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Artful Adornment ~ Who, Where & How
Frieda Kahlo
This summer, in the conclusion to a marvelous story, 300 pieces of Kahlo's clothing will be on display at her home/museum in Mexico City. They were discovered in an old trunk in an unused bathroom during renovation, forgotten since 1954 when she died. Rumor has it that you can still smell her perfume on them. Pray that the exhibition will travel north. Philadelphia Buyer's Market of American
Craft
February 16-19, 2007 You submit an application and sell directly to buyers for boutique and gift stores. www.AmericanCraft.com The Guild
This group is put on the planet to make sure buyers find you and your work! www.guild.com Adornment: The Artful Body,
Exhibition
The origin of a better title for wearable art and an exhibition of same in Santa Fe until January 29 -- just in case you pop down there to escape the weather. Surface Design Conference
May 31 -- June 3 Happens every year in Kansas City and will make you a regular -- it is just great. Lots of how-to, amazing fiberart, a serious market of supplies and equipment. www.SurfaceDesign.org Testfabrics
The all-time source for every conceivable fabric that will take a dye, offers lots of special services and huge big sample packet. www.testfabrics.com Surface Design DVD's
The country's best surface design artists doing workshops in their specialty. Go to www.yarnbarn-ks.com Kevin O'Brien Studio
So let's say you to work with art fabric but you don't want to make it -- this is the place for you. These people supply artfully dyed yardage to designers (Zac Posen) and New York's Metropolitan Museum. See how: www.kevinobrienstudio.com/howdo.pdf to order go to www.kevinobrienstudio.com San Francisco Pleating
Anyone in the US can send Rusty O'Keefe fabric and he will pleat it! He's a local legend and you can contact him by email at: rustysfpleating@commcast.com or call him at: 415-982-3003 -- good prices and amazing work! Livingstone Dyeworks
Karen Livington's dyeing business in the East Bay in which she will do custom dyeing jobs for designers or you and me, yardage or garments. She is a local favorite and has put many designers on the map with her stunning colors and patterns. Email her at: dyework@yahoo.com. Crafty Computer Paper
They sell fabric sheets adhered to paper that you can print with your computer printer in your own designs -- the possibilities dazzle the mind! They have a wide variety of fabrics and products -- in England. www.craftycomputerpaper.co.uk/ Compare to another source here, Jacquard Products in Healdsburg, www.jacquardproducts.com/ Not to Miss: Just a few artists and sources on
the web!
Max & Renata Reporting
The “Art To Wear” sale
at San Francisco’s Saint Patrick’s church on
September 16th was an excellent representation of
what came out of the Bay Area movement that started
in the 60’s and 70’s. These local designers produced
wonderful one of a kind pieces. There were
interesting works of art that made us feel like we
were in an amusement park for fashion/artsy people.
At this sale some of the well known Bay Area designers were: Babette ,Cari Borja, Cedide Olcay and Darcy Croshaw among many others. Unfortunately, the basement of the church was an inappropriate venue to splurge yourself with such extravagant art! “Artwear” is a uniquely American movement which came into fruition during those budding years of social change and feminism. In the mid 80’s the publication of “Art To Wear” by Julie Schafler Dale legitimized the movement and revitalized it. Now, many fashion designers create fashion as art and show their work in fashion shows, boutiques and sales like this one. We had a great time shopping around and talking to some of the designers. There seemed to be a theme of anti-fashion in the air, fueled by the fact that many of the makers of Art To Wear, as well as the buyers, are a small segment of the population outside the parameters of popular fashion. Art To Wear is more of a way of life for these men and women, who have risen above obsessing over the next “hot item.” Instead, they rely on a higher aesthetic of the self, truth, and quality of life. These mature customers normally range in age from 30 to 50+ years old and have a more sophisticated taste. Typically, they are looking for great pieces to impress at parties and special events. One good find for Wearable Art pieces in San Francisco is the “Anna Lee” store in Hayes Valley. It’s a beautiful store that opened last October and was designed by the brother of Anna. They carry pieces from local designers like Cari Borja, as well as the New York established designer Selma Karaca and Canadian designer Kristen Bond. Our suggestion for your New Year’s resolution: WEAR MORE ART! |
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AT LAST!
