Charlie's Angels

Lost my Blogs

2007-03-29T11:12:00.000-04:00

In an attempt to safely secure my large collection of bookmarks, I have (of course!) deleted them all.

If anyone would care to share their favorite knitting blogs in the comments, I would be most grateful. Extra karma for blogs that feature cats or bloggers that are in or around New York.

Should I take this time to let everyone know that I had my first computer when I was like, nine years old? Over twenty years ago?? (My father worked for what was AT&T at the time, and was there to experience the creation of what we called "IBM clones." If all of this is ancient history, pick up Soul of the Machine by Tracy Kidder. This Pulitzer-prize winning book tells the tale of the birth of the home computer industry, and is also a great read from a management perspective. Really good book.)

Let's all take a moment to thank AT&T, and Bell Laboratories, for their part in the computer revolution.

AT&T Computer, circa 1987. It runs Unix! It has a color monitor - green! Woot!

Museum: New at FIT

2007-02-09T15:21:00.000-05:00

Hats 101
Thursday, March 29
6:00pm - 7:00pm
Marvin Feldman Center (C-Building), 9th floor Boardroom

Berets, beanies, and baseball caps . . . all familiar terms, but have you ever wondered what a cloche is or what a milliner does? Join Ellen Goldstein, chairperson of Accessory Design at FIT, for an illustrated lecture on the artistry and allure of hats and hat making. "Hats 101" is offered in conjunction with the exhibition Lilly Daché: Glamour at the Drop of a Hat.

Exhibition: Radical Lace and Subversive Knitting

2007-02-04T20:37:00.000-05:00

Today I had a chance to experience the exhibit Radical Lace and Subversive Knitting at the Museum of Arts and Design. Here is a summary for those who are unable to attend or incentive for those who are considering attending this inspiring and thought-provoking installation.

The Facts

Who: The Museum of Arts and Design. Information: (212) 956-3535 or at madmuseum.org. The exhibition showcases the works of over 27 artists from seven different countries. Some names were familiar to me, including David Cole who created the giant American flag knit with 20 foot long knitting needles on cranes, and Cat Mazza who designed the knitpro web application to create knitting charts of corporate logos and organizes microRevolt to help to increase awareness of the inhumanity of sweatshop labor. You may know some or all of the other artists even though I did not.

What: Radical Lace and Subversive Knitting. What it really is and what it is not: This is not a comprehensive overview of the changing role of textile arts in today's chaotic world. In fact, it's not really a comprehensive anything. There is not much traditional knit, crochet or tatting or historical reference that would serve as basis for understanding. Even though I was aware of some of the titular radical and subversive events, and had the help of the museum's placards, I needed to do some web research when I got home to get a deeper, cohesive understanding of the installation as a whole. The exhibit does include several examples of items knit of novel textiles, like newspapers. There are pieces that display a contemporary twist to the craft, like a crochet doily with skulls. And then there are the more conceptual creations "knit" of rubber, metal, and porcelain. There are modern adaptations of textile arts utilizing computers and video. Many of the works have a message or meaning that speaks directly to modern mess in which we live. According to the brochure, the exhibit had six general themes: corporeal constructions referencing the human body; matters of scale examining size; light constructions exlploring the integral role of light; interconnections that focus on human interaction; creative deconstructions focusing on subtractive processes; and the beauty of complexity focusing on intricacy and manipulation of the materials. I had a chance to thumb through the exhibition's guide book, and it is full of additional pictures and information. I wish I had the (approximately) $40 for it.

Where: MAD is located at 40 West 53rd Street, between 5th and 6th Avenues (Avenue of the Americas) in New York City. It is conveniently situated across the street from the Museum of Modern Art and the American Folk Art Museum. (Note: Even if you don't or can't visit MoMA, take a moment to visit their store which is famous for beautiful and useful items.) As a side note, the MAD gallery is an open, light-filled filled space that supports this installation beautifully. It is spread over three levels connected by a semi-circular staircase.

When: through June 17, 2007. Museum hours: Daily, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (until 8 p.m. on Thursdays); closed on holidays. Please take a moment to look at their schedule of upcoming informational programs (available as a PDF on the exhibition's webpage - scroll down.) The museum is offering a dozen educational and social (and socially conscious!) events until June. Most are free; some workshops have a fee ($25-$100). My favorite is May 17th's four hour "Knit Night". I cannot believe I missed the January 29th edible lace workshop. Sigh.

How: Directions are available on MAD's website. Admission is $9 - $7 for students and seniors; and pay-what-you-wish on Thursdays after 6 p.m.

