Creative Process Journal: Cutting the Fabric for the Marie Antoinette Dress

Cutting the fabric for the Marie Antoinette dress (Photo by Ingrid Mida 2011)

Yesterday was the day to cut out the pieces for the robe a la francaise. Although I'd made a dress in this style in mesh once before and was able to use the pattern from that project, this time was a little bit trickier. As a post-modern mash up of fabrics, the intent was not to use a single fabric for the entire gown but to mix up the colours. Using different fabrics is a statement about authenticity and veracity making it clear that this is not Marie Antoinette's dress. But which colours for which pieces? I had to recut some pieces more than once because the beige print did not have the same pop as the other more vibrant fuschia pink and brown, or the lime green and fuschia.

The cut pieces for the Marie Antoinette dress (Photo by Ingrid Mida 2011)

I was so intent on this process that I did nothing else for six hours straight.  I was so energized by this project that I did not even notice the time and I did not take a washroom break nor did I have lunch! As much as I love reading, for one day I loved NOT reading....

Number of hours: 6
Project time clock: 21.5

Notice of copyright: 
All text and images on this blog are the copyright of Ingrid Mida, unless otherwise noted. The copying of posts, images and/or text without proper attribution is violation of copyright and legal action will be pursued.

Creative Process Journal: Bricolage and Choosing Fabric

The Swing by Fragonard

Bricolage is a French term that literally means "making do", using whatever materials are on hand. This term can also be used to describe the cultural practice of taking items and using them in a way that they were not intended to create a subversive or resistant meaning - like taking safety pins and using them for body ornamentation.

My choice of fabric for the Marie Antoinette dress project is a form of bricolage. I purchased some toile de jouy fabric in Paris about two years ago (remember this post?) and it has sat in a drawer in my studio ever since. As upholstery fabric, it was a little too thick to embroider easily, and it has sat unused - until now. Although it is on the heavy side, I am hoping the weight of the material will give the dress a quality of gravitas. Since the dress will require over 20 metres of fabric, making do with materials on hand is a relevant cost consideration.

The 18th Century Back in Fashion

Maison Christian Dior (f/w 2004-2005 on left and f/w 2007-2008 on right)

The extreme silhouettes, elaborate trimmings, and pouf hairstyles of the French Court dress in the 18th Century have served as a rich source of inspiration for haute couture and ready to wear fashion designers like Vivienne Westwood, Yves Saint Laurent, Karl Lagerfeld, Azzedine Alaia, Alexander McQueen and others. In an exhibition called The 18th Century Back in Fashion at the Palace of Versailles, original garments from that period have been shown alongside the modern interpretations to demonstrate the influence of the 18th century on contemporary fashion.

Thomas Gainsborough and the Modern Woman

Mrs. Sarah Siddons, oil on canvas, c1785 by Thomas Gainsborough
National Gallery London

Although it may seem to be a contradiction of terms to describe an 18th century woman as "modern", this exhibition of paintings by Sir Thomas Gainsborough (1727-1788) at the San Diego Museum of Fine Art illuminates the painter's progressive ideas about women. One of the notable paintings on display is his portrait of his two daughters, Mary and Margaret, who both hold sketchbooks in their hands reflecting his ambition for them to have their own careers as artists and independent women.

Many of the other portraits on display are of women with notorious reputations including the beautiful cello-playing Anne Ford, the dancer Giovanna Bacceli, the infamous Duchess of Devonshire, and the courtesan Grace Dalrymple,  mistress to both of the French Duke of Orleans and the British Prince of Wales (the future George IV) and who also survived imprisonment in the Bastille during the French revolution. The exhibition highlights Gainsborough's depiction of these sitters as self-assured and "modern" women.

Not only was Gainsborough progressive in his portrayal of these women but his brushwork is a forerunner to impressionism. His loose painterly brushstrokes in the gowns worn by the sitters conveys a sense of movement and an underlying sense of the body within these larger than life portraits.

Mrs. Ann Ford, oil on canvas c.1760 by Thomas Gainsborough
Cincinnati Art Museum

I have to say that standing in the middle of the ten portraits by Gainsborough in this gallery is nothing short of glorious. The works come from a diverse group of museums including the National Gallery and the Tate in London, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the National Gallery of Art in Washington, and the J. Paul Getty Museum and the Huntington in Los Angeles. Also on display are 18th century stays and two gowns from the Cincinnati Art Museum.

