Manus X Machina : Fashion in an Age of Technology at The Met

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Manus X Machina : Fashion in an Age of Technology at The Met

Andrew Bolton’s brilliant exhibition, “Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology” at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute is an exhibition for true fashion lovers, filled with the exquisite garments that make us dream.

You don’t need to be a seer to see that the fashion world is in uncertain times. Some of the most talented designers— Alber Elbaz, Raf Simons, Stefano Pilati, Christian Lacroix, Oliver Theyskens —are without jobs and the most storied fashion house, Dior, is without a creative director. The message in these realities might be that in 2016, talent, skill, and craft are less relevant to the success of a business than marketing, hype, and social media prowess.

Arranged over two floors, the exhibition showcases examples of 3D printing, laser cutting and other machine-based fabrication combined with work completed by hand.

The first thing visitors encounter upon entering the new exhibit at the Met’s Costume Institute, “Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology,” is a wedding gown with a 20-foot train. Designed by Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel’s fall 2014 haute couture collection, its construction is not only technologically innovative, it challenges the notion that couture is necessarily handmade.

Wedding Ensemble by Karl Lagerfeld for House of Chanel

Dior meets Alexander McQueen

 Chanel and Iris van Herpen

  Raf Simons for House of Dior

 Raf Simons for House of Dior and Flying Saucer” Dress by Issey Miyake.

 Christian Dior and Christopher Kane

     Iris van Herpen

One of the most extraordinary pieces is a dress from Dutch designer Iris van Herpen, made of hand-stitched strips of laser-cut silicone feathers and real-life bird skulls with glass eyes.

Yves Saint Laurent, Autumn Winter 1969 – 1970 Haute Couture

  Embroidery

Gareth Pugh’s dresses made from straws, Iris van Herpen’s bird-like garment fashioned from silicone feathers and Maiko Takeda’s bristly headdresses are shown beside more traditional examples of plumasserie by designers including Cristóbal Balenciaga.

Andrew Bolton in his first show as curator in charge of the Costume Institute.

 

“Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology” is on view at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

 

The Perfect Summer Getaway in Les Baux-de-Provence

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The Perfect Summer Getaway in Les Baux-de-Provence

Both gastronomic institution and elegant country inn, Baumanière les Baux-de-Provence is a 5-star hotel in Provence, and represents the Mediterranean art of living at its discreet, unostentatious best. Nestled in the peaceful pocket of charming countryside that is Baux and permanently drenched in warm Provence sunlight, the French farmhouse retreat that is Baumanière hasn’t lost a drop of its elegant and rustic appeal in the 60 years since its original opening. The hotel’s sprawling grounds are filled with fragrant lavender, winding paths that invite guests to explore absolutely spectacular views all summer-long. From organic picnics in the park packed up with fresh produce from the garden to napping poolside in the shade of olive trees, Baumanière is a peaceful haven for nature-lovers and serial spa-goers alike, and the hotel’s latest indulgent addition will delight both the latter and the former. An impressive wooden structure with 360° views over the surrounding countryside, the new Sisley spa is offering guests a whole new level of relaxation.
I have been there a few times already and I highly recommended! A Must!

The Oustau de Baumanière table sparkles with its two stars and proposes refined and authentic gastronomy that reaches its highpoint when paired with one of the vintage wines of the outstanding cellar.

Rooms & Suites : Whether they are housed in l’Oustau, la Guigou, le Manoir, Flora or Carita no two rooms are alike.

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Antonio Lopez : Future Funk Fashion Exhibition in NYC

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Antonio Lopez : Future Funk Fashion Exhibition in NYC

Antonio Lopez the Puerto Rican illustrator and photographer who revolutionized the fashion world with his sensual photographs and illustrations that mixed pop art, op art and art nouveau is now the focus of an exhibition in Manhattan this summer.

A multi-talented bad boy of the arts, he graduated from the High School of Arts and Design and the Fashion Institute of Technology and went on to collaborate with Vogue and a number of other glossy titles, with his subjects including models, socialites designers and popstars.

Even though Antonio Lopez’s life ended too early, at the age of 44, he had had an extraordinary 30-year long career, which put him on the pedestal among American most influential artists during the 1960’s, 1970’s and 1980’s. Lopez was born in Puerto Rico, but grew up and made his name in New York City. Now, the time has come for New York to give an homage to the late artist.

A unique collection of over 300 Antonio Lopez’s works, including his drawings, Instamatic photographs, archival photographs, sketches, clothing and shoe designs, is presented in the show at El Museo del Barrio.

