Archive for December, 2010

Running from the 2nd December 2010 – 30th January 2011 at the Royal Academy, London, Aware: Art, Fashion, Identity examines how artists and designers use clothing as a mechanism to communicate and reveal elements of our identity. The exhibition includes work by 30 leading international practitioners and is divided into four sections:

Storytelling acknowledges the role of clothing in the representation of personal and cultural history. Grayson Perry’s ‘Artist’s Robe’, (2004), an elaborate, appliquéd coat made of a patchwork of luxurious fabrics, comments on the figure and status of the artist in the world today.

Building covers the concept of clothing being used as a form of protection and the notion of carrying one’s own shelter, referencing the nomadic, portable nature of modern life. On display is ‘Shelter Me 1′, (2005) by Mella Jaarsma who parallels garment and architectural constructions in her work. Jaarsma defines shelter as the minimal construction needed for protection; not yet the shape of a house, but directly related to the proportions of the human body.

Belonging and Confronting examines ideas of nationality as well as displacement and political and social confrontation, recognising the tensions associated with the assimilation of new cultures and traditions. In Palestinian artist Sharif Waked’s video installation, ‘Chic Point’, (2003), the contradictory interpretations of revealing flesh as a fashion prerogative or as a humiliation juxtapose two worlds, one of high fashion and the other of semi-imprisonment.

The importance of Performance in the presentation of fashion and clothing, and in highlighting the roles that we play in our daily life, is explored in the final section. It features film footage of Yoko Ono’s performance of Cut Piece at Carnegie Recital Hall, New York in 1965, for which the artist invited the public to cut strips from her clothing. While the scraps of fabric fall to the floor, the unveiling of the female body suggests the total destruction of the barriers imposed by convention.

This exhibition is a must see for any fashion enthusiast looking to uncover the cultural meanings underpinning not just the fashion industry but individual interpretation of what we wear every day.

Location: 6 Burlington Gardens, Royal Academy of Arts
London W1S 3ET.

Click here for more information.

Source: royalacademy.org.uk

In keeping with the winter snow, we headed to where the fashionistas know how to keep warm while retaining their effortlessly chic style in the region of Scandinavia.

Our first lady embraces fur with this luxurious brown and white flecked coat, complimented with a furry bag accessory. Slick black forms the rest of her look with a black leather cap adding a quirky edge, also referencing Mpdclick’s s/s 10 Kinetic trend which looked to cycling chic. Lace-up platform boots and clear rounded glasses reinforce her high-fashion style with dramatic impact.

Our next fashionable subject juxtaposes both smart and casual elements to create a contemporary, versatile look using wardrobe staples. Black slim fit jeans are relaxed with distressed ankle boots, while a grey knitted jumper gives warmth to a vibrant checked shirt. A classic khaki green parka is fur lined and trimmed, styled with a cap contrasting with his smartly trimmed moustache.

Click here to see the full male and female street style reports from Scandinavia.

First there was Yves Saint Laurent, Kenzo, Gaultier and Mugler. Then came Azzédine Alaïa, Yohji Yamamoto, John Galliano and Marc Jacobs. With the second part of this ambitious exhibition of contemporary fashion, the Museum of Decorative Arts continues its journey through time with the decade 1990-2000.

Through a selection of 150 models we have the pleasure of seeing (once again) the collections that made their mark; for example, of Vivienne Westwood’s prêt-à-porter autumn/winter 95/96 with her provocative and sumptuous dresses or the flamboyant Christian Lacroix haute couture autumn/winter collection 02/03. Lose yourself in the shimmering dance of Jouy de Junya Watanabe’s parachute canvas dresses, Martin Margiela’s ripped trousers or Alexander McQueen’s flower skirts.

Through these memorable creations emerges above all an evolution of fashion, an abandoning of the flashiness and festiveness of earlier years in favour of a search for identity of the body and form. Whether using the most traditional handcraft or new industrial materials, whether gambling on urban, minimalist or punk inspiration, whether they made their place as leaders or carried on the work of their predecessors, the designers shown here have all left a strong mark on the stylistic research of these radical decades.

The exhibition runs until the 8th May 2011 at the Les Arts Décoratifs, 107 rue de Rivoli
75001 Paris.

Source: www.new-paris-ile-de-france.co.uk