I was mesmerized by the story behind the portrait of Ann Ford (shown above). An accomplished cello player, she played the instrument "side-saddle" style because putting it between her legs would be unseemly. Being a cello player myself, I can attest to how difficult this would be. And yet, she played well enough to play concerts. In Gainsborough's portrait of Ann Ford, her cello sits in the background and he conveys the sparkle of her beauty and her accomplishments by adding crushed up glass blended into his oil paints for her dress.

Giovanna Baccelli, oil on canvas c1782 by Thomas Gainsborough
Tate London

The other painting that caught my eye as the portrait of the dancer Giovanna Baccelli (c1782). She is depicted in costume for the ballet Les Amans Surpris (The Surprised Lovers). Her yellow and blue robe a la polonaise is very much like the costume that I acquired from the Opera Atelier. Remember this post?The dresses are uncannily alike and I'm guessing that my costume was inspired by this painting by Gainsborough.

Thomas Gainsborough and The Modern Woman is on at the San Diego Museum of Fine Art until May 1, 2011. If you cannot get there, a beautiful exhibition catalogue is available.



The San Diego Museum of Art
1450 El Prado
Balboa Park
San Diego, CA 92101


Photo credits: Images from the San Diego Museum of Fine Art.

Out of the crate: Fashioning Fashion at LACMA

Timeline Installation photo by Ingrid Mida 2011

There are only a matter of weeks left to see The Fashioning Fashion exhibition at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. This extraordinary display of garments and accessories spanning 1700 to 1915 is unparalleled in its importance to fashion history due to its breath, its quality and the excellent condition of the pieces. Included in the nearly 160 examples of fashionable dress, undergarments and accessories are a number of extremely rare pieces. And while the exhibition catalogue Fashioning Fashion illustrates each and every garment in the collection in lavish photographs, there is really nothing like being there to fully appreciate the workmanship in these garments and accessories.

Timeline Installation Photo by Ingrid Mida 2011

This collection was purchased in its entirety from two dealers who had each separately amassed collections of historic textiles and dress for more than 25 years. They wanted their combined collection go to a single museum. Director Michael Govan said "After seeing these rare objects, it was clear that we should bring the collection to Los Angeles, as my first major collecting initiatives after arriving at LACMA. This acquisition has catapulted the museum's holdings of European costume to the highest category of quality."

Lady's chemise, panier and corset 1750-1780 LACMA
Photo by Ingrid Mida

The heavy gray box-like structures displaying the garments initially seemed to detract from the delicate beauty of the garments on exhibit. But then I recognized the allusion to the garments emerging from shipping crates. The "crates" are painted gray like the neutral backdrops that costumes are typically photographed against in a museum. Raised up on platforms, the crates elevate the displays to allow easy viewing by all. And on occasion, their layout allows a playful peak at what is yet to come. Close to the ceiling of the gallery, the red lettering of the FashioningFashion labels add a punch of colour to the cavernous space and seem to reference the red steel beams of the building directly across from the Resnick Pavilion. In the end, I concluded that the contrast of the modern installation with the historic fashion pieces was a very clever thing to do and oh so LA.

Tailoring installation, LACMA photo by Ingrid Mida 2011

The white mannequins and paper wigs create neutral forms which focus the viewer's attention on the clothes and not the carrier, although some of the garments are suspended by wires with invisible mannequin forms (another allusion to modernity perhaps?)

Men's Waistcoats 18th century France, LACMA Installation photo by Ingrid Mida 2011

Normally it is easy for me to pick out a favourite garment from an exhibition but this time I fell in love with all of it. The extraordinary workmanship and beauty of the garments on display make it impossible to choose just one. So rare is it that a museum puts its entire collection on display that this is a once in a lifetime event.  I hope it stays burned into my memory.