 Autoportrait d’Antonio Lopez, 1981

 Carol Labrie, 1969 

Patti Labelle, 1986

Mick Jagger and Tina Turner, 1986

Guitar dress, 1982

Carol LaBrie 

Alvenia Bridges, 1978

Antonio Lopez – Shoe Sculpture (Water), 1977, plastic, plexiglass stand

Iman, 1984, Antonio Lopez

  Antonio Lopez: Future Funk Fashion is a must-see exhibition in New York this Summer

 Photo credits: Antonio Warhol Portrait, 1985

 

Antonio Lopez: Future Funk Fashion exhibit from June 14 through November 26, 2016

El Museo del Barrio, 1230 5th Ave, New York, NYC 

 

Isaac Mizrahi: An Unruly History

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Isaac Mizrahi: An Unruly History

Isaac Mizrahi: An Unruly History is the first museum exhibition to focus on the influential American fashion designer, artist, and entrepreneur. On view through August 7, the exhibition explores Isaac Mizrahi’s unique position at the intersection of high style and popular culture. While best known for his clothing designs, Mizrahi’s creativity has expanded over a nearly three decade career to embrace acting, directing, set and costume design, writing, and cabaret performance. Spanning his first collection in 1988 to the present day, An Unruly History weaves together the many threads of his prolific career, juxtaposing work in fashion, film, television, and the performing arts.

When you first enter the exhibit, you see a wall that looks like tiles or some type of mosaic but when you get closer, it is actually hundreds of swatches!

 It is Isaac’s mastery of color that I love the most.  The work in the exhibit is from the 1980’s through current day.

 “Color is the biggest luxury there is. It affects you on a deep, emotional level that most people don’t think about. It you get the color right, you have the whole thing. If you get it wrong, it becomes a big distraction.” — Isaac Mizrahi

 “Baby Bjorn Ball Gown” (1998), a red satin dress with a matching baby carrier.

Mr. Mizrahi’s sketches fill a wall of the show.

“I love sketching. That was my favorite part of making clothes—and it was also the most horrible part. But once I got into it, I was gone. You couldn’t talk to me. I was just lost in the bliss of making drawings.” — Isaac Mizrahi

 These designs were for theater and movies, he makes costumes quite well!

A video installation showcasing footage from Isaac Mizrahi’s work in fashion, film and television, where you see the great supermodels Linda Evangelista and Christy Burlington walking the catwalk in his designs.

Isaac Mizrahi with models at the showing of his 1997 spring collection. Photograph by Bebeto Matthews, image provided by AP Images

This exhibit most certainly made me appreciate him as a designer as the depth of his work was quite impressive.

If you are in New York City anytime between now and August 7, do try to visit this fabulous exhibit. You will love it!  The museum is located on 5th Avenue at 92nd Street.

Installation photos by Will Ragozzino/SocialShutterbug.com. All images courtesy The Jewish Museum.

 

A PsychoBarn at The Met Museum’s Roof

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A PsychoBarn at The Met Museum's Roof

For this summer’s Met Roof Garden Commission, the acclaimed British artist Cornelia Parker, created a large-scale sculpture inspired by the paintings of Edward Hopper and by two emblems of American architecture—the classic red barn and the Bates family’s sinister mansion from Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 film Psycho.

Nearly 30 feet high, The Roof Garden Commission: Cornelia Parker, Transitional Object (PsychoBarn) is fabricated from a deconstructed red barn and seems at first to be a genuine house, but is in fact a scaled-down structure consisting of two facades propped up from behind with scaffolding.

While researching old structures, Parker came across Edward Hopper’s painting House by the Railroad (1925)…

Next she discovered that Alfred Hitchcock had also been inspired by that very painting when putting together the house for his 1960 thriller Psycho…

The Victorian house feels at once creepy and beautiful, as the sun streams around the faded porch columns. And, as Parker wanted, the scene definitely feels incongruous — a crumbling rural home above a venerable museum, flanked by lush greenery and sleek skyscrapers.

At The Met Roof Bar, very popular among New Yorkers, you can get drinks and chips and watch the sun set.

The rooftop cafe is open Sundays through Thursdays, 10 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., and Fridays and Saturdays 10 a.m. to 8:15 p.m.

“Jacqueline de Ribes – The Art of Style” at The Met

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Jacqueline de Ribes - "The Art of Style" at The Met

This year’s fall exhibit at The Met’s Costume Institute, “Jacqueline de Ribes: The Art of Style,” is an illuminating look at the wardrobe and designs of Countess Jacqueline de Ribes of France. She was born to aristocratic parents in 1929, who defied her privileged, old-fashioned upbringing and became an anomaly of her time: a socialite who designed clothes and the muse of many haute couturiers in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Not content to simply wear the designs of others, she often had dressmakers make her own designs for her, and in the 1980s she came to New York and launched her own design business, despite the perception that aristocrats like her didn’t get involved in commerce.

She was famously photographed by Richard Avedon and termed a “swan” by Truman Capote.

“Style is what makes you different; it’s your own stamp, a message about yourself.”

“Jacqueline de Ribes: The Art of Style,”  The thematic show features about sixty ensembles of haute couture and ready-to-wear primarily from de Ribes’s personal archive, dating from 1962 to the present. Also included are her creations for fancy-dress balls, which she often made by cutting her haute couture gowns designed by others to create a personal nuanced expressions of her own aesthetic.

