Vanity Fair Portraits 1913-2008

In a world where everyone wants their fifteen minutes of fame, having one's portrait in Vanity Fair magazine seems to be the hallmark of celebrity. Originally called Dress and Vanity Fair at its launch in 1913 with the title shortened to Vanity Fair six months later, the magazine was a phenomenal success with its modern and bold approach. Writers included such luminaries as Aldous Huxley, D.H. Lawrence, and Noel Coward. Photographers such as Edward Steichen, Man Ray, and Cecil Beaton forged new ground in portraiture. The magazine took in more advertising than any other magazine within two years. Vanity Fair suspended publication in 1936 and was relaunched in 1983. Annie Leibovitz has been the magazine's chief photographer since 1983 and her photographs alone are a fascinating chronicle of modern celebrity and culture.

A retrospective exhibition of 150 celebrity portraits from Vanity Fair opened at the Royal Ontario Museum on the weekend. At a packed preview last week, I saw many familiar cover photos from the magazine including the pregnant Demi Moore by Annie Liebovitz, Julia Roberts by Herb Ritts and Princess Diana by Mario Testino . I marveled at these exquisite images and especially enjoyed seeing them without text marring the image and in large format instead of magazine size. I also appreciated the rare privilege of viewing the vintage photo collection of ethereal black and white photos of Louise Brooks, Katherine Hepburn, Bette Davis, Jean Harlowe, Pablo Picasso and Albert Einstein.

There are no surprises in this exhibition. For me, the exhibition suggested that portraiture can be as much about the photographer as it is about the person being photographed. Given that Annie Leibovitz has dominated the pages of the modern Vanity Fair, the exhibition is, in a large part, about her. That in and of itself is not a bad thing given the depth of her talent, but it does suggest that we've defined modern celebrity through the lens of her camera.

Vanity Fair Portraits: Photographs 1913-2008
Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Ontario Canada
September 26, 2009 to January 3, 2010

Lessons from Isabel Toledo

Photo of Isabel Toledo by Ruven Afandor

In a world that often measures success by fame, I find it utterly refreshing to discover that Isabel Toledo walks her own path. She pursues her own goals, does not follow the trends, and does not show at Fashion Week. She does not consider herself an artist or designer, and prefers to describe herself as a "seamstress" since she loves "the technique of sewing more than anything else." How radical and how original!

Being in a reflective mood about my own work, I've taken to heart some of the lessons I learned from reading the book "Isabel Toledo: Fashion from the Inside Out" by Valerie Steele and Patricia Mears.

1. Be true to yourself.
Unlike most fashion designers, Isabel Toledo does not sketch. She conceives of a garment in her mind and works to manipulate fabric to realize her vision. Her husband, Ruben Toledo, an artist and fashion illustrator, will sketch that vision for her based on her description and continues to sketch for her as the garment takes form.

The strikingly original clothing that comes from Isabel Toledo's studio does not follow trends. She once said "My inspiration this season was having no inspiration. I just worked and it came from the function. It's not as easy as having a concept".

Typically, fashion designers have to have a huge commercial enterprise to be considered successful. Isabel Toledo's small atelier of about twenty workers produce only about 300 finely crafted garments per season.

2. Acclaim is not a measure of success.
At various points in her career, Isabel Toledo has been heralded as "New York's best new designer" (New York Talk), "one of America's 7 rising stars of fashion" (Vogue), "most inventive designers of the under-30 generation" (NY Times). However, the Fall 1989 collection was dismissed by WWD as an "artsy horror show". Other collections have been described as "quirky" and "cultish". In her own words, Isabel says she prefers to fly "under the radar."


3. Setbacks are inevitable.
In 2005, Isabel Toledo was one of ten finalists for the Vogue/CFDA Fashion Fund award, but "to the shock of observers", Isabel lost and was not even chosen as a runner-up.