Fashioning Fashion: European Dress in Detail, 1700-1915
Closes March 27, 2011
Los Angeles County Museum of Art
5905 Wiltshire Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA, 90036
323-857-6000

The First Fashion Blogger: Barbara Johnson's Album of Fashion

Although fashion blogs seem to be a relatively recent phenomena, the act of documenting one's selections of clothing and fabric choices goes back as far as the 18th century. Barbara Johnson, a  well-off Englishwoman from a clerical family, made detailed notes about her wardrobe for the period 1760-1823. Her album includes a detailed description of each garment, fabric swatches, information about cost and trimmings as well as clipped pocketbook engravings (plates that preceded the illustrated fashion journals) with the styles of the day. Her album survives today in the collections of the Victoria and Albert Museum. It was reproduced into book format in 1987 because it is too fragile to be handled.

Even as a reproduction, this album is important for several reasons. According to Madeleine Ginsburg, assistant curator at the V&A Museum,  "the album is unique for the length of time it covers, for the practical details and the hints it gives of the circumstances of her long and fashion-conscious life." (Essay on "Barbara Johnson and Fashion" by Madeline Ginsburg, pg. 18 from the book.)

Not only does this album reflect the changes in silhouette and style over time, it also mirrors the graceful aging of a woman who knew was appropriate for her figure. Stylish to the end, her choices of fabric, silhouette and trims reflect her status as an elegant and respected woman.

Also notable in the album are her frequent purchases of mourning dress. Apparently, 18th century mourning requirements were as strict as in the Victorian age with three periods of mourning, categorized by degree. First degree required the most sombre dress in fabrics without colour, either in black or white, without sheen and with little or no trimmings and plain white accessories. Over time, the requirements relaxed but the mourning period was typically at least a year and was adopted after the deaths of family, close friends and in certain cases for the deaths of members of the Royal Family.

This book is a fascinating archive of fashion history for the period 1754-1832 and an important resource for fashion scholars and bloggers alike.

Title: Barbara Johnson's Album of Fashions and Fabrics
Edited by: Natalie Rothstein
Published by: Thames and Hudson, 1987
Number of Pages: 208

Fashioning Fashion at LACMA

This exquisite embroidered French evening mantle c.1891 graces the cover of the sumptuous book "Fashioning fashion: European Dress in Detail 1700-1915". Published in conjunction with the inaugural exhibition by the same name, this catalogue presents nearly two hundred items from the Los Angeles County Museum of Art's recently acquired European costume collection. The book is filled with glorious colour photos of the costumes along with numerous detail photos of the luxurious textiles, exacting tailoring techniques, and lush trimmings used during this period.  

Curated by Sharon S. Takeda and Kaye D. Spilker of LACMA, the Fashioning fashion exhibition presents over 160 examples of European fashionable dress, undergarments, and accessories covering the period 1700-1915. This collection of clothing and accessories was acquired several years ago and many items are being exhibited for the first time. The exhibition is organized into four thematic sections—Timeline, Textiles, Tailoring, and Trim.

Timeline presents a chronological look at both men's and women's fashions. The women’s visual timeline is illustrated with dresses in various shades of white to focus attention on the evolving fashionable silhouette. The men’s timeline begins with luxurious and colorful examples of eighteenth-century aristocratic men's dress and concludes with a subdued 1911 pinstripe suit, a style that has remained relatively unchanged for a century.

Installation view, Fashioning Fashion: European Dress in Detail, 1700-1915.
Photo: © 2010 Museum Associates/LACMA.

Textiles are often the most expensive component of fashion and this section presents an assortment of textiles—from silk to cotton, gauze to velvet, plain to printed. The choice of fabric - medium, weight, colour and pattern - all affect how fashion is fashioned. 

Tailoring explores the manipulation of textiles through cutting, stitching, and padding in order to create the idealized shape or fashionable silhouette of each era. With the advancement of tailoring tools and techniques, styles were able to change in dramatic ways, accentuating or minimizing different body parts.

Trim celebrates the artistry of embroiderers, quilters, and lace makers, especially in the highly embellished garments from the eighteenth-century 

Fashioning Fashion examines the transformation of fashion over a period of more than two centuries, and adds contextual commentary to show how political events, technical inventions, and global trade profoundly affected style. This is  one of the three exhibitions opening LACMA’s new Lynda and Stewart Resnick Exhibition Pavilion, a 45,000-square-foot building by Pritzker prize-winning architect Renzo Piano. The installation was designed by renowned opera stage designers Pier Luigi Pizzi and Massimo Pizzi Gasparon.

