Art in Fashion – Daniela Gregis revisit
To emphasize the artistic/artisanal vision of Italian designer Daniela Gregis, a second post is needed to show you her concept for her s.s 2010 presentation decor. Daniela shows her collection in a beautiful space on within the compound of the Basilica di Sant’Ambrogio in Milan. The original church, noted for its medieval architecture was built around 386 by Bishop Ambrogio. In the mid 11th century, the Basilica was rebuilt in a Romanesque style on the original site. The skeletal remains of Saint Ambrose is on view in the crypt in his full on bishop finery.
In a 360 degree contrast to the fluorescent light sculpture from her March fall presentation presentation, for her s.s 2010 collection in September, Daniela Gregis strung dried peppers over colorful tubs in the courtyard of one of the many annexes within the grounds of the Basilica . These ropes of peppers were suspended from the vaulted archways along one wall. The simplicity of the ropes of dried peppers and the bold, joyful colors of the tubs mirrors the earthy but luxe hand of Daniela Gregis, pulling out the happy colors from the Liberty prints she used throughout her collection .
You had a sense you were in the countryside and everything around you had slowed down to a pleasant country pace and you could feel the warmth of the sun. A momentary, but very welcome pause, to stop and take a breath and to take in your beautiful surroundings.
It doesn’t stop there. Every season, Daniela presents to each of her clients or visitors a delicious home made butter cookie in the shape of a little man. Each one is wrapped in a square of print fabric from the current collection. This spring season, she tied it all up neatly with a small dried pepper on top. Her ability to charm and draw you into her world is always smile inducing and done with genuine warmth. Grazie Daniela, for the treat and your beautiful personal vision.
Art in Fashion – Celine
Dial back a bit to last season, during the s.s 2010 presentations in October 2009, it seems Dan Flavin’s influence was already taking root in the space that Phoebe Philo had chosen to present her debut collection at Celine. After her enormous return to the fashion front of a show last season ( see posting of 7 October 2009 ), the team at Celine had chosen to hold their showroom appointments outside of their corporate headquarters in Paris. They opted on a beautiful, immense apartment in the 16th arrondissement on Avenue Foch. This private domicile, which was larger than many houses, was on the market for sale. A small rent check later it soon became the terrific location scout’s find for the temporary showroom for Celine. This opulent residence has never seen a fluorescent light, I can assure you, as there were chandeliers everywhere. The person who worked along side Ms. Philo to execute the decor worked their magic to add an artistic, contemporary element to the very grandiose, bourgeois, traditional decor. The correlation to the spring collection could not be any clearer. Happen-stance or someone really thought this one up? My money is on the latter. These are real thinkers here. Phoebe Philo and her team are here to leave their mark.
Within the s.s 2010 collection that was crowned as the new modernist collection, the looks were predominantly all solid in shades of nudes, beiges, whites, blacks and a strong blue….. save one single look that was a pattern of mixed stripes… positive and negative… once again. The stripes and the light installations? GENIUS…as I see it.
all photographs – DChen
Art in Fashion – Daniela Gregis
Art and fashion, or rather art in fashion, is not such an out there concept.
There exist designers who are more artists.
Daniela Gregis is an Italian designer based in Bergamo, Italy. She is one designer who treats each of her creations as art. From fabric research and development to her presentations to her choice of space when she shows in Milan.
The light sculpture Daniela Gregis installed for her f.w 2010 presentation is definitely influenced by American modernist Dan Flavin. Born in New York in 1933, Flavin challenged himself with the artistic possibilities of commercially available fluorescent lighting. He first conceived of using light as an art form in 1961. Mr. Flavin played with the pattern of light, color and lines created as most sculptures were linear or geometric configurations. What was always of interest to me was how he could break down a wall, room or space by the placement of his light sculptures or even how a simple diagonally mounted fluorescent bulb on a wall in a room can redefine the space completely.
Dan Flavin’s works are included in the collections of the most important museums around the world. One of the most impressive is at the DIA Beacon in upstate New York along the shores of the Hudson Rover.
Daniela uses her light sculpture to define positive and negative space , interspersing pieces of her collection within the installation to create patterns and more positive/negative contrasts. It was tied into the contrasts and patterns she wove into her collection.