Finally, why: I wanted to touch every exhibit! It was torture not to touch. About halfway through, I had tears in my eyes and I wanted to run home immediately to work on my very non-subversive scarf. It was truly inspiring. On one hand, it reminded me of what I consider to be the basic drive for my knitting (loosely stolen from Brenda Dane of the fabulous Cast-on podcast): I think I'm hot shit because I can make fabric out of string and two pointy sticks. (I can also make tubular fabric out of string and four pointy sticks, but I ain't braggin'.) On the other hand, it reminded me of the simple beauty of the art form: the complex interaction of space and textile, whether it be yarn, paper, wire, rubber, glass... You get the idea. It expanding my horizons. My non-knitting boyfriend enjoyed the exhibit as well. Favorite pieces: Absolute fave... Maybe the beautiful, size 8 evening dress knit from 890 dollar bills. My boyfriend loved a piece, untitled by Hilal Sami Hilal - a Brazilian artist, that was a giant matrix of cotton fiber and letters. I'm sorry I cannot find you a picture (one is in the exhibit's brochure) as it is indescribable. Also inspiring (as in, I'm gonna try something like this) was a bobbin lace lamp of fiber optic wire, and a collection of realistic, knit snake skins.

One of my favorite parts: Definitely take a moment to pause right after you pass the security guard when entering the museum proper to look down to the lowest level to watch the knitters in the provided social knitting space. I so wish my boyfriend could have snapped a photo. On the lowest level, the museum has provided a table with yarn and needles for people to knit together, or you can bring your own project. My wonderful boyfriend offered to stay so I could knit a bit, but I'm shy... Maybe next time.

But don't take my word for it: Some potentially useful links, with as many unique pictures as I could find for you: The New York Times reviewed the exhibition here. Craftzine.com has a blog entry here . Also, the Greenjeans blog has excellent information and pictures here.

If anyone attends, and would like to comment, it would be most appreciated. Also, please feel free to leave a comment of other socially conscious textile art groups or events that I haven't mentioned. (In addition to those listed in the Who section and at the exhibit, see also the knit-fitti of knit parking meter cosies.)

NYT: Identifying Diamonds

2006-11-11T02:13:00.000-05:00

From the 5 July 2006 New York Times:

At This Lab, No Stone is left Unturned or Unmarked

One of the features making Gem Certification and Assurance certificates effective is the use of a device called Gemprint, which, by shining a laser through a diamond, captures its unique sparkle pattern, just like a human fingerprint. A copy of this Gemprint image goes on each G.C.A.L. certificate, making it impossible to switch stones or claim a stone is better than it really is. The guarantee can only be thwarted by completely recutting a diamond, at a considerable loss in size and value.

Once G.C.A.L. has certified a diamond, company experts use a cold laser to engrave a logo and serial number onto its rim, though Mr. Palmieri admits that such markings, only a few microns deep, could be easily removed.

NYT: Earliest Jewelry

2006-11-11T01:55:00.000-05:00

From the 23 June 2006 New York Times:

Old Shells Suggest Early Human Adornment

Archaeologists say they have found evidence that in one respect people were behaving like thoroughly modern humans as early as 100,000 years ago: they were apparently decorating themselves with a kind of status-defining jewelry -- the earliest known shell necklaces.

If this interpretation is correct, it means that human self-adornment, considered a manifestation of symbolic thinking, was practiced at least 25,000 years earlier than previously thought.

Jewelry was probably one of the earliest ways people conveyed aspects of their social and cultural identities.

Style.com Fall 2006 Trend Reports

2006-08-06T16:50:00.000-04:00

No real news here, but check out the pretty pictures at Style.com's Trend Report for Fall 2006. Their picks include:

the bubble (dress, skirts AND coats);
fur, in colors like champagne, fuscia, and blue
metalics
oversized
layering
Napoleonic

Below, layering done cute by Celine, and a beautiful blue fur from Versace. In fact, check out the whole Versace collection in shases of midnight blue, plum, and black.

Books: Sale at the Selvedge bookstore

2006-08-06T16:43:00.000-04:00

Score! 10% off all books in the Selvedge magazine bookstore until the end of August. This is a UK-based textile magazine with fantastic taste. Check out the books on fashion history from a global perspective. Personally, I'm eyeing Bound to Please and Dress and Morality.

FYA: Fun USB drives

2006-08-06T16:41:00.000-04:00

Good-enough-to-eat sushi USB drives. Matches my Martini-shaker PDA case...

Website: FabricLink

2006-07-23T20:31:00.000-04:00

The Premier Educational Resource for Fabrics, Apparel, Home Fashions, and Care Topics.

Check out the FabricLink website, especially the Fabric University.

Website: Fibersource

2006-07-23T20:11:00.000-04:00

Check out FiberSource: The Manufactured Fiber Industry website maintained by the American Fiber Manufacturers Association. Included is an entire Fiberworld Classroom full of information on manufactured fibers. Most useful is the modestly named A Quick Guide to Manufactured Fibers.

