The Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum has announced their next exhibit: American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity. The exhibit will run from May 5, 2010–August 15, 2010, and will “explore developing perceptions of the modern American woman from 1890 to 1940,” focusing on specific types including “Gibson Girls,” “Bohemians,” and “Screen Sirens.” I’m much more excited about this exhibit than I was about their last few, just from this photo alone!
(From style.com and metmuseum.org)
Well, the winner was no big surprise for this long anticipated but dreadfully boring season of Project Runway. So I’m just going to post some of my favorite looks from the finale:
Carol Hannah:
Carol Hannah designed this dress as the 13th “surprise” look, which would have been impressive for its meticulous draping alone but becomes even more so when you take into account that she only had a few days to finish it and did so while battling stomach flu. The color is what really makes it special- if it was in black or a neutral color it might not have stood out in the same way.
This is the look that Carol Hannah started off with, and I think she really played to her strengths here; she has been criticized this season for only showing dresses but this dress in particular has an edgy feel to it and makes a strong statement. I was disappointed that she came in third because I thought she had a lot of great ideas throughout her show, and it’s unfortunate that there wasn’t enough of a link between them.
This dress is lovely, from its deep violet color to the flattering draping and the flow of the skirt.
This skirt is so fun- it reminds me a lot of the upside down line that Viktor & Rolf did awhile ago.
And her last design is really beautiful and flattering, and a nice finish to her show.
Althea:
Althea revived the big ski lodge sweater that she may or may not have “borrowed” from Irina a few episodes ago. Irina also put one of these in her show, and it looked like this:
But anyway, back to Althea. I think the following design best represents her collection:
Fitted jacket, tank top, and then pants that have volume at the hips and taper below the knees. She won a challenge with this look before and I have to say I didn’t really get it, but at least in this version the jacket was fitted around the waist and the model wasn’t lacking key undergarments.
This, however, I loved on the runway. The shiny top was fabulous and made a nice contrast with the matte, fitted skirt.
This dress was also pretty cool; I like the fabric draped over the one shoulder and the cut of the dress.
Irina:
This was my favorite look from Irina; I really liked how the soft grey herringbone was contrasted with the leather/pleather bodice.
I loved this coat- it’s both oversized and fitted at the same time, and looks incredibly cozy.
This dress/tunic was great. We’ve seen this idea of a long shirt over leggings so many times before but here it actually looked new and exciting.
Irina took the concept a little farther with these two designs, and I really like the weaving of the fabric on the tops and the way she transferred this technique into an evening look.
In all, Irina’s collection was definitely the most cohesive and fashion forward. I liked her concept of clothing as armor or protection from city life and although it was bleak, the all-black and grey palette worked well with her vision.
(Images from nymag.com)
Um, so I had this really elaborate post about costume designers and how hopefully they will finally get some recognition following the example of Janie Bryant (Mad Men), along with pictures, and then my internet crashed. So, here’s the short version:
In the past, costume designers like Edith Head, Adrian, and Helen Rose became famous along with their designs. Unfortunately, nowadays Hollywood costume designers don’t usually get credited even when their designs are transferred to merchandise.
Deena Appel designed the costumes for all three Austin Powers films and she said that “When ‘Austin Powers’ became dolls, Halloween costumes and board games, and it went on for years, not only [was] I not compensated for that in any way, shape or form, I [was[ not even credited for it.”
Given their current lack of recognition, it is noteworthy that Janie Bryant was actually credited for her Brooks Brothers Mad Men Edition suit. Hopefully this is a sign of things to come!
I stole this from Froufy, this girl paints her nails in different designs everyday and posts the images on her blog. Today’s design is bacon, and on last Thursday’s she did a snakeskin print, which is something I totally attempted when I was 12 (I painted designs on my nails for every major holiday that year.) She also used tulle,which didn’t work out so well for me, either. Check out Monday’s Jackson Pollack, her Halloween themed designs, and the marbled prints!
(From The Daily Nail)
To quote the absent Michael Kors, I was completely underwhelmed by the final episode of Project Runway before fashion week. Tim took the designers to the Getty museum to find inspiration, and things seemed promising at first; Althea was inspired by the building’s gorgeous architecture, Carol Hannah fell in love with this incredibly ornate French bed from the 18th century, Gordana and Irina both took their inspiration from paintings, which worked well for season 4’s Jillian, and Christopher found beauty in a rock fountain covered with algae. But once the designers attempted to translate their inspiration into garments it was clear that they weren’t going to match the quality of any of the previous seasons. I agreed with the judges on the final three but I don’t feel like any of the designers have shown a really strong point of view. Irina’s designs are luxurious? Althea likes to make pants that only look good on models? Carol Hannah makes dresses? They are clearly talented designers, and maybe it’s the uninspired challenges, or inconsistant judging, but I wanted so much more from this season.
