I have been interested in the Barbican’s exhibition of ‘The Vulgar’ ever since I went to see it in January of this year. I found my first source on the Barbican’s exhibition in the Winchester School of Arts library. The book was called ‘Barbican The Vulgar Fashion Redefined’ and was the Barbicans own documentation of the event itself, with references to the inspiration for the show and the best examples of the outstanding concept of vulgarity through fashion. For more information regarding ‘The Vulgar’ exhibition at The Barbican I headed to the Barbican’s online website and found the Gallery’s personal write up of the exhibition, which was an overview of the show, thanking everyone involved in the creative process and all the designers who donated their own work for the huge project. I wanted to find an outside opinion on the exhibition so looked up reviews of the show. I chose a article from The Telegraph on the Barbican’s exhibition which had high praise for the work referring to it as “dazzling and delightfully subversive” [Paragraph 1, Line 2]. My favourite insight into the show that the author, S.Davies, gave was how we can sometimes not perceive our own hypocrisy when it came to personal taste “the show’s relentless probing of the hypocrisies of taste nudge at something deeper about how mankind sees itself” [Paragraph 7, Line 3] For me this gives the exhibition an extra layer of reality which is not obvious until you see the connections between the viewer and the exhibitions vulgarity.

Book – Alison, A.J, Clark, J.C and Phillips, A.P (2016) Barbican The Vulgar Fashion Redefined, London, Koenig Books.

Website – The City of London Corporation (2017) The Vulgar: Fashion Redefined, Available from https://www.barbican.org.uk/the-vulgar-fashion-redefined [Accessed: 25th October]

Newspaper – Davies, S.D (2016) The Barbican’s history of the vulgar is delightfully subversive – review, The Telegraph [Accessed:25th October]

 

‘In fashion the term “fairy tale” is often used to descried clothing that is particularly spectacular’. I’ve always found elaborate creations and ball gowns so inspiring and I find that in my own work that I am very inspired by couture and one of a kind pieces. Many fashion designers are inspired by fairy tales as they have always been amongst our history within the arts. Inspiration like this can make one create such beauty, elegancy and luxury.

Scanning the books through the library I came across ‘Fairy Tale Fashion’ Colleen Hill which goes into more detail about the exhibition at the Museum at the FIT describes a summary of the fairy tale inspiration and how it has inspired various designers in the work in different ways. It describes in detail about what exactly the designer was thinking and trying the convey in their piece. I was particularly fascinated by ‘Some Enchanted Evening’, a dress created by Alexander McQueen, which is in fact the dress that has been used on the front cover and the hand- printed silk taffeta evening gown by Dolce and Gabbana (pg 17).

I was intrigued by the book by Hill to research about the exhibition. ‘Fairy tale fashion was a unique and imaginative exhibition that examined fairy tales through the lens of high fashion’. The exhibition included fantasy-like settings designed by the architect Kim Ackert to match the dramatic garments created by designers like Marchesa, Tom Ford, Alexander McQueen, Prada and Walter Van Beirendonck amongst many more. As the typical setting for a fairy story is woodland and forest, the fashion was used to illustrate what story the audience would be walking into. For example, variations of the Little Red Riding Hoods cloaks were on display, including the Commes des Garcons enormous, peaked hood in scarlet patent leather cloak- Fall 2014.

https://www.fitnyc.edu/museum/exhibitions/fairy-tale-fashion.php

https://www.vogue.com/article/fairy-tale-fashion-exhibit-fit

For my first time I worked on weaving project, I looked though some websites and magazines but I did not find anything useful. After my class I went to WSA library and borrowed a textile theory book, I found some helpful concepts on materials, fabric chosen and textile construction methods. The first chapter is introducing the role of textiles in fashion and I found the influence of the textile had impacted politics, lifestyles, laws and technological advancements throughout human history. For example, the Silk Road was an overland trade route that linked all over the world. (picture 1 and 2) It started Changan, China, with hundreds of smaller byways. The northern route ran westward from China to the Black sea and the southern route was included Afghanistan, Iran, and India. The most important is, the Silk Road delivered gold, food, animals and agricultural and metallurgical technologies. Textiles from far-away lands for use in fashion became a status symbol and a profitable business. That was a huge innovation.

 

Furthermore, I found an interesting theory on five basic steps of the field of textile manufacturing which are fibres, yarns, construction method , dyeing and finishing. Firstly, fibres are the basic material from naturally occurring (natural fibres) and man-made (manufactured and synthetic fibres and structural characteristics of fibres).The next stage on the journal to create a fashion textile is yarn production and spun and filament are two main classification of yarns. Then in woven textiles, there are three basic weave patterns which are plain weave, twill weave and satin weave. Here’s some sample of woven textiles. My first project was on woven design, so l collected some pictures on woven textile. Although it was difficult and spending time, I had a lot of fun on it.

