A Floral Adventure in Vintage Fashion!

Highlights from the MACY'S 2008 FLOWER SHOW

....a fantastical retrospective of fashion over the decades translated onto mannequins with just LOADS of fresh flowers! A true treat for the eye, going on now in New York City..

Marie Antoinette....

Flapper chic....

A nod to Dior's New Look.....

Disco diva.....

80's power dressing.......

Another fashion related must-see!

Your Favorite Era

Our monthly poll closed this week and the results were pretty interesting. In the first VFG Blog poll "What's your favorite era?" the winner was...

1947-1964 - The 'New' Look!

In honor of the choices I thought I'd tantalize you with some New Look items from our members. I know, I'm such a tease!

Refined and Elegant New Look Nipped Waist Ivory Suit from Jazzbug eVintage

50's Bellciano Paris Hollywood Stripe Coat from Morning Glorious Collectibles

50's Deep Royal Blue Velvet Party Cocktail Dress from Damn Good Vintage

We've opened a new Poll today you can see on the right sidebar - we want to know where you shop for vintage, so get to voting!

Vintage Weekends VIII

Summer's in full swing and it may be a bit too hot to spend your weekends hunting the local garage sales so why not check out some local museums and current exhibits in the comfort of a climate controlled environment? Some to check out this weekend:

Balenciaga opera coat 1967

Indianapolis, IN All Dressed Up: The Latest Additions - In recent years, IMA has made significant acquisitions of both modern and historic costumes. All Dressed Up feature more than 30 of these recent additions, including extraordinary garments by revered European couturiers such as Chanel, Balenciaga, Givenchy and Lanvin that will be displayed for the first time. American fashion designers--including Indiana's own Norman Norell and Halston--will also be represented. Other objects featured will include three paper dresses representing the "throwaway culture" of the 1960s, and whimsical, surrealistic Bes-Ben hats created by "Chicago's Mad Hatter" Benjamin Green-Field. The highlight of the exhibition is an1880s Imperial Russian court dress, created by Charles Fredrick Worth, which belonged to Maria Maximilianova Romanovska, a great-granddaughter of the French Empress Josephine and granddaughter of the Tsar Nicholas I, of Russia. The sumptuous gown has a silver moiré skirt with a luminous emerald-green silk velvet bodice and a matching 12-foot train embroidered in large-scale floral and foliate motifs with crystal beads, silver sequins, and silver foil and strips. - 4/1/2007 through 12/30/2007

Christian Dior day suit 1947

Also at the Indianapolis Museum of Art: Dior: The King of Couture - Celebrated as the "King of Couture," Christian Dior revolutionized the Paris fashion industry in the period immediately after World War II and became one of the most important designers of the 20th century. This exhibition, which includes more than 20 gowns drawn from IMA's permanent collection and loaned from private collectors, provides insight into a designer who considered couture an art on par with architecture and painting. Dior introduced the tailored glamour of the "New Look"-his wildly popular and decidedly feminine style-in 1947 (the suit shown right was created in that year), and it was an immediate sensation. He became a household name on both sides of the Atlantic, as war-weary women responded to the silhouette, which featured a full bust, narrow waist and ample skirts, made possible with the end of the war and fabric rationing. Dior was prolific from 1947 until his death in 1957. This exhibition, which coincides with the 50th anniversary of his death, demonstrates the painstaking artistry of true couture and the timeless elegance of Christian Dior creations. - 6/10/2007 through 11/30/2007

Lanvin ensemble

Phoenix, AZ Automotivated - French couturiers often worked with carmakers to create matching ensembles for the car owners who sought to create the ultimate luxury style statement. Automotivated profiles examples of work by some of the top couturiers of the 1930s, including Lanvin, Paquin, Vionnet and Schiaparelli, among others. The exquisite color combinations and form fitting lines in these garments show their relationship to streamlined design and modernity as it emerged from the automotive industry. From the brown linen dusters and goggles of the early 1900s to the sleek and glamorous bias cut gowns of the 1930s, this exhibition at the Phoenix Art Museum shows the influence of streamlined automobile design in fashion design. - April 14, 2007 – September 2, 2007

 Kent, OH Charles James - The body of work created by Charles James from 1926 until his death in 1978 has become a touch stone in the history of fashion. Distinctive, colorful and extreme are terms that describe both the clothes and the creator. While much could be said about Charles' personality and lack of business acumen, this exhibition aims to study specific garments from the collection of the Kent State University Museum, The Ohio State University, The Goldstein Museum of Design and Mount Mary College. Aware of his contribution to twentieth century aesthetics, Mr. James encouraged his clients to donate his garments to museums. Early on, he believed in the mission of the design laboratory at the Brooklyn Museum where the first exhibition of his work was presented in 1948. Based in educational institutions, our collections also aim to share with others the works of masters of fashion. A hundred years after his birth, his legacy lives on. - May 31, 2007, to February 17, 2008

Schiaparelli Tear Illusion dress 1938

London, England Surreal Things - While many exhibitions have explored Surrealism as a movement in literature and the fine arts, Surreal Things is the first to examine its impact on architecture, design and the decorative arts. It presents a new approach to the subject, focusing on the creation of surrealist objects, whether unique works of art or examples of modern design. - 29 March – 22 July 2007

Have a great Summer!