Book: Fashion Advertising and Promotion

2006-07-18T17:41:00.000-04:00

I purchased this used on Amazon.com:

Fashion Advertising and Promotion by Jay Diamond. (If you don't recall, Monsieur Diamond was the author of our Introduction to the Fashion Industry textbook: World of Fashion.)

New Blog: Aesthetics and Economics

2006-07-18T17:34:00.000-04:00

Check out this blog: Aesthetics and Economics: Fashion / Design / Trends / Theory / Thought.

From the author's bio: I am a 20 year-old college student in Washington, DC studying international economics. Aesthetics + Economics is my attempt to find an outlet for an intense interest in fashion and design in general, and to find interlocutors so that I might refine my knowledge of the inner workings of fashion and the design-oriented business world.

Especially interesting: A recent commentary on a Wall Street Journal article on the changing face of the luxury department store.

Fall 2006: Chanel Couture

2006-07-09T20:06:00.000-04:00

Check out the Fall 2006 Chanel Couture collection at Style.com. Key looks include: thigh high denim boots with matching gauntlets, tunic dresses, and luxury embellishments like lush embroidery and large, dazzling gems.

I totally love this look, and plan on interpreting it for myself.

Also see a fellow fashion blogger's opinion at Aesthetics and Economics.

New Trends in the Fashion Industry

2006-07-09T19:56:00.000-04:00

Because we fashion students aren't working hard enough...

I recently read of two new trends in the fashion industry. The first is demi-couture, defined as an intermediate level of luxury between pret-a-porter and couture.

Also on the rise is the concept of additional fashion seasons. We've recently discovered the importance of Resort collections as an early indicator of Spring styles. Now, designers are utilizing ato help lessen the risk of relying solely on the Fall collections.

General: Presentation Pet Peeves

2006-06-25T00:46:00.000-04:00

On his blog Genuine Curiosity, Dwayne Melancon outlines his presentation pet peeves. Following his short and and accurate list of "Don't do's" are suggestions for improvement. Check out his recommended reading on the subject, including three books and tons of free information available on the internet.

Book: Fairchild Encyclopedia of Fashion Accessories

2006-06-18T22:51:00.000-04:00

I was organizing my Amazon.com wishlists, when I realized that a book that I wanted was for sale, used, quite inexpensively. (Well, actually, I found three books for sale, used, quite inexpensively.) One book was this, half price:

Fairchild Encyclopedia of Fashion Accessories

Sewing Project: You Decide

2006-06-18T13:21:00.000-04:00

Parisienne Coat - authentic vintage pattern from 1931. You decide: cool? I'm thinking of sewing the coat on the right, with optional flounce, in a solid color... From Decades of Style Patterns. $20.

Resort 2007: Oscar de la Renta

2006-06-18T13:15:00.000-04:00

Check out Oscar de la Renta's Resort 2007 collection. Lots of what you would expect: black/white, navy/white, crochet, nude textured hose - but done nicely. Very wearable.

Product Knowledge: Shoes: John Fluevog, again

2006-06-18T13:10:00.000-04:00

I can't help it. I love his shoes. This is the new, limited edition Tracey. According to the e-mail, this is Fluevog's highest heel yet. $179.

The Camelids: A Picture Review

2006-06-18T12:06:00.000-04:00

A good comparison of the four species of camelids (the alpaca, the llama, the wild guanaco, and the vicuna) can be found at Llamas of Ecuador. Just in case on your internship, someone asks you to speciate the four wild camelids...

Alpaca

Llama

Guanaco

Vicuna

The Vicuna

2006-06-18T10:38:00.000-04:00

Long overdue, some information on the wonderful Vicuna.

Vicunas are the spirit and the life blood of the camelid families living in the high Andes. Unfortunately, due to their very valuable fleece vicunas were nearly hunted to extinction by the late l970s. Conservation efforts in Peru, Chile and Argentina have led to a phenomenal resurgence in vicuna populations. Once again, due to careful management, vicunas can be found in healthy numbers in the Andes.

Vicunas (Vicugna vicugna) are members of the Camelidae family, of which there are three other living members in South America: the wild guanaco (Lama guanacoe), the domestic llama (Lama glama), and the alpaca (Lama pacos).

The smallest of all camels, the vicuna weighs about 90 pounds and stands just under three feet at the shoulder. Like all South American camel species, the vicuna has a long, supple neck; slender legs; padded, cloven feet; large round eyes; and a dense and fine tawny coat.

The vicuna is a hardy survivor adapted to high altitudes, where drought and freezing nights are the rule. It is a natural pacer and well designed to travel fast for great distances. Keen eyesight allows early detection for flights to safety.

