Conferences in New York

Cover of Not A Toy published by Pictoplasma

Coming up are two conferences of interest. At the Museum at FIT, “Fashion Icons and Insiders” is taking place on November 3rd and 4th, featuring speakers including Caroline Weber (author of Queen of Fashion: What Marie-Antoinette Wore to the French Revolution and professor of French at Barnard), Thierry-Maxime Loriot (curator of the exhibition The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier), and Thelma Golden (Director and Chief Curator of The Studio Museum in Harlem).

On a completely different but equally interesting topic is the conference organized by Pictoplasma and hosted by Parsons, which takes place from November 3rd to November 6th. Exploring the topic of contemporary characters in art and design, it features among its list of speakers the Wooster Collective and the American artist Mark Jenkins, known for his street installations.

Pictoplasma recently published the book Not A Toy: Fashioning Radical Characters edited by Vassilis Zidanikis of ATOPOS and accompanied by the exhibition ARRRHG! Monsters in Fashion at the Benaki Museum in Athens.

Francesca Granata

Daphne Guinness Exhibition at The Museum at FIT

Guinness by David LaChappelle

by E.P.Cutler "Daphne Guinness in Water" Los Angeles, CA 2008. Photograph by David LaChapelle.

It is rumored that Bernard-Henri Lévy originally wooed Daphne Guinness with the line, “You are no longer a person; you are a concept,” an idea that her eponymous exhibition at The Museum at FIT further solidifies. The multi-media exhibition co-created by Valerie Steele and Guinness features over 100 garments and accessories, as well as a number of short films and a floating hologram of Guinness (à la Kate Moss for Alexander McQueen’s Fall 2006 collection.)

The show begins with a concise cabinet of curiosities featuring Guinness’ trademark sky-high shoes. The gravity-defying platforms by Olivier Theyskens for Nina Ricci are on display. (Gaga fans, Daphne wore them first.) Alexander McQueen’s take on the motorcycle boot complete with a one-and-a-half inch spike jutting out like a modern-day spur is available for viewing, as is one of his baroque botany creations with flowers for platforms and leaves for heels. The first garment on display is by McQueen as well: a custom-made meticulously bejeweled catsuit with flowing cape. The cape appears ethereal, as if the fabric was somehow made out of jellyfish. Even without Daphne in it, it seems to emanate an aura.

Fine mesh screens divide the main exhibition space into themed rooms: “dandyism, armor, chic, evening chic, exoticism, and sparkle.” (The screens, a brilliant curatorial choice, allow for the mannequins to be positioned in a plethora of ways, which avoids monotony and still allows for visibility. The back of the garment may face the viewer on one side, but the front is still visible through the screen on the other side.) The “Dandyism” room shows fiercely structure ensembles. Apparently, Guinness' balks at the renewed interest in la garçonne styles, perferring to embracing a chromophobic version of dandy masculinity. Ultimately, though, all of the outfits seem to be feminine versions of Karl Lagerfeld’s personal uniform. Not coincidentally, many of them are made by “the Kaiser” himself.

Dresses and shoes from the ARMOR. Photograph courtesy The Museum at FIT.

Another room, and perhaps the most interesting one, is “Armor.” Daphne Guinness is quoted saying, “I think it’s very beautiful to be able to cover yourself in metal. I love the color and the way it reflects. But it is also a protection.” I wish the exhibition completely revolved around Guinness’ use of fashion as a protective armor, a pervasive thread throughout the oeuvre of her wardrobe. Toward the end of the exhibition, mannequins don not only her clothing, but also wigs of iconic Daphne Guinness hair. The wigs, created by Isaac Davidson of Wigbar, are the best I’ve ever seen exhibited and create a haunting effect of an army of Daphne Guinnesses, which would perhaps be Guinness’ best bet at armor.

While the exhibition is a triumph and a must-see, it leaves one with more questions than answers. Daphne Guinness’ personal history and significance as a fashion figure is briefly alluded to but not delved into. It is taken for granted that the viewing demographic is already well versed in her noteriety. (Granted, those at the opening—including fashion’s biggest and brightest bold names: Valentino, Cecilia Dean, Oscar de la Renta, Calvin Klein, Derek Blasberg, and Stefano Tonchi—were quite familiar with it all.)

