Charles James: Beyond fashion and MET Ball, an inspiration in gowns

Days after the “event of the year”, the MET Ball, why not take a moment for reflection about the influence from the gowns shown at the exhibition Charles James: Beyond fashion, in the gowns shown at the red carpet. Let’s check on some examples from the exhibit, and images from two reportages of the red carpet from the news.

Images from the MET website for the exhibit, 

Images from photographer Jamie Beck’s instagram reportage for the MET,

Images from the NYTimes, slideshow for the event

Costumes preparation at Royal Opera House (High House Production Park)

Busy workshop and studio with team preparing costume sets for a new play, collaboration of Royal Opera House and a community group in Purfleet, Es, where the ROH has its production workshop facilities.

"Living Fashion", exhibition at the MoMu Antwerp (March-August 2012)

These weeks the news about fashion in the main international cities are full with mentions of catwalks and presentations for A/W collections.  The nowness of these events influence the obvious reflection on the importance of timelessness.  To help understanding the meaning of wearing fashion,  two years ago the MoMu Antwerp developed and exhibition that displayed part of the collection of Mrs. Jacoba de Jonge, which was being research and now is part of the museum's archives.

The exhibit called "Living Fashion, Women's daily wear 1750-1950", curated by Karen Van Godtsenhoven and Wim Mertens, both curators at the Mode Museum, explored the idea of middle class women's garde robe for every day circumstances.  The period the exposition covered  is ample and showed  the transformation of fashion rules and impositions over a long lapse, and reflects that changes in garments and habits of wearing them were somehow product of historical and social changes.

The exhibition was divided into 13 sections each one of them presenting the different aspects of apparels and accessories, establishing a conversation on how and when to wear them and translating the the evolution of textiles and patterns.  The design of the layout followed the idea of juxtaposing home and street wear according to social rules. 

At the entrance of the expo there was a video showing some interesting aspects of working with archives and collections and there was a sing with information about delicate conditions under what the dress, costumes and textiles must be exhibited, therefore the very bleak lighting was used in all the halls that sometimes coloured warmly some of the garments.

View of the exhibit with generals and some close ups of pieces and accessories.

There were some videos and large format prints that offer context to the pieces showed.  Those prints were as interesting to observe as the collection itself.

Ruth M. Anderson, photographer for the Hispanic Society

"Atesorar España" was an exhibition about some travelers-photographers-researchers who found inspiration for their work in itinerant journeys around several regions in Spain in the end of XIX century ans especially in the beginning of the 20th century.  Curators were Joaquín Bérchez and Patrick Lenaghan.

One of the well know was Ruth M. Anderson, who was commissioned by the Hispanic Society in New York, dedicated time and efforts to document costume in Spain in several travels she paid to several parts of Spain.  The exposition only shows part of her extensive work coming from her travels, but it is an introduction to her fantastic archive mostly archived in the Hispanic Society.

The exposition toured for different institutions, but is is important to have the chance to review the historic images taken buy Anderson, including the one above showing her during work that was taken by her father.

Different views of the venue in Bancaja Art espace in Valencia, Spain, Mar'12

Images of the pictures in the exhibition