The vicuna is the probable wild progenitor of the domestic alpaca, which was created by selective breeding about 6000 years ago. Entirely wild, vicunas live in small family groups led by a single territorial male that vigilantly repels rival males and small predators threatening the young. After 11 months of gestation, vicuna mothers give birth to one baby, known as a cria.

Vicunas are highly communicative, signaling one another with body postures, ear and tail placement, and numerous other subtle movements. Their vocalizations include an alarm call -- a high pitched whinny -- that alerts the herd to danger. They also emit a soft humming sound to signal bonding or greeting and a range of guttural sounds that communicate anger and fear. "Orgling" is probably their most unique noise. This male-only, melodic mating sound attracts unbred females.

(Stolen without shame from: Bonny Doon Alpacas: Breeding Beauty in the Fleece.)

Spotlight: T-Shirts

2006-06-17T17:17:00.000-04:00

For the Louise in all of us:

99 Ways to Cut, Sew, Trim and Tie Your T-Shirt into Something Special

Generation T: 108 Ways to Transform a T-Shirt

Local: Renegade Craft Fair in Brooklyn

2006-06-16T10:36:00.000-04:00

Renegade Craft Fair
June 17th and 18th
11am - 6pm
McCarren Park
Williamsburg, Brooklyn

over 200 vendors

New Magazine: Adorn

2006-06-16T10:30:00.000-04:00

Try not to be offended...

Adorn: The Crafty Girl's Guide to Embellishing Life

"devoted to women who know that making something personal is as rewarding as it is fashionable"

$4.99

FYI: Hylexin (It works! It works!)

2006-06-05T09:08:00.000-04:00

It may cost a whopping $95 for the tube, but you only use a tiny amount and it works! The purple color from the corners is not totally eliminated, but the "black" and and crevices from the bags are gone.

Now Bosley can stop asking if I have luggage to match my bags...

History: Sewing machine drama continues...

2006-06-05T09:02:00.000-04:00

Just when you thought the history of the sewing machine could not get any more dramatic or sordid...

This Sunday's New York Times (4 June 2006) has an article on Sterling and Stephen Clark, heirs to the Singer sewing machine fortune.

"In earlier years they had a close kinship based on a shared passion for art. But in their distinct personalities lay the makings of a classic Dionysian-Apollonian conflict. They eventually fell out over the family riches, and, yes, a woman was involved. "May God curse him on earth as well as in heaven," Sterling said of Stephen."

History: Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire

2006-06-05T08:39:00.000-04:00

An interesting article in Sunday's New York Times (4 June 2006) recounts one New Yorker's personal history of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire.

It reminded me, however, of one of the largest ethical concerns that we face as as fashion students and potentially fashion professionals: labor.

On March 25, 1911, 146 people died in the fire at the factory, many of them teenaged girls. As you probably remember, most of them perished trapped behind locked exit doors or when the shoddy fire escape collapsed. Many of them lept to their death on the cobblestones, nine stories below them. Of course, many laws were then enacted in an attempt to prevent such a tragedy from happening again. However, these laws only apply to legal business in the United States, and therefore, only protect a small minority of textile workers.

So the next time that you complain about the price of clothing... Or when calculating dollars and cents on a cost sheet for work or school... Remember that there are lives attached to these financial figures - whole and complete lives - with dreams and hopes for the future.

[Jo Ann steps off the soapbox.]

Product Knowledge - Sloper

2006-06-05T08:35:00.000-04:00

Here is an example of a commercially available sloper (referred to as a "patterner" on the website.) As far as I know, Bonfit is the only sloper for home sewers.

FYI: SoHo Nail

2006-06-04T10:16:00.000-04:00

SoHo Nail
458 West Broadway, third floor (near Canal)
212-475-6368

A favorite of fashionistas, SoHo Nail boasts possibly the least
expensive ($20) quality manicure-pedicure in town.

Open Monday-Saturday. Credit cards accepted. Appointment suggested.

Ask for Mimi.... Brazilian wax is $20....

One Day Symposium at the Museum at FIT

2006-06-04T10:15:00.000-04:00

Love and War: A One-Day Symposium
Saturday, September 9, 2006
9:00am - 5:00pm

Modern fashion is often inspired by what might be called the discourse of silk and steel. As designers seek to express both sensuality and power, they draw on two important sources of inspiration: lingerie and armor. This program will explore historical and contemporary issues of armor and intimate apparel in fashion. Speakers will include Jeffrey Forgeng, Higgins Armory Museum; Ruel Macaraeg, fashion historian; Tanya Marcuse, photographer; Tricia Rose, professor of American Studies at UC Santa Cruz, and Valerie Steele, director of The Museum at FIT.

Additional speakers and a schedule for the day have yet to be determined.

Please visit the MFIT website later in the summer for further details.