If you cannot get there before the exhibition closes on March 27, 2011, I suggest you buy the book. You won't be disappointed. It is one of the most beautiful fashion books I've ever seen (and I own a lot of books!). And even John Galliano, who wrote the preface, said "Fashioning Fashion takes you through fashion and time with the sumptuous variety of an extraordinary collection. I promise, it cannot fail to inspire you."

Title: Fashioning Fashion: European Dress in Detail 1700-1915

Author: Sharon Sadako Takeda and Kaye Durland Spilker

Published by: Delmonico Books: Prestel (New York) 2010 

Category: Non-fiction, costume history

Number of Pages: 224

Los Angeles County Museum of Art • 12-8 M/T/Th • Closed Wednesday • 12-9 F • 11-8 S/S

5905 Wilshire Blvd • Los Angeles California 90036 • 323-857-6000 • publicinfo@lacma.org

Book Review: The Courtiers by Lucy Worsley

Had this book been available before my visit to Kensington Palace in May, it would have added much to the experience of The Enchanted Palace. At the time, I only had a cursory knowledge about Peter the Wild Boy, Queen Caroline's Cabinet of Curiosities and the like. But it is never too late to learn more about this magical palace and the people who once lived there.

In the soon-to-be released book The Courtiers, Splendor and Intrigue in the Georgian Court at Kensington Palace, Lucy Worsely, the chief curator at the Historic Royal Palaces in Britain, makes history between 1714 and 1760 sparkle.

This particular period in British history is rife with plots, passion, preening, and politicking due to the unfolding of the Hanoverian succession. The German-born Protestant George the I of Hanover had became King of Great Britain instead of fifty other relatives closer to the crown who were regrettably Catholic. His enduring reputation of being an "honest, dull German gentleman" is cast aside when the author recounts his hot temper and vindictive nature, especially towards his wife (who languished in a German prison for many years after taking a lover) and his son, Prince George Augustus (with whom he did not speak for a period of two years). Survival in the court of a king who treated his own family so harshly required a considerable wit, guile, and a solid understanding of the nuances of court etiquette.

In her book The Courtiers, Lucy Worsely goes beyond a dull recitation of facts. By using seven of the characters in a mural by William Kent along the king's staircase at Kensington Palace as the focus of her research, she creates a vivid portrait of what it was like to be in the king's court. Written in a captivating and lively style, this is a delightful book to read.

One of the most appealing characters in the book is Caroline of Ansbach, who became Queen to George II. Having a great love of books, learning and philosophy, she was a witty conversationalist and her private parties were "a strange picture of the motley character and manners of a queen and a learned woman...learned men and divines were intermixed with courtiers and ladies of the household: the conversation turned upon metaphysical subjects, blended with repartees, sallies of mirth, and the title-tattle of a drawing-room". (page 37)

Of course, my favourite passages include details of the courtiers dressing rituals, something that is rarely dealt with in such books even though dressing for court was an elaborate and time consuming ritual:

"Next Caroline's hairdresser, Mrs. Purcell, would spread a short muslin cape over the queen's shoulders to protect her dress while her hair was arranged into a high bun. Once a conical powder mask had been placed over Caroline's face, her tight curls were clotted all over with white particles. Hairdressing was not terribly hygienic, and a Georgian lady could find her head being patted with 'a paste of composition  rare/sweat, dandruff, powder, lead and hair." (page 175)

The only anomaly in this book are the small line drawings interspersed through the text to illustrate the characters of this historical drama. Somewhat simplistic and bland in style, the drawings are not of the same high quality as the writing. Perhaps it is my bias as an artist that I would point this out, but the book deserves better. However, it is a very minor flaw and probably something that most people would not even notice.

The Courtiers is a rare gem in the realm of history books. With her entertaining and engaging voice, Lucy Worsely has set a new standard of excellence for historians.


Title: The Courtiers, Splendor and Intrigue in the Georgian Court at Kensington Palace
Author: Lucy Worsley
Publisher: Walker & Company, New York
Release date: August 17, 2010
Category: Non-fiction, history
Number of Pages: 334 (402 including after notes)
Price: $30 hardcover

Opera Atelier Costume Sale - Part II

This glorious dancer costume from Opera Atelier was one of my finds at last night's Costume Sale Runway Show and Cocktail Reception. In fact, it was included in the Runway Show and I waited outside the dancer's dressing room to lay claim to it!

