Social Fabrics

Teresa Almeida, Modes for Urban Moods.

If in Dallas for the CAA Meeting this February, don't miss Social Fabrics. A time-based exhibition on the relation between Wearables, Media and Interconnectivity, it is curated by Susan Ryan and Patrick Lichty and developed around the trope of the fashion show. Supported by the Leonardo Education Forum, it includes an impressive array of practioners from the design and art fields. Above is one the pieces included: An inflatable garment designed as "a coping mechanism" by Teresa Almeida, it has been worn by the artist in performances in crodwed public spaces, in order to explore the borders between public and private space.

Social Fabrics will take place at the Adam's Mark Hotel (400 North Olive Street, Dallas) on February 22, 2008 - 4:30 PM.

blog.mode and meta-blogging at the Met

Junya Watanabe, AW2000-2001

blog.mode: addressing fashion is opening at the Metropolitan Museum’s Costume Institute December 18. “Designed to promote critical and creative dialogues about fashion,” the exhibition presents the Costume Institute’s recent acquisitions, which range from a Miguel Adrover 2000 ensemble made from Quentin Crisp’s discarded mattress to a 1730’s English suit.

The exhibit is meant to foster a discussion with museum visitors, as it invites the visitors to share their reactions via a blog, which is accessible both in the exhibition space and via the Met’s site. Comments from the blog together with the curators’ commentaries will be included in a book to be published after the exhibition closes. Meanwhile, in a classic instance of meta blogging, you can follow the curators—Harold Koda and Andrew Bolton—blog about blogs.mode on T magazine’s recently launched blog.

We were struck by Andew Bolton’s description of the blog as a way for the viewer to add to the strata of meaning and the history of the garments. Talking with W magazine, he mentioned how “Every object in the museum has a particular life history, and we hope the comments will contribute to the life history of [the clothes].”

It is a rather lyrical way to conceptualize a blog, especially the ability to contribute to these garments’ history and to some extent modify it. It seems to suggest a virtual way of adding traces and stains onto the clothes.

Francesca

Angel Chang Spring 2008

I have mixed feelings about Angel Chang’s Spring 2008 collection. From a technological standpoint, her third attempt to explore “bleeding-edge trends in fashion and technology” was a step back from her first two collections (Spring and Fall 2007).

Her most recent collection showcased shiny fabrics, soft colors, and a nice mix of structured/fluid silhouettes – but little else. Yes, there was the random thermochromic printed textile, as well as some use of innovative fabrics like X-static (with anti-microbial characteristics), but it appeared that Chang’s investigation into technological fashion stopped there. I was disappointed that one of the few emerging designers out there willing to tackle the question of how to make technological clothes actually fashionable was, in a sense, veering away from the very quality that made her so unique. Her designs, while not especially significant, are the kinds of garments that an urban woman would like to wear – functional, utilitarian, and pretty. A 2007 Ecco Domani Fashion Foundation winner, Chang from the get-go had credibility in the fashion world, thanks to her previous work at Donna Karan and other fashion houses and magazines. Because she herself does not construct technological components, nor develop the cutting edge techniques she employs in her designs (unlike the designer Despina Papadopolous of Studio 5050 who can both engineer circuits and design the end-use garment), Chang must rely on partnerships with technological designers, such as Sonali Sridhar and Mouna Andraos, the pair behind her thermochromic textiles. Perhaps Chang has finally realized that, although there MUST be more to technological fashion than Ipod docks, blinking lights, and disappearing inks - it’s pretty hard to figure out what else is out there, and even harder to find someone who can replicate it. Even though I was disappointed with Chang’s halted explorations into technological fashion, I was satisfied to see that Chang is still exploring militaristic themes. Her continued use of patterns with guns, camouflage, airplanes, etc speaks to the larger philosophical issue of the role technology plays in society, especially with regards to warfare. Overall, I think that Angel Chang’s work is commendable for its effort and scope. Perhaps it’s unfair to expect technological advancement with every fashion season.  Although, shouldn’t fashion -  especially "fast" fashion -  be able to keep up with the rapid change that is occurring every day within the technology industry?

Sarah Scaturro

Social Fabrics: Call for Participation

Proposals are invited for an event-style exhibition of wearable technology art, to be held at the College Art Association 2008 Annual Meeting in Dallas, Texas, sponsored by the Leonardo Education Forum.Social Fabrics will explore artists' creative deployments of mobile, socially interconnective media as wearable attire or personal accoutrements. This event-style exhibition, curated by Patrick Lichty and Susan Ryan, will demonstrate convergences between fashion as expression/statement, and the phenomenology of "network culture." Works presented will include technological attire and accessories, as well as works that engage the implications of our contemporary media and fashion driven lifestyles.For more information, visit http://www.socialfabrics.org

Modabot: Internet Fashion Week

I have been meaning to write about Modabot for quite some time, as I find it one of the most interesting fashion sites out there. The Berlin-based website primarily covers topics in that slippery area known as “avant-garde fashion” in an intelligent yet unpretentious manner. The fact that it’s written in German—a language that doesn't come easy to me, despite having briefly lived there—makes it hard for me to give a full assesment! Though what I do know is that they recently interviewed Giana González of Hacking Couture, and they are introducing an internet fashion week concomitantly with Berlin fashion Week in July.Francesca