Hopefully, the forthcoming book will offer more insight into Guinness. However, I doubt it. Guinness has mastered the art of the British aristocrat, where seeing and revealing are entirely different things. A life of wealth and visibility has rendered Guinness the perfect postmodern icon, hyper aware that she has become a hyper-real version of herself. What a concept.

Red suede shoes by Nina Ricci. From the collection of Daphne Guinness, to be featured in the exhibition Daphne Guinness. Photograph courtesy The Museum at FIT

The show runs from now until January 7, 2012.

E.P.Cutler is currently a Master of Art Student of Fashion Studies at Parsons The New School for Design. She worked as an Archival Researcher on the film, Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has To Travel, which will be in theatres spring 2012. With a background in fashion journalism, she has written for New York Magazine, Marie Claire, and MYKROMAG.

Estethica at London Fashion Week

by Rio Ali

It’s easy to get caught up in the glitz and glamour of Fashion Week when there is so much excitement about emerging young London designers. It was only a few years ago that the likes of Christopher Kane, Marios Schwab and Louise Gray were showcasing their debut collections to unsuspecting audiences; now they are fashion heavyweights commanding the order of LFW. Celebrated for its endorsement and support of fresh design talent, it is widely accepted that as the capital of experimental and extreme style, it is London that people look to for inspirational and progressive approaches towards fashion. So it is only natural that London takes this tradition one step further and applies the same forward-thinking attitude towards ethical and sustainable fashion initiatives.

Launched at London Fashion Week in 2006 and sponsored by high street retailer Monsoon, Estethica is a revolutionary endeavour conceived to support the growth of sustainable fashion and exhibit the elite of eco design. Celebrating its fifth year and cementing its prominent place on the British Fashion Council’s LFW schedule, a brunch was held to inaugurate the exhibition, where the designers participating were able to enlighten and educate over champagne and canapés. Nineteen carefully selected designers and ethical fashion companies (chosen for their merit in design and commitment to sustainable methods of production) showcased their efforts for spring/summer 2012, The guidelines state that to be part of the Estethica family, the designer must be working with organic, Fairtrade and/or recycled materials.

The BFC is doing great work in raising the profile of these brands and designers with a conscience, and in turn ethical fashion as a whole. Providing the opportunity to be showcased at the heart of London Fashion Week is a coup in itself; a unique platform that these designers are fully aware of and take advantage of wholeheartedly. Of these nineteen bright young designers, each has a unique take on the principles of design practice and a distinct aesthetic. Most noteworthy, their limitless passion for ethical fashion is not compromised by their love for beautiful clothing and accessories proving that when it comes to dressing, one can be stylish and sustainable.

As the exhibition’s sponsor, Monsoon’s range of sustainably sourced and ethically produced apparel titled L.O.V.E is the perfect example of a major high street retailer going against the grain of popular high street retail concepts. New to the fold, Eva Zingoni brings ‘sustainable couture’ to the exhibition, with her lux-inspired collection based on recycled fabrics cut from excess materials otherwise discarded by Parisian fashion houses. Eco-friendly favourite, Lost Property of London, known and loved for their fashionable yet functional bags recycled from abandoned fabrics, returns to Esthetica. Jewellery designer Joanna Cave presents her collection of recycled silver and ethically sourced pearls next to and in association with Partimi, an eco-friendly ready-to-wear line that uses organic wools, silks and linens. Both brands take their inspiration from childhood memories and the beauty of nature. It is important to note that these designers certainly benefit from the support of organisations such as the Environmental Justice Foundation and the Soil Association Certification These bodies are also part of the collective effort of educating consumers and ensuring that every stage of a garment’s production process is accredited for.

There is certainly a demand for a new attitude towards fashion. The days of trend-based quick fixes and questionable quality in garments are rapidly fading – phrases such as ‘the triple bottom line’ and ‘upcycling’ are becoming part of everyday fashion. This is indeed a very welcome departure and the start of a brand new era for ethics in the fashion industry.

All photos by Rio Ali

Rio Jade Ali is a London-based fashion writer and consultant, currently working on heritage projects with Burberry and Margaret Howell. She is undertaking her master’s at the RCA in Critical Writing in Art and Design.