This beautiful pale yellow and blue silk "Round Peasant" gown was worn during an Opera Atelier performance by Lucy Calvett and comes with a pannier,  heavy petticoat and fully boned corset. Not having a lady in waiting on hand this morning to help me lace up the back, I had to hold the corset closed during the photograph. The gown weighs over ten pounds and gives me a new found appreciation for how graceful and elegant the dancers are in spite of that extra weight.

I also purchased a heavily beaded burgundy velvet with lace gown worn by dancer Natalya Gomez in Coronation of Poppea. That gown is also surprisingly weighty. I intend to photograph both gowns as part of my 18th century inspired self portrait series a la Cindy Sherman. And I'm tempted to go back to the sale today to see what other costume finds I might uncover.

Opera Atelier's Costume Sale continues today June 4 and tomorrow June 5 from 1-5 pm and is being held at:
All-Canadian Self-Storage
1 Laird Drive at Millwood Road

Opera Atelier Costume Sale

 Monteverdi's The Coronation of Poppea; Artist: Peggy Kriha
Dye; Photo Credit: Bruce Zinger 2009.

When I first heard that Opera Atelier would be having a costume sale, I was almost tempted to keep this information to myself. After all, the less people that knew about the sale, the better chance I'd have of acquiring one of their exquisitely made 18th century styled gowns or ballet dresses. But after chatting with Marshall Pynkoski, Opera Atelier's charming director, my conscience got the better of me and I'm shouting out the news to the world here.

Although it seems hard to fathom how this successful opera company can part with any of its costumes, Marshall explained that the idea first popped into his head a few years ago when he and co-director Jeannette Lajeunesse Zingg came across a sale of costumes at Opera Garnier in Paris. This sale, held about every ten years, made them realize that even a large company like the Paris Opera cannot afford to store every costume ever worn. Storage is very costly. And over time, a company's aesthetic changes.

In the beginning, Opera Atelier's costumes used to be driven by style and elaborate detail - with silk and lace with embroidery and beading. Marshall said "Each costume had an extraordinary amount of handwork and the costumes became so elaborate that you simply could not go any further. An enormous amount of money was spent on embellishments." 

It was during a rehearsal of Medee in 2002 that Marshall realized that it was time for a change. He watched an actor rake his hands through his hair to make a dramatic gesture but recognized that this would not be possible if the actor put on the elaborate wig for the period.  He asked himself "what was this scene really about?" and instead of allowing fashion to take pre-eminence over the drama,  dispensed with the wigs. With the change in hairstyle, the costumes needed to change. Marshall began to look for a more refined aesthetic, stripping away the extraneous embellishments but "keeping the silhouette of the period and the size and volume with less to distract the eye". In so doing, "fashion was the means to an end". The costumes became less about the external and more about the interior, "what was going on psychologically for the actors".

Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro; Artists: Nathalie Paulin and Daniel Belcher;
Photo Credit: Bruce Zinger 2003. 

This refinement in aesthetic and the mounting costs of storage have culminated in this sale of Opera Atelier costumes. With the help of his operational staff, Marshall looked at each and every costume from Opera Atelier's twenty-five years of productions.  The process was "both cathartic and nostalgic but also extremely difficult, especially the first round of picks". Often he would come across something that would remind him of a particular production, actor, or dancer and want to keep it. He had to force himself to become more ruthless. (I was sorely tempted to discuss the embodiment of memories and clothing at more length for my research). Two representative costumes were chosen from each production for archiving and a number of other important pieces were set aside for possible donation to a museum.

There will be approximately 400 Opera Atelier costumes for sale at prices ranging from $50 to $250. For the benefit of Opera Atelier, I hope many of you will attend the sale, but watch out for my sharp elbows!! (I am looking for a gown or two to use in my upcoming self-portrait series a la Cindy Sherman.)

Mozart's Don Giovanni; Artists: Curtis Sullivan and Nathalie Paulin; 
Photo Credit: Bruce Zinger 2004.