Saved by Heta Davis

Archaeological investigations extend the known age of the ancient road connecting Asia and central Europe called the Silk Road.

 

Silk Road merchants on the ancient trade route through Asia. From an illuminated 1375 Mallorcan manuscript

 

 

Cadigan. E. (2014) Sourcing and selecting textiles for fashion. London: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

Kris Hirst (2017) Along the Silk Road – Archaeology and History of Ancient Trade. Available from : https://www.thoughtco.com/along-the-silk-road-167077?utm_source=pinterest&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=shareurlbuttons_nip [Accessed 15 October 2017].

Kate Fletcher’s pioneering work and progressive outlook within the fashion and textile industry has a huge influence on my own practice and identity as a designer. Reading the second edition of her book: ‘Sustainable Fashion and Textiles – Design Journeys’ introduced me to ground-breaking and controversial ideologies questioning “the superfluity of mass production and unlimited consumption” within “an industry linked to abuses of workers’ rights and the creation of waste” (Fletcher, 2014). This initial encounter with Fletcher’s ideas sparked my profound fascination for sustainable and ethical fashion so I have used this as the starting point for my research.

In particular, as an emerging designer in the industry, I noticed that much of Fletcher’s philosophies, as expressed in ‘Sustainable Fashion and Textiles – Design Journeys’ (Second Edition), are of poignant interest and relevance to me. To exemplify this, the following notion has become a fundamental consideration within my own practice:

“Fashion, by definition, reflects its context; and its context patently includes its people, ecosystems and soil. So when we frame fashion as ‘limit-less’ and/ or achievable only through ever greater consumption, this blinkered ‘performance’ is, quite simply, no longer fashion.” (Fletcher, 2014: 141)

To progress with my investigation, I then consulted the bibliography in ‘Sustainable Fashion and Textiles – Design Journeys’ (Second Edition) from which I selected various websites as reliable sources to explore further. From these online references I was most inspired to focus on Fletcher’s ‘Craft of Use’ initiative because I am excited by the concept that “novelty is gained not from consumption but through practising the ‘craft of use’. Here use is framed not as a static act of purchase, but a process of learning, education and the development of new skills over time” (Fletcher, 2017).

Finally I chose to investigate Fletcher’s ‘Craft of Use’ initiative further, looking at an article she wrote titled ‘Fashion is seen as frivolous but it’s at the heart of contemporary culture’ on the reputable ‘the Guardian’ website. I was fascinated to learn about her latest ‘Local Wisdom’ research project including the rich database of individual’s stories (documenting sustainable ‘usership’ within fashion) that it generated. To summarise my findings I have chosen to conclude with Fletcher’s notion that “Fashion provision and expression is a broad spectrum featuring garments, supply chains, skills, stories, ideas, behaviours and individuals” (Fletcher, 2014).

References:

Fletcher, K. (2014) Sustainable Fashion and Textiles – Design Journeys, 2nd ed. Oxon: Routledge.

Fletcher, K. (2017) Craftofuse.org: Craft of Use – Home. Available from: http://www.craftofuse.org/ [Accessed 30 October 2017].

Fletcher, K. (2014) the Guardian: Fashion is seen as frivolous but it’s at the heart of contemporary culture. Available from: https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/sustainable-fashion-blog/fashion-frivolous-contemporary-culture-ownership-usership [Accessed 30 October 2017].

Book:

Rosenblum R Andy Warhol: Portraits of the 70s (1979) USA Random House Inc.

Webpage:

Dolmetsch C & Kazakina K (2017) Major Warhol Collector says art stash being held hostage Bloomberg Persuits available from: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-10-23/big-warhol-collector-says-art-is-held-hostage-by-storage-firm accessed 25 October 2017

 

Newspaper Article:

O’Hagan S (2012) Jonas Mekas: the man who inspired Andy Warhol to make films The Guardian available from:

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2012/dec/01/jonas-mekas-avant-garde-film-interview accessed 25 october 2017

 

I picked 1970s Andy Warhol pop art because it was revolutionary for the time. I have looked into this before in my studies and thoroughly enjoyed it. This movement was all about using bold colors and abstracting shapes to make art become more conceptual. Lots of pop art was hugely influenced by celebrities and everyday objects from the time. Some of Andy Warhol’s most famous work includes Campbell’s soup cans and Triple Elvis. This movement – pop art has really influenced the way in which I think about different projects and my work in general – making me be more experimental with color and shape, not necessarily thinking exactly how something should look but being influenced by the seventies and sixties’ color palette and the way in which different artists see the same celebrities in different ways. I found a book, newspaper article and a webpage that all relates to this subject in a different way. This task has taught me how to reference all three of these things correctly.