Draping and Designing With Scissors and Cloth, 1920's I finished the prepress work for the second reprinting and it is heading to the printers soon. The original was published by the Women's Institute in the 1920's and Antiquity Press reprinted it in the 80's. It has detailed instructions on how to drape flapper dresses and shawls with illustrations on every page. The 1930's version (bias originals) will be done in 2 months. Go to the Books Page for details and to get on the list! (I'm leaving up these sources because they are just so good) Making and Marketing Better Art Work by Milon Townsend, a glass artist, is an excellent small book for any creative micro business. If you have designed it and made it, he covers everything you need to know -- to the point, clear, no-nonsense micro business advice. www.amazon.com Books on Cloth
A listing of fashion books for sale. by Fred Struthers in Fort Bragg, has been my main source for all the rare books I've been buying for years. In order to beat those competitive New Yorkers, the minute you get the catalog, drop everything, read and phone in what you want. We get it first out here so you have an advantage! To get on his mailing list email him: fsbks@mcn.org New book!
Fashion Design, by Sue Jenkyn Jones (Watson-Guptil, 2nd. Ed., 2005) It's a veritable design school! BOOK SALE!! All used books on the Book page are
30% off
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Fashion Fit Formula
This is a business that does what I have been teaching for years and does it better and faster! You give them your measurements and they scale all your proportions and correlate them to the clothes you wear. The result is you know EXACTLY what length skirt, jacket, sleeve, collar, etc. you should be wearing. It works. Pricey but worth it -- based on your bones, they don't change. www.fashionfitformula.com Hourly Wage Calculator, CD
Do you have a sneaky suspicion you're not making very much per hour? Contact Joyce Murphy at JMS Tailoring Tools & Teaching. www.jsmpatterns.com She has just finished creating the Hourly Wage Calculator CD. I bought one for the artist in our family and he immediately raised his prices! They also have the pricing software for alterations. Survival Kit for Custom Clothiers
If you're a self-employed dressmaker, custom tailor, or bridal specialist - or if you're starting your sewing business soon - The Small Office Survival Kit For Custom Clothiers is the only comprehensive business planner and office organizer you'll ever need. Great for small or short run businesses! www.the-sos.com PWStudio 2
This new version of the best patternmaking software for small garment businesses is out and available. Easier, much less expensive and more wonderful than before -- and before was amazing! They will give you a 30-day full program for $20 so you can see for yourself. It's CAD program so you have to be familiar with those. Can work on the Intel MAC running Windows. www.patternworks-intl.com/www/software.htm |
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They are held in St. Helena at Napa Valley College,
Upvalley Center. If you call
707-967-2901, you'll get a live person who can put
you on a mailing list for the catalog. If you have
an idea for a class or a
ready group for one, let me know at the beginning of
the previous semester.
Spring
Design With Scissors and Cloth
2
4 Days: Sat, April 14; Sat/Sun, April 21 & 22; Sun, April 29 --- 9:30 to 5:30. This is the next level of draping for design and fit in which participants learn to analyze fashion designs and drape specific designs. Details on Classes page. For more information on all classes, see the Classes page. Summer
Symposium on the Work of
Madeleine Vionnet
For the first time since 1994, there will be another serious voyage into the depths of Vionnet's work. Four days of in-depth design analysis, draping, construction and textile exploration. All the techniques of Vionnet along with the bias cut. Held in downtown St. Helena, the center of the Napa's wine country with great restaurants and shopping. Walking distance to everything, no car needed. Details on Classes page. For more information on all classes, see the Classes page. Fall
Draping for Design
3
This course in the same 4-day format as DDSC 2 above, brings us to a higher level of designing/draping in which participants develop their interpretations of a given design and also manipulate draped designs to flatter a variety of proportions. Good for custom dressmakers and other working with several different figures. Details on Classes page. For more information on all classes, see the Classes page. |
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Cool the earth before it's too late,
Lord Snowden's photo.
