a glimpse into fashion, culture, and women of the time.
1930’s were the time of cinema where it offered an escape from poverty by the Great Depression. Americans opened up the south of France where it served as a playground for the rich. Famous artists and authors such as Pablo Picasso and Ernest Hemingway brought followers to the south of France where sportswear and leisure wear became fashionable, and which continues to have a place in fashion industry today. World War II challenged the rules of the society, and with Paris closed, American fashion led the way.
1947- 1959 were called the New Rhythms by the curators as a young Frenchman by the name of Christian Dior put Paris back on the fashion map with his extravagant and theatrical style established as the “joie de vivre” of haute couture. Drawings by Rene Gruau captured the exaggerated elegance and romance of Dior. Paris haute couture returned to its reigning positions.
By 1950’s, youth sub-culture and pop culture threatens couture and 1960-89 is called Liberty and Licence. Works by Antonio showed direct influences of the pop art culture prevailing Americas.
The future of fashion illustration is unknown as it declines rapidly as technology evolves.
The exhibition is made not only of beauty illustrations; rather it is a reflection of the times and society. Different from photography today which is occupied by celebrity’ covers, and fashion illustrations that wow us with craftsmanship and give us room to imagine.
Right: Bouche, Portrait of Mona Bismarck, Vogue US
(Photo source: Design Museum)
Antonio, Joanna Lanidis, Carnegie Hall Studio, 1976
CONTACT:
03 November- 06 March, 2011
Design Museum
28 Shad Thames
London SE12YD United Kingdom
Office: 020 740306933
Open: Daily 10am- 5.45 pm
Last admission at 5.15 pm

Top Five Take Aways
Exhibits at Drawing Fashion:
• Brown Cape, by Mats Gustafson for Vogue, Italy 2001. Shows fashion styles as recycled with the current winter trend in different designs of capes.
• Fashion by Lucien Lelong in Vogue USA, 1947 by Eric. Illustrated woman in red with veil of polka dot prints. Two women in the background are with groceries and reveal the lifestyle of the 40’s and 50’s.
• Cover design for Vogue, UK 1931 by Lierre Mourge. Illustrated woman in A line skirt, striped v-neck top, with long chunky scarf and hat. The woman emits confidence through posture and apparel; a major contrast to today’s celebrity covers.
• Joanna Lanidis by Antonio, 1967, demonstrates the strong influences by American pop art artist, Roy Lichtenstein.
• Beauty mark- the presence of a mole reoccurs throughout many of Lepape’s drawings. La Plume, 1913/14. Imperfect beauty is not a recent found by the likes of Lara Stone (teeth gap).

RECOLLECT

Three years ago, I stood in cold, getting brain freezed by the chilly winds of New York, my heart and my thoughts were warm in colours.

I would like to start this blog with one of my favourite windows.  Gratitude to Mr. Jean Paul Gaultier’s creativity in textiles, and Ms. Linda Fargo’s (of Bergdorf Goodman) creative mind.