De Ribes, who was supposed to attend a Met dinner celebrating the show has canceled her trip to New York given the recent events in Paris. In a statement released by the museum shares “Comtesse de Ribes also knows how much Americans share the deep sadness felt in France, which confirms the enduring bond between the two countries. She hopes the exhibition will represent the joy associated with the freedom of creation.”

 In her own design 1983

Exhibition Catalogue: With specially commissioned photographs, this volume illustrates the sartorial creativity and French elegance of a great exemplar of style.

Jacqueline de Ribes

The Art of Style

November 19, 2015–February 21, 2016

“Brilliant Holiday” Bergdorf Goodman Windows 2015

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"Brilliant Holiday" Bergdorf Goodman Windows 2015

The start of the holiday season for me is when Bergdorf Goodman unveils their amazing holiday windows. Each year, the biggest retailers in Manhattan show their magical window displays, filled with fantastical themes and dazzling details—and this season’s storyboards certainly don’t disappoint.

Bergdorf Goodman, renowned for its stunning window displays, has once again outdone itself on their “Brilliant Holiday”. Awash in more than seven million Swarovski crystals, Bergdorf’s 2015 holiday windows along Fifth Avenue celebrate Swarovski’s 120th anniversary and the release of a lavish monograph from Rizzoli documenting the company’s history and its far-flung collaborations in fashion, jewelry, performance, and design.  David Hoey, senior director of visual presentation, and his team work all year on the windows and the effort is greatly appreciated. Definitely you must stop by when you are in town.

 The Crystal Ball

Glitterati

 Hidden Gem

 Treasured

 

The Crown Jewels

 

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Bergdorf Goodman Halloween Windows : Crimson Peak

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Bergdorf Goodman Halloween Windows : Crimson Peak

Just in time for Halloween Bergdorf Goodman has revealed its newest windows, which were created in collaboration with oscar-nominated Guillermo del Toro’s new Gothic film Crimson Peak. Each window was inspired by a moment in the horror movie, which takes place in an ornate but crumbling haunted mansion. And to top it off, the ghostly mannequins are all dressed in designer clothes with styles by Oscar de la Renta, Givenchy, Tom Ford,… would you expect anything less? The horror film starring Jessica Chastain, opens in October 16th, and if it looks anything like the windows we can’t wait to see it.

The design team led by David Hoey, Senior Director of visual Presentation, in association with designer Douglas Little, created the window displays.

Window imagery by Ricky Zehavi.

Lupulo – One of the Hottest Restaurant in Manhattan Right Now

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Lupulo - One of the Hottest Restaurant in Manhattan Right Now

Something different that is going to surprise you …

Much has happened in the dining world since George Mendes who grew up in a Portuguese-American family in Connecticut and trained with a fighter pilot’s intensity under some of the great chefs in Europe (Alain Ducasse, Martín Berasategui) opened his discreet, Michelin-starred restaurant, Aldea, in the big city six long years ago, and you can tell that his newest venture, Lupulo, has been designed, for better or worse, to keep up with these rapidly changing times.

Mr. Mendes’s basic idea for Lupulo, which opened a few blocks south of Herald Square in April, was straightforward enough. The name means “hops,” and the place is his take on the beer-centered Portuguese taverns called cervejarias. The nearest American equivalent is probably a brewpub, which Lupulo resembles with its hard, low wooden chairs, its high ceilings and its U-shaped dining bar stretching off into the distance.

Drawing on his heritage and travels throughout the country, Mendes has put together a menu of Portuguese comfort food to pair with the beers including a small plates menu of items like crispy shrimp turnovers, chicken liver pate, artisanal meats and salt cod croquettes with piri piri mayo. For mains, the focus is seafood — shrimp porridge, oven-baked octopus, and salt cod casserole for two (my fave). You’ll also find sections with veggies and meat with items like dry-aged beef rib cooked on an asador and a mushroom and tomato stew.

 The corner space is dominated by a long, three-sided bar.

 Lupulo’s entrance.

  George Mendes

 Açorda de camarão: shrimp porridge, egg, parsley, and chile pepper.

 Salt cod croquettes

 Ervilhas com chouriço e ovo: green peas, choriço, and sunny-side-up egg.

Bacalhau a Gomes de Sa: Salt Cod Casserole of potato, olives and eggs.

My favorite dessert Pasteis de Nata

Lupulo is now offering lunch and breakfast items to-go at a new counter operation on the corner of 29th Street and Sixth Avenue called BICA. The menu features drinks made with Coffee Labs Coffee, plus pastries, and breakfast sandwiches filled with linguiça, Jorge cheese, and Benton’s bacon.

Comfort Food as it’s Best …

http://www.lupulonyc.com/

Fashion Underground at FIT – The World of Susanne Bartsch

This gallery contains 14 photos.

Susanne Bartsch has been the queen of New York City nightlife since the 1980s when she first became famous for …

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