In 2006, it appeared that Isabel Toledo was on the cusp of financial security and success when she was hired as the new creative director of Anne Klein. In spite of rave reviews and strong sales for her debut collection in 2007, the changes in management at Jones Apparel Group resulted in the brand being discontinued and Isabel received a pink slip.

In spite of these public failures, "Toledo does not view herself as an unknown entity or an underdog." She continues to walk her own path, swimming against the tide of fashion.

4. Have a sense of humour.
Looking at the photograph of Isabel above and seeing some of the surrealist type of designs that Isabel Toledo has created over her career (including one fabulous hair clip with eyes to convey "eyes at at the back of one's head"), I would have to hazard a guess that Isabel has a sense of humour. This probably served her well in the many setbacks she faced, keeping her grounded and laughing at the absurdity of life!

Perhaps Glenda Bailey, editor-in-chief- of Harper's Bazaar, said it best:

"Isabel Toledo is a lover of order - who finds inspiration in anarchy. She is a mathematical genius - who makes it look like magic. She is a pragmatist - who creates the clothes that dreams are made of. Isabel's work is more than fashion and it's more than life. Perhaps that's because, to Isabel, art and fashion are life. And no one makes life look better."

The show "Isabel Toledo: Fashion from the Inside Out" at the Fashion Institute of Technology closes on Saturday, September 26, 2009.

Book Review: Isabel Toledo, Fashion from the Inside Out

Title: Isabel Toledo, Fashion from the Inside Out
Authors: Valerie Steele and Patricia Mears
Publisher: Yale University Press in association with FIT (New York) 2009
Category: Non-fiction (Fashion)
Number of Pages: 250

Designer Isabel Toledo was the subject of a retrospective exhibition at the Museum at FIT this summer (June 17 through September 26, 2009). Having attended the exhibition a few weeks ago (during my blogging hiatus), I was blown away by the huge talent of this largely unheralded designer. Her sculptural fashion designs must be seen in person to be truly appreciated. Nevertheless, the high quality of the exhibition made me lust after the accompanying book.

Isabel Toledo, From the Inside Out, was co-written by Valerie Steele and Patricia Mears. Steele tells Toledo's story, from her Cuban roots through her ups and downs as a fashion designer to the triumphant day when Michelle Obama wore an Isabel Toledo ensemble to her husband's inauguration. In the second half of the book, Mears presents an analysis of the thematic designs in the exhibition including: Suspension, Liquid Architecture, Shadow, Shape, Manipulated Surfaces, and Organic Geometry.

Illustrated with exquisite photographs, this book is not just a pretty picture book. Both Steele and Mears write thoughtful, comprehensive and well-written analyses of Toledo and her work. I also gained a new appreciation for Isabel Toledo's designs. The integrity with which she approaches her designs, ignoring trends and the fashion cycle to instead embracing her own artistic vision, made me wish I had access to her clothing in Toronto. This is the kind of book that I'll look at and reread many times, especially when I'm short of inspiration.

P.S. If you can make it to the exhibition before it closes next weekend, you won't be disappointed!!

Isabel Toledo, Fashion from the Inside Out
June 17th - September 26th, 2009

The Museum at FIT
Seventh Avenue at 27th Street
New York City, 10001-5992
www.fitnyc.edu/museum
212-217-4558

The Butterfly

Just when the caterpillar thought the world was over, it became a butterfly. Anonymous

Mixed Media artwork by Ingrid Mida, 2009

Taking Time to Reflect

But if you have nothing at all to create, then perhaps you create yourself.
Carl Jung

I rarely have trouble expressing myself. Words usually spill out of my head faster than I can type or talk, but lately I've been craving quiet. Perhaps it is blog-fatigue, but the muse has left me.

I'll be taking a break from blogging for a few weeks - to rest and refresh my spirit. I hope to come back in two weeks full of passion and inspiration. Until then, my loyal friends and readers, adieu.