Current Exhibition at the Museum at FIT

2006-06-04T10:14:00.000-04:00

Fashion and Textile History Gallery: The Tailor's Art
May 23 - November 4, 2006

The Museum at FIT reveals The Tailor’s Art, the second rotation of the permanent Fashion and Textile History Gallery. With all new objects, the gallery explores the art of tailoring (what it is and how it differs from other forms of clothing design, such as draping.)

Tailoring has had a profound influence on fashion for both men and women. In contrast to draping, a relatively modern invention, tailoring was truly the first form of constructed dressmaking. Unlike ethnographic clothing, tailoring highlights the idealized human form. The man’s suit, the quintessential tailored garment, came into being in the 18th century and was “the” modern ensemble. Tailored menswear took a leadership role in pushing women’s fashion forward.

The Tailor’s Art includes tailored fashions for women as well as styles that are the antithesis of the man’s somber suit. This exploration of gender differences also features examples of ornamental waistcoats and dressing gowns, and a range of menswear, such as the cowboy suit and counterculture clothing that adds visual and intellectual excitement.

Image Credit: Jacket - tan wool with black soutache and fur trim - France, c.1895 - gift of Mr. Joe Simms - Photo by Irving Solero.

Upcoming Exhibition at the Museum at FIT

2006-06-04T10:12:00.000-04:00

Love and War: The Weaponized Woman
September 9 - December 16, 2006

Joan of Arc is an unlikely fashion icon, but designers today are increasingly channeling the spirit of warrior women. Love and War: The Weaponized Woman, a visually stunning and intellectually daring exhibition takes an unprecedented look at the influence of armor and other military styles on fashion. But it’s not all chain mail and camouflage. As designers seek to express sensuality, as well as power, they also reference lingerie.

“If lingerie is like soft skin, armor is a hard exoskeleton,” said Dr. Valerie Steele, director and chief curator of The Museum at FIT. “Lingerie symbolizes nakedness, intimacy and seduction, while armor is associated with authority, protection and discipline.” Different designers have, of course, focused on different aspects of this theme. Jean Paul Gaultier designed a camouflage ballgown for the haute couture, while Thierry Mugler envisioned sexy robots with hard, metallic bodies. The British design team Boudicca creates styles that evoke transgressive warrior women, and Junya Watanabe channels chic soldier boys. Both Narciso Rodriquez and Alexander McQueen have juxtaposed silk with chain mail.

The exhibition is organized by Dr. Steele; Patricia Mears, research curator; and Fred Dennis, associate curator of costume.

Product Knowledge: Hoisery: Wolford

2006-05-28T20:53:00.000-04:00

Men Killer tights

Knitting: Knit and Felt mice

2006-05-26T21:16:00.000-04:00

Simply Knitting magazine

Cat toy mice kit $15 (makes 5)

Fashion Design: Sale on Leather Pelts

2006-05-26T08:16:00.000-04:00

My swatch club, Vogue Fabrics by Mail, is offering discounted leather pelts from Milan. I think that I would like to try and make a purse out of this:

$12.99

Or this:

$19.99

Product Knowledge: Bags: Carry On article (copy)

2006-05-22T10:22:00.000-04:00

I have copied from issue #10 of Selvedge magazine "Carry On" a history of women's hand bags.

Product Knowledge: Bags: Mary Frances

2006-05-21T11:37:00.000-04:00

For the "foo" in you, Mary Frances bags.

Wishing to bring joy to a woman’s expression through fashion, Mary Frances has advanced accessory design by intermeshing elegance with whimsy.

$162. All bags are limited editions. My favorite is one of the cherry designs. I have a thing for cherries... (Many of the previous editions are available on e-bay. Some are highly sought after collector's items.)

Product Knowledge: Bags: Bag, Borrow, or Steal

2006-05-21T11:33:00.000-04:00

Check it out: Bag, Borrow or Steal.

Membership Levels
We have 3 membership levels to choose from:

If you're a Trendsetter, you have access to everything Trendsetter for $19.95 a month.
If you're a Princess, you have access to everything Princess and Trendsetter for $49.95 a month.
If you're a Diva, you have access to everything, our Diva, Princess and Trendsetter items for $99.95 a month.
(As a Diva member you also have access to our Couture Collection.)

There is no time limit on borrowing. Keep it for 6 months. Or, keep it for a year! As long as your account is in
good standing, the frequency of your bag rotation is completely up to you.

Product Knowledge: Shoes: John Fluevog

2006-05-21T11:20:00.000-04:00

All available at John Fluevog.

Mini qtee $185

Grand nationals (pony) $489

Mini lover $225

Hi Fellowship Angela $179

Product Knowledge: Shoes: Lanvin

2006-05-10T23:07:00.000-04:00

Among this season's higher heels are, left to right, Balenciaga's gladiator stilettos, Geppettos by Gucci and Azzedine Alaïa, Lanvin peep-toe stiletto from Michael's, suede platforms by Balenciaga, and Geppettos by Christian Louboutin.

