Monday, April 20, 2009

Historical & Artistic Styles

Fine arts and fashion have been corresponding since very long time ago. However, there are some of the most important historical arts styles that have influenced Western fashion, for example Greek-Roman, and Rococo arts. In this entry, we will study the association between them.


1. EGYPTIAN

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A Bonded Stone Relief of an Egyptian Princess
Artist – Unknown
Date - circa 1270 BC


Ancient Egyptian art is characterized by its complex symbolism and conventional character. The paranormal characters of gods, royalty, and priests were symbolized by stiff and unnatural poses. Conversely, more naturalistic gesture represented ordinary people.
In clothing, the amount of fabric used to produce an outfit, and the complexity of jewelry grew with the status of the wearer. Also, Egyptians believed jewelry served as protection from supernatural forces.

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Egyptian Art Gold Accessories on Runway
Designer - Andrew Gn.
Material – unknown
Date – Spring 2009


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Nefertiti-chic Hair-do
Backstage at Christian Dior, Spring 2009 Show
Courtesy of Orlando Pita




2. GREEK-ROMAN

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Augustus of Primaporta
The Copy of Roman Original
Artist - Unknown
Date - Circa 15 B.C.E.
Courtesy - Musei Vaticani, Rome, Italy


Greek and Roman art is known as Classical art, which the most important concepts are order and balance. They used a law of order and balance in everything included their apparel that characterized by the form of sculptural draperies. Both cultures’ garments consisted of layers of fabrics fastened by pins, or minimal sewing and the silhouettes were achieved by diverse fastening techniques.

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Derek Lam
Fall 2009 Collection
Material – unknown


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Blumarine
Spring 2009 Collection
Material – Unknown




3. BYZANTINE

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The Cambrai Madonna
Artist - St. Luke
Date - c. 1440
Metropolitan Museum of Art.


Byzantine art is a combination of Roman painting and Middle Eastern abstract decoration.
The most obvious feature of Byzantine art is the gold and metallic mosaics that were decorated churches and palace.
For Byzantine costume, the most important element was ornamentation. Most of apparels were embellished with ornamental embroideries at the cuffs, hems, and necklines. In addition, jewels were attached to every item.

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Byzantine Inspired Costume and Accessories
Chanel, Pre Fall 2009 Collection
Material – unknown


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Byzantine Inspired Costume and Accessories
Chanel, Pre Fall 2009 Collection
Material – unknown




4. GOTHIC

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Stained Glass Art of Notre Dame de Paris
Date - 1163
Paris, France



The Gothic or middle ages era was from the 12th century to the beginning of the Renaissance. During this period, architecture was the most representative form of art.
In clothing, sharp top spires, hard stone and fragile glass inspired Gothic silhouettes in forms of pointy shoes, tight-fitting, and dark tone velvety textiles.

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Gothic Inspired Gown
Alexander McQueen, Fall 2007 Collection
Material – unknown


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Lanvin, Fall 2008 Collection
Material – unknown



5. BAROQUE

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Ecstasy of St. Theresa
by Gianlorenzo Bernini. Cornaro chapel, Santa Maria Della Vittoria church in Rome.
Dated - 1652
Rome, Italy


Baroque style was a reflection of the political and religious struggles through intense effects of light and shadow, overstate compositions, poses, and dehumanizing proportions in architecture.
Fashion in Baroque era presented extravagant silhouettes, contrasting colors and patterns, and voluminous accessories. It also featured an overgrown element to distort the human figure: high waistlines, huge falling collars and cuffs, or skirt-wide breeches.

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Baroque Art Inspired Contrasting Textile
Basso & Brooke, Fall 2009 Ready-to-Wear


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Comme Des Garcons' Wide Skirt
Fall 2009 Ready-to-Wear


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An Oversized Collar Jacket
Designer - Yeohlee Teng
Fall 2007 Ready-to-Wear




6. ROCOCO

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Interior of Wilten Basilica
Architecture - Unknown
Created - 1751-1756
Innsbruck, Austria


The Rococo art involved with luxury and lifestyle of the aristocracy.
According to module 10, a center stage was taken by interior design, furniture, gardening, and dressmaking.
Key looks for that era were revealingly low necklines for gowns, and using the most expensive textiles and embellishments. Moreover, towering and extremely sophisticated hairstyles and noticeable make up were fashionable.