Opera Atelier Costume Sale
Runway Show and Cocktail Reception
June 3, 2010  6-9 pm   Tickets $25


Sale continues June 4 and 5, 2010 from 1-5 pm (free admission)

All-Canadian Self-Storage
1 Laird Drive (at Millwood Road)

Call 416-703-3767 ext 25 for more information

A Wild Rose

While creating the 18th century chemise, corset and paniers and the Balenciaga-inspired mesh gown  out of mosquito mesh (both now on display at LA Design in Toronto), I started making roses out of the scraps. My young friend, pictured here, likes roses and I gave her one. She cleverly attached it to a hair clip! Isn't she lovely?

My LA Debut

When Toronto design guru Christopher Wood told me that he wanted to showcase my work in his chic King West furniture store, it was like winning the lottery. Christopher has impeccable taste and I feel like this month's IT-GIRL with an installation in one of Toronto's uber-chic furniture stores, LA Design!

In the window of LA Design is my sculpture What Lies Beneath, a recreation of an 18th century chemise, corset and panier created out of window mesh. This sculpture allows the viewer to see the layers and supporting substructure to an 18th century gown. (A big thank you goes to Dale Peers at Seneca College Fashion Resource Centre for loaning me the appropriate shaped mannequin for this project!).

The layers of undergarments worn in the 18th century created a protective barrier between one's body and the world. The panier in this sculpture spans nearly four feet at the base making it awkward to move as I found out when I tried on the outfit. As well, I gained an appreciation for why 18th century women needed help to dress! (I photographed myself wearing my creations and showed these self-portraits to Christopher who thought them worthy of being blown up life-size a la Cindy Sherman. That's my next project! In the meantime, here is a documentation photo of the dress.) 

What Lies Beneath

18th Century Chemise, Corset and Panier in Mesh

Copyright of Ingrid Mida 2010

Also in the store is my Balenciaga-inspired dress which I created for the Fly Gallery installation in January 2010. If you missed that, this is your chance to see this sculpture in person which won me the Underdog Achievement Award for 2010 from Toronto Art Critic and New Media Artist Otino Corsano.

And finally, Christopher gave his stamp of approval to my Revolutionary Fashion series on toile and my paper corset series which are also on display.

I invite you to visit LA Design to see my work and check out the stylish furniture, lighting and home accessories on display. I'll keep you posted as to future events at the store related to my work.

LA Design
788 King Street West
(2 blocks west of Bathurst on the north side underneath Art Metropole)
Toronto, Ontario
416-363-4470
www.livingartsdesign.com

Aboriginal Beading Meets 18th Century France

Trying a new technique takes courage and a willingness to fail!  I've wanted to incorporate more elaborate beading into my 18th century fashion pieces but was never quite satisfied with the results in the past. But after meeting with Aboriginal Beading Artist Samuel Thomas last week and taking his words of wisdom to heart, it seemed like time to do it!

Using an aboriginal beading technique incorporating seed pearls, I've intentionally shifted the focus from the foreground into the background.  In this manner, the floral pattern of the background textile merges with the embellished 18th century hat to create a playful commentary on the decadent excess of the period.

Here is a detail photo of the beading:

It is my version of aboriginal beading meets 18th Century France!!

Watteau to Degas: French Drawings at the Frick Museum

Jean-Honore Fragonard  Le Calendrier des vieillards, c. 1780

Pen and brown ink, brown wash, over black chalk underdrawing

Frits Lugt Collection

Sometimes I wonder if I might have previously lived in 18th Century France because my fascination for that time period seems to know no bounds. Although I have a deep appreciation of contemporary art, my heart still skips a beat when I stand in front of artwork by the masters of the 18th century like Boucher and Fragonard.  And while the exhibition of drawings from the Frits Lugt Collection currently on at the Frick Museum in New York is not confined to artists from the 18th century, it was those images that made me swoon. The skill with which Fragonard and Boucher exhibit in these small drawings is extraordinary. A few simple lines can express so much life! And while it may appear on the surface just to be a pretty picture, a closer look often reveals the beginning of a narrative (something that I'm trying to incorporate into my own work). This show of exquisite drawings also includes works by Watteau, Degas, Morisot, and Ingres among others continues through to January 10, 2010.