New York Times
April 13, 2006

New Exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

2006-05-04T09:12:00.000-04:00

AngloMania: Tradition and Transgression in British Fashion
May 3, 2006–September 4, 2006

AngloMania focuses on British fashion from 1976 to 2006, a period of astounding creativity and experimentation. Over the past 30 years, British fashion has been defined by a knowing and self-conscious historicism. In their search for novelty, designers have looked to past styles with an appetite that is as audacious as it is rapacious. Focusing on their postmodern, historicizing tendencies, this exhibition presents a series of tableaux based on Britain’s rich artistic traditions. The irony of satirical prints, the romance of landscape paintings, and the glamour and bravado of grand manner portraits are evoked through a wide spectrum of British designers.

The exhibition is set in the Metropolitan Museum’s English period rooms—the Annie Laurie Aitken Galleries—to create a potent dialogue between the past and the present. The exhibition and its accompanying book are made possible by Burberry. Additional support has been provided by Condé Nast.

Contact: Laidback designs

2006-05-04T08:37:00.000-04:00

Last night on the 5 train, Bosley and I started chatting with a lovely young women. I was rudely reading over her shoulder as she flipped through several throw pillow designs, and I pointed out the one that I liked. Turns out that she is the designer and director of laidback. Check out the preview of the upcoming products on her website. The "about" section is also an interesting and inspirational read. She is cool people. Spread the word and support her as you can.

Magazine: Selvedge

2006-05-02T21:10:00.000-04:00

Two weeks ago, I stopped in Barnes and Noble to purchase a magazine on my way to an appointment. I picked up this attractive magazine, seduced by its look and feel. It's called Selvedge, and its worth the $20. From their website:

Selvedge Magazine... offers the world's finest textile photography, unparalleled design and peerless writing

Open a copy of Selvedge and you sense there is a philosophy that Selvedge readers subscribe to. A belief system based on a cerebral and sensual addiction to textiles in all forms. Readers share a belief in the importance of their material surroundings and a passion for the beautiful and beautifully made.

Our aim is simple: to provide a textile publication which fits seamlessly into their creative lifestyle. Directed towards an international, discerning audience, Selvedge covers fine textiles in every context: fine art, interiors, fashion, travel and shopping.

They also have a bookstore.

FYA: Lost in Snowstorm

2006-04-06T08:41:00.000-04:00

It is my sad duty to report that one of the Angels has been tragically lost in yesterday's snowstorm. Search parties have been formed, but the outlook is grim...

(Warning! If you don't visit my blog regularly, you too will be mocked!)

Product Knowledge - Week 1

2006-04-06T08:33:00.000-04:00

Woop! Woop! Last night, the professor was a no-show. Everyone signed the attendence sheet, even those of us who weren't there! Hmmm...

Inportant Info:

Room - 204, our usual spot. Those damn biotches better stop stealing our Geek Squad seats!! You cannot separate the crew!

Professor: Missing in Action

Text: Know Your Fashion Accessories, 2003. Used, this paperback text is about $40. So far, Patrick and I have the text.

Oh well! We'll try again next week!

Product Development - Week 1

2006-04-05T08:20:00.000-04:00

Last night was our first Product Development class with Professor Bruce. I don't think that I'm the only one not quite ready to return to class this quarter...

Important info:
Room: 503 - very cold. All of my Starbucks shall be hot venti soy Chai lattes this quarter.

Professor: Wayne Bruce

Text: The Business of Fashion: Designing, Manufacturing and Marketing, 2nd. edition. Used, this text is about $70. I have a copy lent to me by Denise Saunders, if anyone wants to borrow it for photocopying. Not my favorite text so far.

Syllabus: is on Blackboard under "Course Documents". Course consists of three tests, scheduled every four weeks and one oral presentation due Week 7 (May 16th). For the presentation, you can work alone or with one partner.

Lecture: course introduction; Cost Sheet

Homework: review Cost Sheet from text on page ???.

Books: Fashion Career guides

2006-04-04T08:17:00.000-04:00

In an altered state of mind, I ordered the following books from Amazon.com:

Career Opportunities in the Fashion Industry (Career Opportunities)

Fashion Careers: The Complete Job Search Workbook, Third Edition

Real-Resumes for Retailing, Modeling, Fashion and Beauty Industry Jobs: Including Real Resumes Used to Change Careers and Transfer Skills to Other Industry

Vault Career Guide to the Fashion Industry (Vault Career Guide to the Fashion Industry)

Of course, when I receive and read the books I'll let y'all know.