I began my research in the University’s library. I was captivated by a book written about the work of the fashion designer Oscar De La Renta, written by Andre Leon Talley. I was interested to see how fashion designers in our modern era continue to incorporate corset style bodices into their designs.

Talley, A. L, Wintour, A, (2015) Oscar De La Renta: His Legendary World Of Style, New York, Skira Rizzoli Publications, Inc.

To further my research into this subject, I searched the internet for a website which would inform me more on the subject. I came across an article written on Vogue.com which was written about the corset being a statement fashion accessory in recent years. Naomi Pike discusses how the way a corset is worn has changed from when it was worn under clothing for shape around the waist to being worn as an accessory. Pike writes that the corset is ‘an accessory, it’s not to be worn in lieu of a top’. (Pike, N, (2016), Condé Nast,  Crushing On The Corset, Vogue.com,  Available from: http://www.vogue.co.uk/gallery/corset-celebrity-trend-style Condé Nast (Accessed 25th October 2017)

Finally, I discovered a newspaper article by theguardian.com which furthered my research in to the reasons for corsets being back in fashion. The newspaper article concluded that wearing a corset in modern society is a  feminist statement and contrasts to how women were forced to wear them in the past so their figures would appear more ladylike for males. Ellie Violet Bramley writes ‘What feels new and potentially feminist about some of the current corset variations is their lack of adhere to traditional ideals of the female form.’ (Bramley, E. V, 2017, Let Loose: How the Corset is being reclaimed by the fashion industry, theguardian.com, Saturday 1^st April 2017)

Pavitt, J (2008) Fear and Fashion In The Cold War, London, V&A Publishing

I chose this book because I enjoy learning about the history of fashion. This book is interesting because it shows how much events at the time can influence fashion. The book examines “how the image of the body was shaped by cold war concerns”. Fashion changed a great deal in the cold war due to changing attitudes about fashion, advances in technology and because designers expressed the fear and anxiety in their designs. The cold war also inspired art, films and literature as well.

 

 

 

BBC (2014) Cold War. Available from:

 

www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/coldwar/ [Accessed 25^th October 2017]

 

I furthered my research on fashion in the cold war by learning about the cold war. I did this to understand why there was fear and anxiety in this time. I chose this website so I could have a variety of references and sources. This website is from the BBC and is therefore reliable, factual information.

 

Brown, C (1948) How Close Are We To War With Russia? SEE Magazine, 25^th October 2017, 1-8

 

After researching a website about the cold war, I wanted to further my research by learning about opinions of those living in that time. Reading a newspaper from that time helped me do this. It helped me understand how anxious people actually were, as well as see what people living in this time were reading. Its no wonder there was great fear, the press seemed to heighten concerns by publishing articles on how close they are to war.

Ancient, traditional costumes are one of mine interest aspect in fashion, and Greek clothing style is one of my favourite among all the other.  The drape, the creases, the looseness and the delicacy that it creates on the stand and the fact that many fashion designers are in love with this sort of ‘Grecian look’.

The book ‘Fashion from ancient Egypt to the present day’ described the background /culture of Greek fashion, the importance of their hairdressing, the evolution of chiton during the history and the difference between man and woman’s fashion in ancient Greece. (P.32- 42) looking back to some examples of recent Grecian fashion – Valentino’s Spring 2016 couture collection and Chanel Resort 2018 show. Chanel’s collection titled ‘The Modernity of Antiquity’ which Luke Leitch expressed on the Vogue website:

Antique in its inspiration and true to the house in its articulation, this Chanel Resort collection was old-fashioned- no, ancient- fashion-in the best possible sense.

In comparison, Chanel’s collection is ‘pure antiquity’ where most of the garment depended on the textile aspect more than fashion as the texture of the fabric creates this ethnic /aboriginal sense, collaborates with jewellery and beads. On the other hand, Valentino’s Spring collection is only a kiss of the Grecian fashion where their focal point is the complex pattern on the fabric covered with gold accessories. However, this usage of the velvet composed of shiny texture and hollow pattern presents their professional skills and bold creativity.