Desire

Just around the corner in every woman's mind - is a lovely dress, a wonderful suit, or entire costume which will make an enchanting new creature of her!
Wilhela Cushman

I want to be this enchanting creature from the cover of the Fall 2009 Holt Renfrew catalogue! Ooh la la! Just imagine wearing head to toe Alexander MacQueen....

Book Review: The Glassblower of Murano

I've been taking lounging about lately trying to enjoy the last few weeks of summer and one of my favourite summer indulgences is reading historical fiction. I love to be transported to another place and time as I was in the novel The Glassblower of Murano.

In this fictional tale, Leonora Manin leaves her disasterous marriage in London behind to start over in the city of Venice as a glassblower. Leonora secures a job based on the fact that she is a descendant of Corradino Manin, a renowned glassblower of the 17th century. At that time in history, Venetian mirrors were more precious than gold and the secrets of their craft were jealously guarded by the murderous Council of Ten. Corradino risks all to achieve his freedom and sells his methods to Louis XIV to create the Hall of Mirrors in Versailles. The two stories are interwoven to create a tale as enchanting as the city of Venice itself.

I've only been to Venice once, many years ago, and yet, this book made me feel like I'd recently visited the famed city. I was drawn into this well-crafted tale of intrigue and felt compelled to keep reading to find out what happened to Corradino and his descendants. As an artist, I appreciated the precise descriptions of glass-blowing, which sounds like both a difficult and dangerous art. The characters were well-rounded and the story believable. Almost as interesting were the after-notes including the author's own story of how she came to write this novel. If you didn't have the vacation that you hoped for this summer, pick up this book and you will feel like you've been to Venice.

Title: The Glassblower of Murano
Author: Marina Fiorato
Publisher: Beautiful Books Limited (UK) 2008
Category: Fiction
Price: US$13.95, Canada $17.95 (paperback)
Number of Pages: 348

More Schiaparelli!!!!

I just found out that the Art Gallery of Ontario has decided to extend the run of the Surreal Things show until September 13th, which means that there are a few more weeks to get my fill of Schiaparelli and all things surreal.

The more I read about Elsa Schiaparelli, the more intrigued I am. Not only did she incorporate new developments in technology like the zipper into her designs, she used art as her muse and created garments that have an element of wit and whimsy. This is something I greatly admire!

In the September 2009 issue of Harper's Bazaar, there is an article called "Schiaparelli: The Shocking Truth" by David Vincent. While I did not discover any shocking truths about this talented designer, I did learn a few curious facts including:
- Actress Marisa Berenson is the granddaughter of Schiaparelli
- The Schiaparelli brand was purchased by Diego Della Valle and will be relaunched in 2011 at the earliest.
- Aviator Amelia Earhart wore head to toe Schiaparelli.
If you are enchanted by Schiaparelli, you might want to pick up a copy of Harper's Bazaar and read more.

Schiaparelli and Surreal Things

If you are like me and swoon when you hear the name Schiaparelli, you must find you way to Toronto's Art Gallery of Ontario and see the Surreal Things show before August 30, 2009.

This exhibition, which was curated by Ghislaine Wood of the Victoria and Albert Museum, surveys the contribution of surrealists to fashion, design, photography, advertising, architecture, and theatre.

From the moment I walked into the gallery and took in the display of the fantastical ballet costumes designed for Les Ballet Russes by Giorgio de Chirico in 1929, I was grinning from ear to ear. Why had no one mentioned that fashion, costumes and jewelery were an integral part of this world class exhibit? I'm sorry that I did not go sooner.

I was blown away to stand in front of the bird cage and wooden mannequin from Schiaparelli's Paris storefront as well as twelve of her couture designs, including the infamous Skeleton Dress which features padded quilting to emphasize the ribs and spine. I almost fainted when I noticed the delicate sketches by Salvador Dali for his collaboration with Schiaparelli for the Skeleton Dress and the Dress with Drawers.

