Style and Fashion
Portraits in Disguise and Imaginary Lives
Dressing up for your portrait has been a technique and 'accepted as a norm' according to a section of England's National Portrait Gallery, Portraits in Disguise:
"The idea that the portrait isn't some form of disguise is interesting, after all it is always an interpretation of a presence. There is no guarantee that the sitter is not 'naturally disguised' when sitting for a portrait, this being often a peculiar and sometimes difficult experience to submit to."
"Facial expression is so often a disguise — how many people recall opening a gift in front of the donor and feigning delight when disappointment is the real emotion provoked by the offering?"
Art By the Yard at the Textile Museum; Find Stylish Items at the Museum Shop
Current exhibitions at Washington, DC's Textile Museum include Art by the Yard: Women Design Mid-Century Britain. "The art of textile design changed radically after World War II as Britain was transformed from a country devastated by war into an optimistic consumer society. Three women designers were pivotal in this artistic revolution: Lucienne Day (1917- 2010), Jacqueline Groag (1903-1985) and Marian Mahler (1911-1983). Incorporating dramatic saturated colors and bold motifs inspired by artists like Alexander Calder and Joan Miró, these young designers transformed the market by inspiring elegant yet affordable product lines that brought the world of contemporary art into everyone’s homes."
Current Reading, Plus-Size Wars
Ginia Bellafante has written an article long awaited, a well-written and researched review of the "little effort to reflect the realities of the customers' proportions." Perhaps manufacturers and advertisers might notice the ever-enlarging numbers of clothes left on the rack at the end of a season, seemingly designed for the tween population rather than the women who could only imagine the clothing on their 13 year olds, rather than themselves. A few paragraphs from the piece:
Voices in American Fashion and Design USA: Contemporary Innovation
The Cooper-Hewitt, an affiliate of the Smithsonian, held this event a number of months ago with well known designers as part of a larger exhibit. It is 1 hour, 2 minutes in length.
Washington Post Style Editor Robin Givhan, leads a conversation with past National Design Award Winners Francisco Costa (Women’s Creative Director of Calvin Klein Collection), Yeohlee Teng, and Maria Cornejo about their work and the role of fashion in contemporary culture. Their designs are featured in Design USA: Contemporary Innovation.
The craft section of Design USA features such sections as one on Yeohlee Tang (see above as one of the National Design winners in conversation and a favorite of ours as a designer for all ages), Aveda Corporation, Ralph Rucci and Nike:
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