Always thoughtful, always beautifully realized.
for images of Dan Flavin’s works:
http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&q=dan+flavin&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=NgfUS4iJA5bC-Qazx-SXDA&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CBsQsAQwAA
Rick Owens – Beauty and the Beast
photo-DChen
The Theatre National de Chaillot was the setting…. at the Trocadero you have the most beautiful view of the Eiffel Tower from its windows. Right before the start of Rick Owens show, heavy velvet curtains were drawn to erase any trace of the beautiful late afternoon sunlight and Gustave Eiffel’s iron lattice tower. A very good move since sun and the usually dark tone of Rick Owens’ collections don’t usually go together. But this is a good thing. The runway was then softly lit as if to create a dark moonscape or some other dim planet. Out marched a tribe of women… from what land or what planet, for all it matters, was not all that apparent. The music was ominous and the women were powerful. More than powerful. A superior race that was assembled to show off Mr. Owens fall/winter collection that had some of the strongest coats of the season. My photos of the runway show were dismal because of the obscure but well intentioned barely there lighting. The showroom photos below are much more benign but do not capture an iota of the great mood of the runway show.
Above is the quintessential Rick Owens washed leather bomber jacket with the asymmetric zip closure
Three of the hottest coats… the first one is in shearling, note the new wasp waist silhouette of the second and classic washed wool version of the third… always with his trademark second skin fit of the sleeve.
The must haves: washed leather top, alpaca silk knit cardigan and washed wool flannel cuffed cropped pant.
The new color of the season…. of which he can only come up with…. DNA DUST.
The shearling cylindrical handbag and the zigzag pattern tights were very original accessories offered as icing.
All in all, for someone who doesn’t march with the rest, Mr. Owens has come up with yet another
big conquest of a collection.
( all photos: DChen )
Stella McCartney – Opera Garnier
Stella McCartney showed her collection on Monday, 8 March. She returned to the magnificent halls of the Paris Opera Garnier where she has shown previously.
This landmark opera house was constructed by Charles Garnier and first opened its doors in 1875. This landmark masterpiece is in the Neo-Baroque style. It was designed as part of the reconstruction of Paris initiated by Napolean III during the Second Empire.
Stella McCartney showed a spare collection in great contrast to the ornately decorated great halls of the Opera Garnier. She, too, has joined the camp of the new minimalism this season. Clean lines, a calm color palette and a good dose of beautiful, accessible, luxe sportswear.
One of the best looks was a simple crew neck sweater paired with narrow wool flannel pants with wide cuff in heathery stone/ camel melange. Yes, shades of Jil Sander but Stella McCartney manages to inject her own sense of self and cool in this collection.
The following photos of some of the collection were taken in the showroom during our writing appointment.
A superb collection. Stella McCartney gave us a glimpse of how much more she is capable of.
Less is more BUT never dull.
( all photos DChen )
visit Stella’s website @ : http://www.stellamccartney.com/int/en/collections/winter-2010/
Trussardi 1911 – f.w 2010
The F/W 2010 Trussardi 1911 collection left so much to be desired. Milan Vukmirovic’s spot on spring show cast a very large and dark shadow over his collection for this coming fall/winter. Everything that was so right and hip last season was negated by the very uptight and overly literal attempt he made for F/W 2010. If you’re going to pay homage or riff on another designer or a particular look… you need to go further outside their box, not copy it verbatim. Such was the problem for this collection. Word for word… line for line… style for style…. it’s night and day what Mr. Vukmirovic has done for the men’s collection and what he has not done YET for the women’s collection.
There were definitely good signs for the spring 2010 collection… as seen here. One of my favorite pieces of the spring collections..
that didn’t quite flow into the fall collection, sadly enough.
Here is the link to their site for the fall 2010 collection… there wasn’t a runway show and when we walked through the collection in the showroom…. it just wasn’t meant to be. So no photos… the only photos I did manage to take were downstairs at the Cafe Trussardi …. lunch was the best part of the visit!
photo top is a riso al salto alla milanese con cozze e zucchine
(pan fried saffron rice with mussels and zucchini)
photo bottom vitello tonnato con sedano bianco
(thinly sliced veal in a tuna sauce with shaved white celery)
Again… here is the link to the Trussardi 1911 website where you will find the photos of the collection. Let me know what your thoughts are… if you concur! Leave me a comment.
http://www.trussardi1911.it/collection/collezioni_fall_winter_2010_2011_donna
And if you’re ever in Milano… here is the link to the Cafe Trussardi website. A beautiful space to have a drink or a meal at the Piazza della Scala.
http://www.trussardi.com/trussardi_cafe.html
All photos – DChen.