Free CD on the Environmental Causes of Breast
Cancer
To receive a free CD right from the researchers of all the environmental causes of breast cancer -- so you can avoid it, go to Vasser College Do this now, it is a gift from them to you. GreenDimes.com.
This is the best $3 a month ever spent. For that paltry amount they take care of making sure you never get any more CATALOGS! A service from heaven. www.GreenDimes.com Lehman's
There's more than one way to get off the grid and save on PG&E! It's THE place the Amish have been getting their supplies forever -- they don't use electricity and now you can pass on it too. Send for Lehman's Non-Electric Catalog and amaze yourself. Go to www.lehmans.com. Everything from butane irons to refrigerators is in there, but no electricity!. Ideal Bite.
This website is run by two women who bring ecological common sense right down to the user. If you subscribe to their newsletter, you get a daily tip about some everyday thing that really makes a big difference. Big, big help in decisionmaking so that your life is one of ecological integrity. See their tips on apparel here. The Case for
Organic Cotton
Conventional cotton farming is one of the most environmentally destructive agricultural practices. It harms the air, water, soil, and farmers' health and safety. The blame for that harm lies with the huge amounts of pesticides used in conventional cotton farming. Although cotton occupies three percent of the world's farmland (California is a big producer to the world), it uses more than ten percent of the pesticides, a category that includes herbicides, insecticides, and defoliants. Pesticides are most often sprayed from the air, so they spread easily to surrounding neighborhoods. Only an estimated ten percent of this flood of chemicals actually accomplish their goal. The rest are absorbed by plants, soil, air, water, and our bodies, killing wildlife and harming ecosystems. The US Fish &t Wildlife service reports that millions of fish and birds are killed every year from the legal application of pesticides. Pesticides can also adversely affect the health of cotton workers and those living near cotton fields. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that approximately 20,000 people die each year in developing countries as a result of the chemicals sprayed on nonorganic cotton. Federal organic standards only cover the raw fiber harvesting process. Once the organic cotton fiber leaves the farm, there are no federal standards in place for further processing so your organic cotton fabrics could be treated with harmful chlorine bleaches. "For the consumer, the most toxic part of clothing comes from fabric treatments. Chemicals that resist flames, water, moths, stains, soil, and wrinkles have been impregnated into the fabric and are often very hard to remove through washing," says Annie Bond, author of Home Enlightenment. Abstract from Co-op America’s Real Money Newsletter. Please Ride the Bus!!! It's cheap! You
get your reading done - you'll be brilliant! And,
you are protecting your climate. Someday
you'll be an ancestor and your family will be
grateful to you for making the switch now to a
greener lifestyle.
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Alan Le Blanc is moving back to the US -- Paris
loses, we gain! He will explore New York and
hopefully make it out here to teach a draping class!
His column will return for the April issue with an
Only In Paris story about a Vionnet piece which he
owns -- with pictures and the PATTERN, exclusive to us!
A Gentleman's Guide To Dressing
Well
Many men say they don't care about fashion, but
dressing well isn't just vanity how we look affects
how we're perceived and how we feel about ourselves.
To make a great impression...
Opt for a trim look. The fit of a garment can be even more important than its quality. Suits and shirts feel most comfortable when they're cut a bit loose, but the extra fabric can make you look overweight or rumpled. You'll look best if your suits and shirts are cut trim (but not tight), even if you're carrying extra pounds. Buy timeless, not trendy. If you purchase classic style suits and sports jackets, you don't have to worry about looking dated or keeping up with the latest styles. Navy and gray...solids and very subtle stripes. . . in medium weight wool are always in style. Dress with class even when you don't need to dress up. Many men are at a loss for how to look good when they're not in a suit. If you want to look sharp even when casual... Click here to read on for shirts, ties, pants and more (scroll down): |
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Madeleine's Encore!
This is a big year! The House of Vionnet will re-open in Paris for the first time since 1939! Their first collection will be shown in March. What's so great about that? Madeleine Vionnet was THE master couturier of the 20th Century, the teacher of St. Laurant, Dior, Balenciaga, the person who figured out how to drape fabric on the body so that almost impossible perfection was achieved. Sophia Kokosalaki is the new designer and she promises to do Vionnet justice with the same aesthetic style and devotion. Note her two very-Vionnet gowns here. Sophia Kokosalaki: Born in Greece and trained
in London, the designer is set to restore the
classic elegance of the Vionnet label.