Althea’s look was inspired by the facade of the Getty museum. I thought the top was pretty, but the puckering on the skirt and the stark contrast between the top and bottom made this look “messy”
Carol Hannah’s dress was perfectly lovely and fit really nicely, but it didn’t quite evoke the grandeur of her inspiration. I really liked the braided straps, though.
Christopher is out with this stiff, uneven dress. The top and corseted waist were interesting, but the fabric he used on the bottom was a dismal shade of grey with moldy green splotches and it didn’t move at all when the model walked. I have to admit, I did feel bad for the guy when he spoke about finding inspiration in unusual things but then I thought back to Andre’s gutter-inspired dress and how well he was able to make a typically “ugly” thing work.
I loved Gordana’s dress, and if spots in the finale were based on the final look alone, which they weren’t this season, I would have thought she deserved to win. The dress was subtle and ethereal and completely gorgeous, and it definitely evoked the angelic Monet painting she was inspired by. But her work this season has been inconsistant, and sometimes a little drab, so I wasn’t surprised she was auf’d.
For once, Irina seemed to miss the mark; the judges criticized the length and the accessorizing of this dress. I think the fabric was the problem; the girls in the painting wore sheer, gauzy fabric, and although it certainly needed to be lined for the runway, she could have chosen a top fabric that was more transparent and then had a slighly more opaque, flesh colored lining so that the look felt lighter.
(Images from mylifetime.com)
Best bathtub ever!!!! (And thanks Jen!)Shoe Bathtub
Italian designer Massimiliano Della Monaca is the brain behind this creation. It is covered with precious glass mosaic in a style that stands out from the rest of the traditional geometric shapes. Shaped like an elegant pump shoe with a skyscraper heel, it allows for a perfect soak. It costs “just” $17,000.
(Link)
Vogue UK tested out these crazy, 12-inch Alexander McQueen shoes from his Spring 2010 show, and determined that they were, in fact, impossible to walk in.
(From Vogue.co.uk)
So, we finally got all of our judges back! Both Michael Kors and Nina Garcia deigned to show up on last night’s Project Runway, which enabled guest judge Milla Jovovich to exclaim “I don’t know how you guys do it every week!” after the losing designer was sent home. I guess it’s easier when one or both have been entirely absent for the past 8 episodes! In any case, I’m glad they’re back, because this episode was the first in a couple of weeks in which I’ve completely agreed with the results. The challenge, presented by Michael Kors himself, was to create a look inspired by a famous locale.
Althea chose San Tropez and created a sand-colored, fluttery top that she paired with copper shorts. I thought she captured the warmth and casual glamour of what I picture a European resort town to be like.
Carol Hannah’s Palm Beach look was completely appropriate for her location, from the breezy tropical print to the intricate braiding details. Nina Garcia said that she wished there had been something extra that made it special, and I agree with her. It’s pretty basic, and I think she could have taken it to the next level.
Oh, Christopher. This look was doomed from its original conception, from the prairie skirt to the draped blue top that did not in any way evoke Santa Fe. The belt was cool, I give him that, but if that’s the best thing about the outfit there’s a problem.
Gordana chose New York City, and she created a breathtaking neckpiece with crystals and silver-grey fabric. The dress itself was simple, but had to be in order not to overshine the necklace. It felt upscale, and effortlessly glamorous, which is perfect for Park Avenue
Irina’s cozy cowl neck sweater and ski-pants combination earned her the win, which was well deserved. Her outfit looked far more expensive than its $150 budget and was perfect for her location, Aspen. I was also happy that she used faux rather than real fur, which I think is prohibited on Project Runway, but either way I’m glad that no animals were harmed!
Logan’s Hollywood look was too basic and not at all flashy enough for this challenge. But while his design was boring, it was at least appropriate for his location, which is more than I can say for the bottom two, especially the losing designer…
Which was Nicholas. A draped white jersey top plus tailored grey trousers does not in any way evoke Greece. In my opinion, his exit was long overdue, and hopefully this is a sign that the judging will be back to normal for the remainder of the season.
(Images from mylifetime.com)
Oh dear. Not only has someone already gone through the trouble of making a Balloon Boy halloween costume, they’re actually selling it as a kit for $20. Although NY magazine’s Dan Amira makes a good point when he says: “The best part about dressing up as Falcon, though, is that when you get drunk and vomit on yourself later in the night, you can pretend it’s all part of the costume, and instead of people being disgusted, they’ll respect you for your devotion to authenticity.”
(From Nymag.com)