Frick Museum
1 East 70th Street, New York

Revolutionary Fashion I

Revolutionary Fashion I by Ingrid Mida 2009  Mixed media artwork 10x10 with hand embroidery and beading

Engaging in playful explorations of my creativity and invoking my sense of humour has become an important part of my artistic practice in the past few months. This has helped me make leaps into unexplored territory (which has kind of been like jumping off a cliff!).  Revolutionary Fashion I is one such leap which is currently on display at Launch Projects Gallery. I don't want to say much about it because I hope you'll share your reactions with me.

The Cutting Edge at the Textile Museum of Canada

Man's coat and vest, England 1760-1780
Collection of the Textile Museum of Canada
Photo by Ingrid Mida


Although the Textile Museum of Canada wasn't on my bucket list of museums, it is an under-appreciated treasure. Comprising two floors, The Textile Museum has more floor space than many larger museum facilities. Its exhibitions change several times a year and are thoughtfully curated. Even better, the garments and textiles on display are not behind glass so one can get really close to examine details closely (although I was tempted to touch, I respected the signage and did not!)

Currently on display is The Cutting Edge curated by Patricia Bentley. This exhibition focuses on the shape of a garment and what it signifies. Garments from the museum's collection are featured alongside contemporary fashion and artwork.

I especially appreciated the detailed descriptions of each garment that included drawings of the patterns for cutting the fabric.

"A garment is a mathematical puzzle with only one solution. Once it is designed, it has to be cut out and assembled in a certain way. A garment is also a carrier of a culture's paradigms, beliefs and attitudes. You would not think that something that can be strictly utilitarian at one end of a spectrum and supremely frivolous at the other end has usch potency for people's lives, but the truth is that clothes make the man - and the woman."




Girl's jacket, Netherlands 1760
Collection of the Textile Museum of Canada
Photo by Ingrid Mida


Coat pirpini (sleeveless coat), Greece 1800-1900
Collection of the Textile Museum of Canada
Photo by Ingrid Mida, 2009


Textile Museum of Canada
55 Centre Avenue (St. Patrick subway)
Toronto
416-599-5321
info@textilemuseum.ca

Toile de Jouy

Photo of Bedcoverings from 1785 from Quilts of Province by Kathryn Berenson

I am utterly besotted with Toile de Jouy, a printed cotton fabric with patterns of country scenes, characters or floral motifs that originated in France in the 18th century. This beautiful fabric traditionally came in red and white, blue and white or sepia and white.

The manufacturing and trade of toile de jouy made a fortune for Baron Christophe-Phillippe Oberkampf (1738-1815) who owned a factory in Jouy-en-Josas. His expertise in copper-plate and copper-roller printing allowed the creation of large-scale prints with scenic, allegorical and historical figures. Popular for bed coverings, drapery and furniture upholstery, this fabric was in high demand in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries and was widely copied in France and England.

The Musée de la Toile de Jouy presents the history and technique of printed fabrics from 1760 to 1843 using drawings, models and materials such as the wooden blocks, copper plates, rollers, dyes and frames used in the process. There is also an impressive collection of the fabrics themselves in which the stylistic changes in taste and fashion can be seen through a range of designs. The factory itself closed down over 100 years ago but this lovely fabric still inspires designers and artists (including me).

I would dearly love to see this museum during my upcoming trip to Paris. Unfortunately, it is 19 km southeast of Paris and 4 miles southeast of Versailles. I'm not sure I'll be able to fit it into my jam-packed itinerary. If anyone has any suggestions on where to find fabric in Paris, I'd be ever so grateful if you could leave a comment!

Musee de Toile de Jouy
54 rue Charles de Gaule
Chateau de l'Eglantine
Jouy Les Loges
33 139 56 48 64

P.S. Happy 120th Birthday to The Eiffel Tower today! It is fascinating that this beloved icon was once considered an "odious column of bolted metal" and "the dishonour of Paris" when it was selected as the centerpiece of the 1889 Paris Exposition Universelle.

Book Review: Quilts of Provence, The Art and Craft of French Quiltmaking

I love beautiful textiles of all kinds. And even though I know very little about the art of quilting, I was captivated by this gem of a book "Quilts of Provence, The Art and Craft of French Quiltmaking" by Kathryn Berenson.

A dear friend,who is a passionate quilter, lent it to me. She thought I would enjoy it because of the many photos of French 18th century quilted textiles. She was right! I now want to buy the book for myself and have even contemplated learning how to quilt! (If only I could take lessons from Tristan of Enchanted Revelry....sigh).