My Spring Wardrobe

2006-04-03T08:36:00.000-04:00

I ordered this weeks ago, but just tried it on last night. I'm just warning y'all, I am going to be wearing this all Spring and all Summer. Dress it up, dress it down - thank goodness for jersey knit!

Shirred bandeau jumpsuit
Bandeau jumpsuit with a flattering shirred waist and slightly flared legs. 32" inseam. Smooth polyester jersey with spandex for a great fit. Hand wash. USA.
Newport News $39

Upcoming Exhibitions at the Museum at FIT

2006-03-31T08:45:00.000-05:00

Fashion and Textile History Gallery: The Tailor's Art
On view from May 23, 2006

The Museum at FIT reveals The Tailor’s Art, the second rotation of the permanent Fashion and Textile History Gallery. With all new objects, the gallery will explore the art of tailoring (what it is and how it differs from other forms of clothing design, such as draping.)

Tailoring has had a profound influence on fashion for both men and women. In contrast to draping, a relatively modern invention, tailoring was truly the first form of constructed dressmaking. Unlike ethnographic clothing, tailoring highlights the idealized human form. The man’s suit, the quintessential tailored garment, came into being in the 18th century and was “the” modern ensemble. Tailored menswear took a leadership role in pushing women’s fashion forward.

The Tailor’s Art will include tailored fashions for women as well as styles that are the antithesis of the man’s somber suit. This exploration of gender differences will also feature examples of ornamental waistcoats and dressing gowns, and a range of menswear, such as the cowboy suit and counterculture clothing that will add visual and intellectual excitement.

Love and War: The Power and Charm of Fashion
On view from May 23, 2006 September 9 to December 16, 2006

Modern fashion is often inspired by what might be called the discourse of silk and steel. As designers seek to express both sensuality and power, they draw on two important sources of inspiration: 1) lingerie, which is symbolically associated with the naked body, intimacy, and seduction, and 2) armor and military uniforms, which are associated with power, protection, and discipline.

Different designers have, of course, focused on different aspects of this theme. Jean Paul Gaultier designed a camouflage ballgown for the haute couture, while Thierry Mugler envisioned sexy robots with hard, metallic bodies. The British design team Boudicca create styles that evoke transgressive warrior women, and Junya Watanabe channels chic soldier boys. Both Narciso Rodriquez and Alexander McQueen have juxtaposed silk with chain mail. The list goes on…

Love and War is the first museum exhibition to explore the influence on fashion of both “intimate apparel” and military “body armor.” If lingerie is like soft skin, armor is a hard exoskeleton. But clothing symbolism is complex and multifaceted. Uniforms can signify both order and disorder. Moreover, uniforms, like lingerie, are fetishized cultural artifacts, which embody ambiguous erotic impulses. By focusing on the dichotomy between armor and underwear, we can more easily see how modern fashion alludes to a series of other visual and conceptual polarities, such as male/female, hard/soft, outside/inside, armed/disarmed, rigidity/fluidity.

For more information, consult the website.

Current Exhibitions at the Museum at FIT

2006-03-31T08:43:00.000-05:00

Permanent Fashion and Textile History Gallery

The Fashion and Textile History Gallery features changing selections from the Museum’s permanent collections, which are comprised of more than 50,000 garments and accessories dating from the 18th century to the present - with particular strength in contemporary designer fashion - some 30,000 textiles from the 6th to 21st centuries, as well as 300,000 textile swatches and 1,300 sample books. The Fashion and Textile History Gallery is organized chronologically, so that students and visitors can understand the important cultural, social, and technological changes that fashion so clearly demonstrates. In this and other respects, the gallery supplements the many classes and tours held in the Museum as well as its special exhibitions and public programs. The Museum at FIT is one of the world’s only institutions dedicated to the study of fashion and textiles and will now feature its collections year-round.

Textiles from the Garden of Eden
February 17 to April 22, 2006

Textiles from the Garden of Eden features approximately 65 textiles with images of flowers and plants. Flowers may be identifiable, abstracted, stylized, familiar, exotic, or fanciful, while plants may recall tropical jungles or dense forests, sometimes in combination with birds or animals. Flowers and plants are among the most enduring and popular designs found on textiles, perhaps because humankind has often dreamed of an earthly paradise or Garden of Eden. This exhibition is organized by Lynn Felsher, curator of textiles at The Museum at FIT.

Modern Master: Lucien Lelong Couturier 1918-1948
February 28 to April 15, 2006

Lucien Lelong (1889-1958) was the last in a long line of couturiers who were masters of every aspect of haute couture. Unlike today's couturiers who are primarily fashion designers, Lelong combined a keen business sense with a refined eye for modern design. He hand-picked designers such as Pierre Balmain, Christian Dior and Hubert de Givenchy and developed their talents in order to realize his vision of the fashionable woman.