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Reference:

[1] Mila Contini (1965) Fashion from ancient Egypt to the present day. London: Paul Hamlyn Ltd

 

[2] Vogue – Sarah Mower (2016) Spring 2016 couture Valentino. Avaliable from:  https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/spring-2016-couture/valentino [Accessed 24 October 2017]

[3] Kerry Kolasa-Sikiaridi (2017) Greece GreekReport Chanel’s ‘Cruise Show’ Inspired By Ancient Greece! (Photos). Available from: http://greece.greekreporter.com/2017/05/04/chanels-cruise-show-inspired-by-ancient-greece-photos/ [Accessed 24 October 2017]

[4] Vogue – Luke Leitch (2017) Chanel Resort 2018 Available from: https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/resort-2018/chanel [Accessed 24 October]

 

 

Fiell, CF and Dirix, ED (2011) Fashion Sourcebook 1920s. London: Field.

Leaper  CL (March 29^th 2017) Marie Claire. Available from: https://blackboard.soton.ac.uk/bbcswebdav/pid-3651959-dt-content-rid-3314693_1/courses/ARTD1097-34661-17-18/Wk%203%20RCS%20Academic%20Integrity%20LH.pdf [23^rd October 2017]

Hall JH, (2014) Coco Chanel the Nazi spy: New document reveals that fashion designer worked for Hitler’s military intelligence. Daily Mail online 2^nd December 2014.

I decided to explore the 1920s as I was really intrigued by the ‘Roaring 20s’ and how the 1^st World War affected fashion. I have always been interested in the style and elegance that the women wore around the time of the flapper girl and who were the main fashion influences on the younger women.

I started off looking through books in the library; Fashion Sourcebook 1920s showed original photographs and drawing illustrations. From researching this I referenced all the necessary places and names in order to Harvard reference correctly. I was curious to see who the major designers were during this era so I went online and researched ‘fashion designers in 1920s’ in google. Marie Claire had a great webpage specifically allocated to showing viewers who were the key designers for the success of 1920s fashion. I took a photo of the web page and noted down the authors name, when it was published, the title of the webpage, the UCL link and the date that I accessed the page to Harvard reference. The main designer that I was most interested in from the Marie Claire website was Coco Chanel and her Little Black Dress designed in 1926. I wanted to find more information about Coco Chanel, not necessarily to do with fashion but more about what she did and where she came from. I found an interesting newspaper article from the Daily Mail on Chanel stating that during the time of the war she was a Nazi spy and worked for Hitler’s military intelligence. It was really interesting to read about her private life and not just about her design company and finding out her influence and actions during World War 2.

The image I have chosen was from a book ‘House of Viktor & Rolf’ By Caroline Evans and Susannah Frankel. This book shows the collections throughout the years in which designers Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoering have created. Reading the book about the “Upside Down” collection fascinated me as to how they showcased the couture pieces. They had garments presented that was worn by two models showing one upright and one upside-down, on the catwalk they first showed the correct way and then the other. The whole collection was presented in reverse. Starting the show with the final parade of the models.  It was also characterized by satin flowing shapes contrasting to masculine tuxedos. The most important part that really stood out to me was when they presented the show in reverse, Viktor and Rolf breaking boundaries and really standing out as unique designers.  [1]

 

 

 

Further research, I found an article relating back to the ‘Upside Down’ Collection. Viktor and Rolf as designers they always like to take their collection to another level which I’ve always admired them for that. Siebe Tettero was an interior designer who worked on the upside-down store basing it on a traditional Parisian couture salon and had a 19^th century French boudoir interior. The colour palette for the design successfully worked to balance out the strong upside-down architecture, balancing the calm colours with the bold shapes. I wanted to research into other artists and designers that have done the similar concept of turning objects upside-down. Although when I researched it not much came up with the result. However, I found a photographer named Martin Tremblay who also worked in the upside-down concept capturing models in a non traditional way of posing, the idea brings the fashion to the foreground which is forcing the viewer to focus on an unusual juxtaposition. [2]

 

Finally, we were asked to identify a museum or archive that broadens my understanding of the
image and object. Using the internet, I was able to access the archives of the V&A which I found
a page about the founder of haute couture. It was said in the archive that Charles Worth is known for creating the fashion show, in which he presented his clients with collections of his designs around 4 times a year. He is an English dressmaker who has made dresses for Queen
Victoria. With the help of this online source, it allowed me to extend my knowledge of how the world of fashion shows started. It was interesting to know that fashion shows have been around for so many years dating back to the 1800s. [3]

References:

[1] – Photograph of upside down garment, House of Viktor & Rolf, Photograph by Mario Sorrenti, Published in V, No 9, Spring 2006

[2] – Photo: http://khaleejesque.com/2013/03/art-design/viktor-rolfs-upside-down-store-in-milan/

[3] – https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/the-fashion-show