If you are fortunate enough to be in Victoria any time this summer then hie thee to the Bendigo Art Gallery to view the Modern Love exhibition, a selection from the archives of the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising Museum in Los Angeles. You’ll need to set aside the bulk of a day to get out there and make the most of it, but man, it is so worth the effort. This is the creme de la creme of high end sartorialism; and Mum, Cassie and I spent a thoroughly enjoyable few hours oohing and aahing in happy wonder.
Each and every piece had something about it that delighted the eye and set it apart; a design element, a fabric, a silhouette, an embellishment, a system of piecing; a sleeve here, a pocket there, a random safety pin somewhere else, and one cheeky mirrored fig leaf just where it should be.
Photos are allowed, so despite the abysmal lighting conditions we did… punch-drunk, I took photos of everything; but am just whittling it down to my absolute favourites here.
Vivienne Westwood, from the Anglomania collection of 93-94. The bias cut tartan jacket has over-sized pocket flaps, and very interesting shaping at the front achieved by a single diagonal tuck at the collarbone, into the collar.
Thierry Mugler, 92. That chocolate brown inset pocket piecing, lower front. I mean, omigod. A seamstress can but gape in awe.
Comme des Garcons, 2011. terrible photo because it was in the deepest darkest corner of the gallery, but this was Cassie’s favourite piece in the exhibition. Rei Kawakubo created this intricate bunchy kaleidoscope of a dress using her own silk scarves that she has personally collected over many years. It is paired with a simple pair of white sand shoes, similar to how it was styled in the runway show. This is about as feminine and glamorous as it gets in the CdG world. And absolutely wearable.
Vivienne Westwood, 94; crazy woollen tweed pantaloons, with a vaguely Scarlet O’Hara-like air about them of being constructed from the furnishings of a late Victorian sitting room; tasselled edging and all. It’s all about the tassels here. I love it. Ponders: could I get away with a skirt sporting a lushly tasselled hemline, in suburban Perth?
Dolce and Gabbana, 94-95; looks like cow hide, is actually constructed using animal-rights friendly rayon/cotton plush and vinyl. A simple style and silhouette; of course the novelty fabric is what makes it… lends it that cowboy/rockstar vibe that’s going on. This is very very cool. Mental note; keep a look out for cow-hide plush….
Alexander McQueen, 02-03; denim jacket, raw edges, an overall lived in beaten-up appearance like a favourite pair of ancient levi’s. But with structure and form, and a mass of decorative double rowed top-stitching; a nod to the flat-felled seaming that is a seam-strengthening functional feature in the aforementioned jeans..
Calvin Klein, 88; nothing head-swivelling here, but the 80’s girl in me just stopped in her tracks and ohhh-ed blissfully at this point. A blousy, laid-back sportiness as expressed in a deluxe fabric. I just adore this ensemble. And I actually do already have a pattern that could step in and fit the bill here… and some shot taffeta… hmmm…
Franco Moschino, 92; I’ve included the picture at left from the Bendigo Advertiser since mine is pretty terrible, but this piece was Mum’s favourite. We all loved the styling of the exhibit; the black and white striped, wicked-witch-of-the-east tights looked playful and edgy against the frou-frou puffs and bows of jewel-toned satin.
Tony Maticevski, 13-14; this softly sculptural, neoprene dress is the first Australian design to be acquired into the collection. Loved the complexity of this dress; formless, organic and futuristic, although we all wondered how it would go with staying on your shoulders, though. Wouldn’t you just love to see the pattern for this?
From a distance I first thought that adorable little bouquet of pink and white flowers was an actual bag. It isn’t, but it reminded me of one of the tea cosies designed by Loani Prior for her book “Wild Tea Cosies”, from which I made quite a number of tea cosies a few years ago, and I reckon it would be pretty easy to whip this up as a pompom bag. Would be cute, no?
Its a shame that I'll miss it. Thanks for your lovely comment on my latest creations.
I love most of them:) It`s sad, that i live so far from this gallery.
Neat! Thanks for sharing photos… I don't think I'll get the opportunity to see the exhibit while in Melbourne, but maybe one day if it travels to Germany.
It was wonderful wasn't it? My mum and I were lucky enough to have the place nearly empty! I also snuck in a side trip to Bendigo Woollen Mills – great value yarn!
Thanks for sharing all these inspiring piccies ~ you def's are lucky to have seen them in person … J
I love Vivienne Westwood. I went to an 80s exhibition at the Victoria and Albert museum in England this summer and there was a ton of Vivienne and John Galliano. It was fabulous. And I adore the Tony Maticevski piece. It's wonderful. Very Issey Miyake.
I love fashion museums. I went to 4 while I was in England this summer. My mom's new expression became, "It's so pretty it makes your teeth hurt." There's nothing better than amazing fashion.
Darn it, I was just in Melbourne but no time for anything interesting! This looks wonderful, I might have to try and inveigle another trip somehow. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks so much for sharing these photos – I do love museums that let you take pictures! I always try to take *everything* home with me! I've never been able to decide if Westwood is mental or genius. I wouldn't wear most of what she designs, but must admit they use nice fabrics and things look well made. I've been in her Newcastle shop once, that was before they locked the door and made you ask to enter. AMcQ's designs are the ones that always make my teeth hurt! My favourite of your photos is his denim jacket – I would wear that in a heartbeat!
Thanks for sharing this. I went to the FIDM museum 2 months ago and they are showing costumes from TV. The Downton Abbey ones stole the show.
You like you are all having a great time. Enjoy. Thanks for checking out my collage jumper – even when you are away! Jo x
Thanks for sharing – those brightened my day!
I am so sad that I am so far … All this collection looks great, I can imagine you running around and enjoying each other. Happy week, darling.
Thanks so much for sharing these photos! Would love to see that exhibition live
Thank you x 100. From a museum I have never heard of, but will pursue. The high point of the second Hunger Games movie is Elizabeth Banks in the McQueen Monarch butterfly dress. Teens wondered why I was sooooooo happy. I think I swooned.
Thank you for posting this – for those of us that can't get to the exhibition, it is nice to see some of the garments. Love the Vivienne Westwoods (but then I always do). Enjoy your time away…
What interesting clothes. Your photos of them are very good – showing so much of the detail. Thanks! My sister, nieces, and I were at FIDM in Los Angeles last week and they were between exhibits, so we had to content ourselves with shopping in their stores for $1 per yard fabrics. It's not often you can make a fabulous bathing suit with only 50 cents worth of fabric.
Looks like a great exhibition! I especially love the Alexander McQueen Denim Jacket!
The question is: how do we get it to Perth. If it's made it to Victoria ( like the other fab Bendigo fashion exhibits) it's a hop step and jump, in comparison, to get it here 🙂
Nice pics, thank you for sharing! my favorite is the one of Tony Maticevski
Oh, wow! Thank you so much for sharing those photos with us. Your mother´s favourite is mine too! Stunning!
Love Vivienne Westwood suit!!!!!!!! The bias cut is awesome! Thanks for sharing!
Alexander McQueen was wonderful. Love the Vivienne Westwood too.
I'm so excited that I'll get to see this exhibit soon! Your pics are making me wish I was going even sooner!