For nearly thirty years, the house of Lucien Lelong epitomized Parisian elegance, with a clientele at the crossroads of international high society and the arts. Lelong's beautiful second wife, Natalie Paley -- an exiled Russian princess turned fashion model and Hollywood actress -- typified the ideal Lelong client. Others included "Baba" de Faucigny-Lucinge, the Duchess of Windsor and Marlene Dietrich.

While master-minding the design and presentation of his collections, Lelong expanded his business in innovative ways and took a leading role in his profession. In 1934 he introduced Lucien Lelong Éditions, the first couture ready-to-wear line. His fashion empire included a perfume division, Parfums Lelong, which exists to this day. As President of the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture Parisienne during the German Occupation, Lelong was most responsible for preventing the relocation of the haute couture to Berlin, saving the jobs of thousands of skilled workers.

This exhibition is the first to examine the multi-faceted career of Lucien Lelong. Examples of Lelong sportswear, daywear and evening attire, drawn from The Museum at FIT and private collections, and archival material from the Gladys Marcus Library's Special Collections will illustrate Lucien Lelong's significant contribution to the history of fashion.

For more information, consult the website.

Upcoming Lectures at the Museum at FIT

2006-03-31T08:35:00.000-05:00

Here are the upcoming lectures at the Museum at FIT.

The Lelong Women Who Made Fashion
Friday, March 31 6:00pm

Vogue editor Bettina Ballard remembered Princess “Baba” de Faucigny-Lucinge, Marie-Laure de Noailles, and Princess Natalie Paley as “the women who made fashion” in Paris during the 1930s. All three were clients of Lucien Lelong, and Princess Paley was the couturier’s wife. This illustrated lecture will feature them and other influential Lelong clients such as Marlene Dietrich and Mrs. Cole Porter, and discuss the development of the glamorous Lelong image.

Fashion and Textile History Gallery: Talk & Tour
Monday, April 3 6:00pm

Valerie Steele, director and chief curator of The Museum at FIT, will discuss the conception and importance of the new permanent gallery of fashion and textile history.

Textiles from the Garden of Eden: Talk & Tour
Saturday, April 8 5:00pm

Carol Bier, research curator at The Textile Museum in Washington DC, and vice president of The Textile Society of America, is recognized for her studies of patterns as intersections of art and mathematics. She will guide you through the exhibition, addressing the representation of floral and plant forms in the textile arts.

Workshop: Sketching MFIT's Collections
Adapting/Reinventing Vintage Looks for Today's Fashion
Mondays: April 17, April 24, May 1 6:00pm
Improve your design and sketching skills, or your clothing and accessory lines, with the Fashion and Textile History Gallery as your source of inspiration. Strengthen your eye, hand, and creativity quotient with drawing exercises, and learn how to use historical elements to invent fresh concepts. Led by Michele Bryant, FIT professor of Fashion Design – Art.

For more information, consult the website.

Today's NYT Styles

2006-03-30T15:27:00.000-05:00

There were several interesting articles in today's New York Times Styles Section.

the latest men's wear trend: The Shrunken Suit

A suit jacket's standard length is usually held to be 78 or 79 centimeters
(about 31 inches), but these designers have shaved from 1 to 5 inches off the bottom.
Ditto pants, which bare not only the ankle but, horrors, a bit of shin.

Author David Colman offers several positive aspects of this new trend, including:

the short suit works well un-nested, as a cross-over element
compliments the smaller proportion of accessories showed by Los Angeles designers
less "business" than a traditional suit - goes from day to evening
ideal for men 5'7" to 5'11" with a trim, narrow frame

CFDA lobbies Congress for copyright protection for designer clothes

The reason clothing design is not protected under copyright or trademark law in the United States is that it is considered foremost as a utilitarian item, not an artistic expression or scientific invention... But the [CFDA] argues that the legal principle exempting fashion from copyright protection — a 200-year-old idea that useful objects should be unregulated to encourage the growth of industry — is outdated in this era of sophisticated mass copying.

Of course, there are strong feelings on all sides of this issue. The author adds an interesting side note to our study of Ralph Lauren:

European laws have been more favorable to designers, although with tangled results.
Yves Saint Laurent sued Ralph Lauren in 1994 in a Paris court over Mr. Lauren's design
of a tuxedo dress. Mr. Lauren was found guilty of copying and fined roughly $300,000.
At the same time a Saint Laurent executive was found guilty of denigrating Mr. Lauren's character and fined $90,000.

See also articles on the first performance-enhanced textiles for Golf wear; how to build your belt wardrobe, and the new direction at Gucci...

it's surprising to hear someone sound almost relieved that the style of [Tom Ford's] successor, Frida Giannini, doesn't immediately suggest an orgy or, as Mr. Ford once put it,
an impulse to "pour hot wax over your lover and stradle him."