Rodarte Costume illustrations for Black Swan 

Black Swan Exhibition, MOCA

Repetition of The Dance,  Edgar degas, 1877

The beauty of ballet can not be refused, it continues to inspires and has for quite a while. From Degas to film like black swan, the costumes and movement is undeniably arresting. Ultra feminine, the full skirts and tight bodice lends itself quite nicely to high fashion. The design team Rodarte was asked to design the costumes for the film black swan and from this endeavor their line that season reflected the delicate silhouettes of this art form.

Trois Petites Morts by Adriana Varejão

Alexander Wang S 2013
While typically Alexander Wang manages to show innovative and edgy looks while not having to employ color or embellishment to do so, this spring his minimalism was brought to new heights. I am not just referring to the divine ankle/calf strap heels each of the modal wore, I am more speaking to the futuristic cut-out clothing. While this is a trend we have seen before Wang used cut-out to both expose and build texture. The Varejao piece is also edgy in a simple way, both the line and the artwork manage to convey a sexuality. The artwork is entitled Trois Petites Morts, which is the french expression for orgasm. In both cases the ripping and thus exposed hold a fair amount of raw sexuality.

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This Photograph by Luis Camnitzar has called attention to aesthetic property so beautifully. The simplicity of this artwork and simultaneously is ability to express is captivating. So much of beauty is tied to structure. I have always admired the clothing of Roland Mouret not only for its gorgeous construction but also its architectural value. This particular dress comes from his bridal line, and I feel like similar to the stark white paper of the photograph, this dress is able to shine because of its simplicity.  

The Photograph, 1981 by Luis Camnitzer

Alexander McQueen S2013

Alexander McQueen S2013

 Las Meninas, Velasquez, 1656.

While the fantastical element of the 2013 McQueen Spring line is missing in Las Meninas, the spanish element is visible in both. I noticed a particular comparison between the beige dress complete with full skirt in the McQueen line and the dress on the smallest girl in the forefront. There is an incredible extravagance to both. The Alexander McQueen line manages to take a spanish influence to the peices but somehow its manages to be evening wear and not costume.

Erdem Spring 2012

Erdem spring 2012

Erdem spring 2012

The Yellow Room, Fredrick Carl Frieseke, 1910.

I have always been drawn to the delicate nature of Frieseke's The yellow Room. The woman depicted alway evoked such femininity and grace. I was struck with the same type of romanticism when I saw Erdem's spring 2012 RTW line. Erdem known for its lady like silhouettes coupled with pretty prints somehow manages to express an vintage kind of grace that is neither stuffy nor overdone. Between the beautiful pale yellow and delicate fabrics of this line, it would be hard not to see the comparison to this beautiful painting. 

When I stumbled upon the exhibit "Shakers & Movers" at VW I immediately found the collection stimulating visually and felt an overwhelming desire to be in the physical space. Among the collection of objects. While each element interacts wonderfully, the hanging red tulle was the definite focal point. From the color to the way it collects at the bottom of the floor. Just as I was struck by this element of the exhibition, I recall watching the 2008 Oscars and seeing Anne Hathaway's gown stand out even on the Red carpet. The use of fabric compares greatly, the elegance inherent to chiffon is made clear in this installation as well as the Marchesa dress.

Designer Spotlight

Clover Canyon 

Clover Canyon is a new brand, designed and produced in Los Angeles, California. While I typically do not wear prints, Clover Canyon prints are incredibly unique. Most pieces are silk and the shapes are streamlined for wearability. 

Georgina Chapman's line Marchesa never ceases to amaze me. She some how manages to turn out romantic beauty with a fresh twist. This spring her show was Bollywood inspired. Each piece was perfectly elegant. While the concept could have easily become costume-y, the perfect execution resulted in truly inspired pieces instead. Immediately after admiring Marchesa's line I could not help but think of orientalist paintings. Western interest in East is by no means a contemporary phenomenon. While I feel her designs are fresh and innovative, the romanticization of eastern dress has occurred for centuries.









 

Dolce and Gabbana, Fall 2012

Roni Horn: Gold Mats, Paired—for Ross and Felix, 1994–95, Gold, 124.46 x 152.4 x .00203 cm each. Sammlung Hoffman

Dolce and Gabbana typically disappoints me when fashion week rolls around, but in the fall of 2012 they managed to put on quite the show. Their line was equally fantastical and cohesive. I was particularly struck with their gold work. Not only was it the most stunning yellow gold but the texturing done to the medium truly uplifted each and every piece it adorned. When watching the show last fall I immediately thought of Roni Horn's work Gold Mats. In both cases there is a texture applied to gold to enhance the already striking material. 

Fashionablycurated is equally dedicated to contemporary art and fashion, here you will find both ground breaking artists and designers. Most importantly the dialogue between modern art and fashion.

More to come, but to start off my two favorites in each medium....

Alexander Wang and Sophie Calle