Designing Life

 

OK let's talk about fashion this week... If you know me or you have at least been reading the past installments you would know that if given a choice I would rather not wear anything at all... but when I do get dressed I care a great deal about what I put on.  I care  most about quality and design.

Here are a few basic things you should know...

• Haute Couture---  French for fine tailoring... a couture garment is made for an individual person... the look and fit take priority above all costs and time involved.
• Mass Market Ready To Wear (RTW)---  Garments are manufactured in large quantities  and standard sizes using inexpensive materials to produce affordable fashion.
• Designer Label--- This is often a cross between  couture and mass market, not made for individuals... but great care is (or should be) taken in choices of fabric and cut and are made in smaller quantities  (or should be) to offer exclusivity.

*I feel I need to give a special nod here to Yves St. Laurent and Lou Lou de la Falaise because the two of them revolutionized the designer ready to wear industry with the Rive Gauche line and licensed merchandise and made this part of the fashion business what is is... or was. 

I learned early in my studies in costume history that no one has really reinvented the wheel when it comes to fashion design in the 20th century but many were revolutionary with their designs and ideas... more about that later.

Costumes and clothing have more or less been newer versions of styles  that have been fashionable in the past; the major influences of the 20th century are...

The turn of the century brought the Edwardian era with sumptuous fabrics used  in vast quantities. From around 1910  brought softly draped flowing garments with an asian influence until WW1 when practicality dominated over all else... Chanel in the 20's brought a new look with a new attitude of comfort, ease and practicality. from her suits to the little black dress. In the late 20's Vionnet brought bias cut (fabric cut diagonally across the fabrics lengthwise threads) garments to give a flow and fit not worn previously... the 30's brought  more romantic feminine and softer look compared to the more brash and daring styles from the 20's and hemlines dropped again... The Depression of the 30's followed by WW2 took it's toll on fashion... once again most clothing became practical and hardworking; rationing also had an effect in that garments were shorter and cut slimmer to save fabric. Civilian styles often imitated the military look... two years after the war ended Christian Dior  brought  "The New Look" also known as the Corolle line--- a dress with a fitted bodice flaring at the waist to a full skirt at calf length and was very extravagant  that sharply contrasted with wartime austerity... the look continued  into the 50's and also brought slim tight fitting trousers (pedal pushers)--- For men the lounge suit  was popular for formal wear and brought  casual sport jackets and for our family... Hawaiian shirts. It was during the 50's that the teenage market appeared--- blue jeans tee-shirts and leather jackets were a product of film and media....  The 60's were extreme... Italian suits with tapered legs like those worn by The Beatles became popular as well as the skinny boy-ish looks of Mary Quant that included mini skirts and tights and a wet look emerged with garments made from PVC... see through clothing with cut outs and exposed midriff dominated until the decade started to come to a close and unisex became fashionable  using velvet for bell bottomed trousers as well and floral and geometrics in bright sometimes acid tones.... The 70's brought a more exaggerated  and haphazard and  often deliberately tasteless look called glam rock made of clashing colors and fabrics.... by the 80's styles were being strongly influenced by Britain, Japan and the United States.... we had the new romantic look of ruffled shirts and baggy pants and wide leather belts to the creations of Yohji Yamamoto and Rei Kawakubo (try saying those two names three times as fast as you can!) their clothing was loose but skillfully cut and somewhat austere from the use of a somber color palette .... The new craze for healthy living inspired Norma Kamali to design a line of clothing made of sweatshirt fabric previously used only for  sportswear... and she reintroduced "the shoulder pad"... by the late 80's a renewed interest in haute couture led fashion back to the styles introduced in the 40's and 50's and the cycle continues through today.... There are about a dozen or so basic designs in collars, necklines, sleeves, fastenings and closures. skirts and trousers that constantly evolve.

I would have to write a book to give the historical perspective and outline of the designers who have had the most significant contribution to the industry but I'll give my top picks....

A  is for Giorgio Armani... he  for me was the Chanel of the 80's he brought back simple lines made of beautiful fabrics  beautifully cut and tailored (I wish they still were all of these things)

Giorgio Armani

B  is for Cristobal Balenciaga who was a visionary  and created awe inspiring  superbly cut  and elegant designs (he must be rolling in his grave with what they are putting his name on today)

Balenciaga at the China Exhibit Metropolitan Museum Of Art

C  I have to say I'm torn between Chanel., Calvin Klein and Andre Courreges. 

 The influences or different facets of ideas prevelant in the fashion world consist of but are not completely limited to...

The Artists I think that no one will ever top Fortuny... but Alexander McQueen is in a class by himself... his creations were remarkable. 

The Purists include Chanel, Vionnet, Mainbocher, Halston and Sonia Rykiel  

The Entertainers  were best displayed in the work of Schiaparelli and in Hollywood... Adrian.

The Extravagants are Dior, Valentino, Givenchy, Bill Blass and Yves Saint Laurent

The Architects were Balenciaga, Charles James and Courreges.

The Realisists Calvin Klein, Norma Kamali, Perry Ellis, Ralph Lauren and Giorgio Armani.

All this being said I think the two most talented fashion designers today are me and my friend Debra... because we are both creating thoughtful, beautiful, well made garments out of the best fabric available...  I was hard pressed to find anyone who came close during my last shopping expedition or perusing a catalog or fashion magazine.

The fashion capitols of the world are Milan, Paris, London, New York and Tokyo so if you want to pursue a career in the industry don't move to Topeka...There is a whole wide wonderful world of opportunity available in the world of fashion and or design... I've done many of them in some the different chapters of my life... including textile design, fashion buyer, stylist, fashion show producer and choreographer  and fashion model... my tip for the week ---Don't go to a modeling school it's waste of your time and money. You either have it or you don't... but the look like fashion are both always changing and evolving.

Walking down the runway of life you will find having "The  Look" essential but also necessary are the ability to communicate, patience, energy and a good sense of humor.

Next week we will be going to "The Movies" and I'll explain why the film A Man And A Woman created a few life long obsessions.