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Rococo Inspired Gown
Christian Dior, Fall 2007 Couture


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Rococo Inspired Hairstyle
Christian Dior, Fall 2007 Couture




Source - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_of_ancient_Egypt
www.culture24.org.uk/art/sculpture/classical+sculpture/art26982
www.style.com

Monday, April 6, 2009

Geneology of a Garment

H E E L S

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Michael Kors's Double X Band High Heel
Material- Leather
Spring, 2009


Heels are shoes whose heel is higher than the toe. According to high fashion shoe websites like Jimmy Choo and Gucci, a "low heel" is considered less than 2.5 inches, while heels between 2.5 and 3.5 inches are considered "mid heels," and anything over that is considered a "high heel."(Wikipedia)


HISTORY OF HEELS
The heels were originated around 1500, to solve the problem of rider’s foot slipping forward in stirrups while riding. And the rider’s heel are still remain today as cowboy boots.
In 1533, Catherine de’ Medici, the wife of the Duke of Orleans commissioned a shoemaker to craft a pair of heels, in order to increase her stature and for fashion. And they were an adoption of chopines, which are the most elaborate elevating shoes during the 15th and 17th.

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Turkish Woman with Slave, wore chopines, late 18th century
Jean-Etienne Liotard
© Musée d'art et d'histoire, Ville de Genève


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Chopine
Designer - unknown
Italian, 1580-1620



THE WELL-HEELS
By the late 1590’s, wealthy fashion-conscious men and women all over Europe quickly adopted the new style of shoe: the well-heels. They became an indicator of wealth and status and were committed only to upper-class.

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Boy's shoe
Designer - unknown
Possibly French, 1680-1700


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Man's mule
Designer - unknown
English, 1710-1730



THE LOUIS HEELS
By the 1730’s, men began abandoning the heels. Anyway, they still stayed in women’s fashion.
The women heel were “curved through the waist and splayed at the base to increase stability.” (Wikipedia).

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Man's brocaded silk shoe with ribbon closure
Designer - unknown
Possibly French, 1760-1780


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Silk shoes with yellow silk covered heels
Designer - unknown
Possibly French, 1760s



LOW PROFILE
During the French Revolution, heels trend declined steeply in French due to its connection with wealth and aristocracy. Flat shoes were fashion for both sexes.
And the heels returned again by the late 1800s, especially for women, due to the creation of wide paved boulevards in cities such as Paris and New York.

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Leather shoes with low heels
Designer - unknown
American, c. 1790s



THE WAR YEARS
During the darker years of the 1940s, shoemakers made the heels by materials that were not rationed, like wood straw.

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Straw and wood platform
Designer - unknown
French, 1944-1945



THE STILETTO
When World War II ended, men returned to work, while women return to house and home. The stiletto heels stressed femininity by enrich women’s hourglass figure.
Together with the invention of the steel heel that was thin, able to sustain great pressure. The new stilettos truly ruled the fashion.

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Christian Dior sketch, late 1940s
Rene Gruau, France


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Black suede stilettos
Designed by Salvatore Ferragamo
Italian, 1955



UNISEX STYLE
The men of the 1970s once again wore heels. Male rock stars originated the trend by wearing decorated high platforms, and it then followed by their fans.

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David Bowie, 1970s
Michael Ochs Archive


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Silver and red platform boot, worn by Elton John
Designer - unknown
English, 1974-1976



ALL WALKS OF LIFE
During the late 20th century, with the influences of popular culture, high heels remained an outstanding element in both high and street fashion.

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Patent leather shoe embellished with rhinestones
Designed by Yves Saint-Laurent
French, 1985-1988



HIGH FASHION
In today’s fashion world, there are tons of heels. High-end brands like Jimmy Choo and Blahnik have created them as luxury goods.

Through five hundred years ago, although the technology, trend,and style have changed, the heels' core has still remained as statue enhancement, an indicator of status and sex appeal.

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Bronzed leather sandal with metal wedge heel
Designed by Tom Ford for Yves Saint Laurent
French, 2001


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Fendi's Illusion high-heels
Material - Unknown
Fendi, Spring 2009



Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-heeled_footwear
http://www.heeldirectory.com/heel-shoe-history.html
http://www.batashoemuseum.ca/index.html