FORTHCOMING UK FASHION EXHIBITIONS

FASHION, JEWELLERY & ACCESSORIES NEW YORK FASHION NOW 17 April - 23 September 2007 Free admission, Room 40 Victoria & Albert Museum, London How does a designer go from being a relative unknown to becoming a tastemaker? New York Fashion Now explores the stories of twenty designers who launched their own labels in the five years between 1999 and 2004. Key to the early success of some has been the focused support of the fashion press, retailers and manufacturers, as well as the funded design competitions that help the winners pay their bills. For many of New York's young fashion hopefuls this support has been essential. Young designers shoulder significant economic burdens, along with the expectation to deliver creatively each season. Further, many of the featured design labels were founded around the time of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. The designers, along with their staff, factories and retailers, struggled in the resultant economic downturn. Still, the number of designer-led fashion businesses founded in New York City at the turn of the 21st century is remarkable. New York Fashion Now captures this significant moment of design productivity, both within the city's mainstream fashion culture and outside it. The twenty featured start-up stories provide insight into how so many young hopefuls have prevailed at this particular moment. ***** SURREAL & DESIGN SURREAL THINGS 29 March 2007- 22 July 2007 While many exhibitions have explored Surrealism as a movement in literature and the fine arts, Surreal Things will be the first to examine its impact on architecture, design and the decorative arts. It will present a new approach to the subject, focusing on the creation of surrealist objects, whether unique works of art or examples of modern design. From the sensuality of Dali’s Mae West Lips sofa to Schiaparelli’s disturbing Tear dress, Surrealism produced some of the most extraordinary objects ever created. This exhibition will bring together many of these rarely seen works for the very first time. The exhibition will explore how Surrealism evolved from radical avant-garde beginnings to become one of the most influential movements of the century and a common visual language of modernity. It will trace the development of Surrealism from the creation of the first objects in the 1920s to its commercialisation after World War II, as the movement was absorbed into the worlds of fashion, commercial design, graphics and film. ***** The Art of Lee Miller 15 September 2007 - 6 January 2008 Admission charge will apply Lee Miller is one of the most renowned female icons of the 20th century - a unique individual admired as much for her free-spirit, creativity and intelligence as for her classical beauty. This exhibition will cover her extraordinary career as a photographer and is the first complete retrospective of her life and work, exploring her transformation from artist's muse to ground-breaking artist. Miller was born in New York in 1907 and modelled for Vogue before meeting Man Ray in Paris in 1929. She became both his lover and muse, and inspired by his work, started to develop her own images. She became war photographer for London Vogue and was the only woman in combat photojournalism in Europe. After the war she returned to fashion photography and portraiture, photographing key figures of the day including Picasso, Man Ray and Miro. The exhibition will celebrate the centenary of her birth. ***** KYLIE: The Exhibition Kelvingrove Art Galley & Museum, Glasgow 21 September 2007 - Sunday 13 January 2008 Free entry This exhibition will explore Kylie Minogue as a popular icon and international performer. Featuring costumes, accessories, photographs and awards, sound and video, the exhibition will look at Kylie's career and changing image. Kylie – The Exhibition will also give some insight into how a major international tour develops - from initial concept to first live performance. 200 objects including 45 costumes and 60 photographs will be on display, from the overalls Kylie wore as Charlene in Neighbours and the gold lame hotpants she wore in her Spinning Around video in 2000 to costumes from her latest Kylie Showgirl: Homcoming Tour. Hats by Stephen Jones will also be featured. The exhibition is created and designed by the Arts Centre, Melbourne, home to Australia's most significant performing arts collection, including material generously donated by Kylie Minogue. ***** The Golden Age of Couture: Paris and London 1947-1957 22 September 2007 – 6 January 2008 Admission charge will apply V & A, London This glamorous exhibition will focus on Parisian and British couture between 1947-1957, a decade that Christian Dior described as the ‘Golden Age’ of fashion. Dior’s launch of the ‘New Look’ for his first collection in 1947 shocked and delighted the fashion world, creating a new style that symbolised femininity. The full skirts and hour-glass silhouettes were considered highly decadent, synonymous with luxury, opulence and prosperity, following the austerity of the war years. The Golden Age will display stunning gowns and exquisite tailoring from designers such as Balenciaga, Norman Hartnell, Balmain and Givenchy, as well as Dior. It will explore the creation of couture design from the post war era to the global success of the major fashion brands by the late 1950s, at which point fashion began to change, influenced by the ‘youth-quake’ of the early 60s. The skill and craftsmanship of haute couture will be revealed, showing a glimpse of the lost world of the exclusive design houses, and the inspiration behind some of the most famous styles of all time.