What I fell in love with were the all-white broderie de Marseille quilts of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. This form of quilting creates subtle plays of light and shadow on the surface of the textile with intricate patterns of stitching, incorporating cording and delicate stuffing into the stylized forms. According to the author "Knowlegeable French call these elegant works 'confections' and refer to the process of stitching them as 'embroidery from within'.

Quilted garments were prized for their beauty and warmth in 18th century France, and Provencal woman's social status was quickly determined by the quality of the stitching on her embroidered petticoat or jupon. Quilted short jackets and stays were also popular as were quilted garments for babies.

Arlesiene Aux Yeux Bleues by Antoine Raspal (1770)


This book is divided into seven chapters including:
Introduction to French Textiles and Quilting
The Needle Arts of Provence
Embroidery from Within
Provencal Colors, Provencal Patterns
On the World Stage
Continuing the Tradition
Quilting Projects

Also included are appendices on How to Care for and Display Quilts and Where to See and Buy French Quilts.

This book is a treasure for quilters, lovers of fashion history, and those passionate about anything French. Not only is it well-written in clear and precise prose, but there are lots of colour photographs to linger over, especially if you want/need to be transported to Provence.

Title: Quilts of Provence, The Art and Craft of French Quiltmaking
Author: Kathryn Berenson
Publisher: Potter Craft, New York (1996 and 2007)
Category: Non-fiction, Quilting; Fashion History, Textiles
Number of Pages: 216
Price: US $45 Canada $56

Book Review: Fashion Show, Paris Style

This book is not what it appears. While it may appear from the cover to be a superficial look at the world of fashion, it contains a wealth of information on the history of French fashion, beginning in the 17th century and up to the present day. Fashion Show: Paris Style was the exhibition catalogue from a 2006 show at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

The essay "La Mode: Paris and the Development of the French Fashion Industry" by Pamela A. Parmal, curator and head of the Department of Textile and Fashion Arts at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, comprises one third of the book. Well written and beautifully illustrated with engravings, paintings and fashion plates, this is the best part of the book. Parmal writes with precision and elegance as she explores the rich history of the development of Paris as a fashion capital. I have read this essay numerous times and with each rereading I come away with a deeper level of understanding as to why Paris remains the focus of fashion to this day.

"To be in Paris without seeing fashion is to have one's eyes closed."
Marquis de Caraccioli, 1772 (page 13)

The second part of the book is a bridge between fashion history and contemporary fashion designers and consists of an 18-page essay on "Haute Couture and Ready-to-Wear: A Recent History" by Didier Grumbach.

The balance of the book is comprised of profiles of 10 fashion houses and designers, including: Azzedine Alaia, Hussein Chalayan, Chanel, Christian Dior, Maison Martin Margiela, Rochas, Valentino. Viktor & Rolf and Yohji Yamamoto. The profiles are accompanied by lavish colour photographs.

This book is an absolute must-read for all serious students of fashion!!

Title: Fashion Show, Paris Style
(Exhibition Catalogue, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston)
Essays by Pamela A. Parmal and Didier Grumbach
Designer Profiles by Susan Ward and Lauren D. Whitley
Published by: MFA Publications, Boston 2006
Category: Non-fiction, fashion
Number of Pages: 221
Price: $65

The Lace Sleeve Ruffle

Detail from a painting of The Marquise d'Aigurandes by F. Drouais, 1759

In eighteenth century France, lace sleeve ruffles were a very important fashion accessory. The sleeve ended just above or just below the elbow to show off the lace ruffle to best advantage. The ruffles could be single, double or treble, with each layer cut to enhance the effect of the lace.

Sleeve ruffles evolved during 18th century (as fashion is wont to do):
Early 1700s: Ruffles are slender and shaped, tapering from a deep central motif.
1720s: Double ruffles are popular.
1730: Shaped ruffles were often attached to muslin upper ruffles.
1750s: The weeping ruffle, which consisted of three layers was introduced.
1780s: Ruffles declined in popularity as the preference for simpler, lightweight, informal styles of dress such as the muslin chemise took hold.


Who knew that lace sleeve ruffles could be such an important accessory?