Other highlights in the exhibition included the Horst photo called Girl with Mainbocher Corset (1939), and the Man Ray photo called Model in a Dominguez Wheelbarrow (1937) where the model wears a Vionnet evening gown.

There was no doubt in my mind after seeing this exhibition that the surrealists were well acquainted with glamour and fashion. I bought the book Surreal Things (cover shown below) and intend to read it carefully before going back for another look-see. There is also a video clip on the ago website with an introduction by the curator.

Join me if you can. You won't be disappointed! By the way, this exhibition originated at the Victoria and Albert Museum in 2007 before travelling to the Museum Boijmans Van Reuningen in Rotterdam and the Guggenheim Museum in Bibao in 2008. Toronto is its final stop!


Art Gallery of Ontario
317 Dundas Street West, Toronto, Ontario
1-877-225-4246 or 416-979-6648

Three Square Feet of Art

One should either be a work of art, or wear a work of art. (Wilde)
Mixed media 12x12.
Copyright of Ingrid Mida 2009 (SOLD)


The truly fashionable are beyond fashion. (Beaton)
Mixed Media 12x12
copyright of Ingrid Mida, 2009


Carelessness in dressing is moral suicide. (Balzac)
Mixed Media 12x12
Copyright of Ingrid Mida, 2009 (SOLD)


In an effort to make something more than just three pretty pictures for the Square Foot Show at AWOL Gallery, I incorporated a witty quote about fashionable dress into my fashion plates. I had no idea that embroidering letters would be so time-consuming and so painstaking. (I ripped out stitches over and over and I still was not able to achieve the level of perfection that I had hoped for.) Nevertheless, I am pleased with the result as the quotes add a level of intellectual whimsy to the work. What do you think?

Square Foot Show at AWOL Gallery
101A Ossington Avenue, Toronto
Saturday, August 15 - September 6, 2009
416-535-5637

The Square Foot Show

One of Toronto's hottest art show opens in a week and I'm scrambling to have my submission of three artworks ready for tomorrow's deadline!!! (This is one of the reasons I've not been posting much lately).

All artworks in the show are 12"x12" and are priced at $200. The walls of the gallery are jam packed from floor to ceiling with art including drawings, paintings, mixed media, and photography. It is an art lovers paradise! Many of the artists typically sell their work for more making it a bargain to boot!

Mark your calendars for Saturday, August 15th when the gallery opens to the public. The show will be on until September 6th.

AWOL Gallery
100A Ossington Avenue, Second Floor
(1 block north of Queen Street West on the west side of Ossington)
Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Isabel Toledo: Fashion from the Inside Out

Blossom Sleeve Bolero and Balloon Dress, Spring/summer 2005 by Isabel Toledo
Photo by Irving Solero

Half Moon Blossom into a Cornflower, Fall/Winter 1998 by Isabel Toledo
Photo by Irving Solero

The Fashion Institute of Technology is currently featuring a retrospective of the work of fashion designer Isabel Toledo (June 17-September 26, 2009). Curated by Valerie Steele, this exhibition called Fashion from the Inside Out includes 70 iconic looks from the mid 1980s to the present, including Michelle Obama's Inauguration Day Outfit.

Cuban-born designer Isabel Toledo works closely with her husband fashion illustrator Ruben Toledo and does not herself sketch. She says she is "not a fashion designer, but rather a seamstress" and construction and draping are the starting point in her designs. "I really love the technique of sewing more than anything else...the seamstress is the one who knows fashion from the inside! That's the art form really, not fashion design, but the technique of how it's done!"

The exhibition is organized into 7 sections including:
Organic Geometry
Shadow
Suspension
Liquid Architecture
Shape
Manipulated Surfaces
Origami

Admission is free to FIT but if you cannot make it to NYC, there is a comprehensive on-line exhibition.

Fashion Institute of Technology
Seventh Avenue at 27 Street
New York 1001