Nick Cave: Double Exhibition

Nick Cave, "Speak Louder," 2011 buttons, wire, bugle beads, upholstery, and mannequin Installed: (93 1/2 X 199 X 123 inches), currently at Jack Shainman Gallery.

As fashion week has come upon us, the most interesting event I have attended so far has been the opening of Nick Cave's double exhibition of his Soundsuits at Jack Shainman (the gallery where the artist is represented ) and at Mary Boone's downtown gallery.

The Chicago-based artist-—who is chair of fashion design at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago—has explored hybrid identities and liminal spaces throughout his career, which spans the gamut from experimental designer to artist, as well as in his work, which plays with and subverts fixed identities. I strongly recommend visiting both galleries (a few blocks from each other), to see Cave's Soundsuits in addition to videos of his performances, available both on Mary Boone's site and in Jack Shainman's physical space.

Installation view of Ever-After, Jack Shainman Gallery, NY

Francesca Granata

Hussein Chalayan: Fashion Narratives

By Rio Jade Ali

"Before Minus Now," Spring/Summer 2000

Anyone lucky enough to have caught Savage Beauty at the Metropolitan Museum of Art this year will tell you that fashion exhibitions have reached a whole new level of communication. The sheer magnitude of Alexander McQueen’s work was on full display, every inch a tribute to the designer’s unmistakable showmanship and the breathtaking spectacles that he masqueraded as catwalk shows. Attracting unprecedented numbers for a show of this kind, it was clear that we had entered a new era for the humble fashion exhibition.

Enter Hussein Chalayan: Fashion Narratives: Launched at the Musee des Arts Decoratifs—while Savage Beauty was drawing to a record-breaking close— it is a representation of the entire Chalayan aesthetic and attitude towards fashion. It is clear from the outset that apart from wanting to transport the viewer to ‘Hussein Chalayan’s Universe’, the exhibition's principal desire is to communicate the stories that inspired the garments - hence the title of the exhibition. Often complex, constantly provocative and eternally intriguing, Chalayan’s technologically astounding body of work has examined and explored political, cultural, religious and geographical issues. Whether it’s his take on displaced peoples, as demonstrated so poignantly in AW2000’s ‘Afterwords’ where furniture literally transformed itself into garments, or his controversial assessments on religion (SS1998’s ‘Between’ and SS2005’s ‘Act of Institution’ spring to mind), Chalayan wants his audience to understand his complex messages. However with a lack of exhibition labels, one is forced to refer to the visitor’s catalogue in order to fully comprehend the significance of each garment, display and installation. This shouldn’t normally be a problem, except for the fact that being transported to said ‘Universe’ manifests itself in dim lighting and billowing reverberations - perfect in terms of atmospheric exploration, less so for the reality of reading in the dark.

"Afterwords," AW2000

This emphasis on the environmental facet of the exhibition sets it apart from many other fashion displays – particularly Chalayan’s previous retrospective at the Design Museum in 2009. In direct comparison to this highly lauded showcase, an evident amount of déjà vu is proffered. The eerily life-like mannequins fashioned to actively engage with the space (cleaning windows, painting walls etc.) remain, as does much of the actual visual content. Yet it is the way in which the curator, Pamela Golbin, presents the identical set of objects that offers a deeper experience, which in turn alters the exhibition intrinsically and entirely. The dummies and the garments they bear may appear to be exactly the same than the previous exhibition at the Design Museum, however housed in glass vitrines and cloaked in darkness They allow the exhibition to more fully communicate their socio-cultural messages.

Most significant in the exhibition is the digital innovation and Chalayan’s overwhelming application of video, never before utilized to such an extent in a fashion exhibition. A couple of hours isn’t enough if you want to take in the entire body of work on show. Video of unimaginable catwalk shows combine with largely abstract fashion film to create an innovative exhibition. The multimedia installation titled ‘I Am Sad Leyla’, featuring a life-size sculpture of the Turkish performer Sertab Erener with an image of her moving face projected onto the life-cast epitomises this sentiment. Add in a projection of a full orchestral performance and a musical score, and when asked about the defining moments of fashion curation in years to come, this haunting and arresting image is sure to be cited.

Rio Jade Ali is a London-based fashion writer and consultant, currently working on heritage projects with Burberry and Margaret Howell. She is undertaking her master’s at the RCA in Critical Writing in Art and Design.