By Ginanne Brownell Excerpted from Newsweek International Dec. 25, 2006 - Jan. 1, 2007 issue - The name Madeleine Vionnet may not mean much to ordinary high-street shoppers. But to serious fashion followers and upscale designers, Vionnet's classic lines are the essence and foundation of haute couture. "Everybody, whether he likes it or not, is under the influence of Vionnet," Karl Lagerfeld has said of the French designer. Vionnet—who created the bias cut and dressed the likes of Marlene Dietrich and Greta Garbo—retired from fashion after her 1939 collection, and the label's prominence has faded since then. Now it's set to undergo a major revival under the creative direction of 34-year-old Sophia Kokosalaki, whose 2007 spring line will soon hit stores. (For now, it is exclusive to Barneys and the Vionnet studio in Paris.) "The house of Vionnet is like Sleeping Beauty," says the Greek-born, London-based designer. "It is a house that is completely dormant but it has huge potential because the legacy is enormous." Lifelike Dress Forms.
There is a company making dress forms for companies and persons that act just like soft human body in your measurements -- cost $2,000+ but then it is REALLY you! Shapely Shadow Beverley Birks
Vintage fashion dealer extraordinaire, has a website with amazing photos of her collection. Go to www.beverleybirks.com for one idea after another. Click on 'click here' on the Collection page and a serious database appears for a fine-tuned search. |
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No relation to news but too beautiful a dress not to
miss! From Selvedge Magazine, the most
incredible
magazine ever! It has it all -- the best in the
world. www.selvedge.org
NOW: Two great fashion exhibitions in Los Angeles: 1. Skin and Bones at the LA museum of Contemporary Art on the relationship between fashion and architecture and 2. and exhibition from the LA County Museum of Art's contemporary fashion collection. February 22-25, Stitches West.
Mark your calendar for this show of knitting heaven right down the road in Santa Clara Convention Center. March 1 ,2,3,4, Sewing Stitchery
Expo
The largest sewing show in the nation is scheduled for in Puyallup, Washington. A blockbuster -- you have to go at least once in your life! www.sewexpo.com April 19-22, CNCH Asilomar Fiber
Retreat.
Workshops in weaving, spinning, basketry and dyeing. Contact CNCH 2007 registrar, 5910 Highland Road, Castro Valley, CA 94522. For a complete list of instructors and workshops go to www.CNCH.org Special Note:
For everyone who remembers Savannah Knoop's amazing jodphurs in class -- she's back! Still with her garment business, TINC, and lots of really charming and unusual clothing designs -- her signature! See them at www.tincwear.com In case you're in Paris:
A few vintage fashion boutiques -- Fashion Vintage, 15, rue Clement, Marot, 8th -- Karry'O, 62, rue des Saints-Peres, 7th --Unique, around the corner from Karry'O. The Global Rich List
Check this out -- you can put in your income and it will tell you exactly where you are on the global list of all incomes -- an eye-opener. www.globalrichlist.com/index.php International Textiles Expo & Conference,
March 26-28 in Las Vegas. This conference is called
'The Source' for good reason -- it's all there!
Sewing products, fabrics, education, fashion
forecasts, contacts -- nothing to want for if your
business depends on a sewn product. www.textileshows.com
Nanotech is the New No-No!
There are now 350 products with nano-particles in and on them, a 70% jump since March and still no regulation of their use or studies of long term effects on health. They are the new stain-resistant finishes on clothes and are in sunscreens and cosmetics. The issue is that they are so small they can pass through the blood-brain membrane that surrounds the brain. The jury is out on what happens then. Check the Internet for more info. |
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_____________________________________ Reality check: Volume 2, Issue 2, will be published on April 1,
2007. In celebration of the first Vionnet couture
show since 1939 in March in Paris, the next issue
will feature the work of Madeleine
Vionnet.
Sandy Ericson
Antiquity Press
email:
info@antiquitypress.com
phone & fax:
707-967-0852
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