Style

SCAD FASH Museum

03.27.2017 by Tracey //

Gowns — Carolina Herrera, Gray and Ivory Coup De Velours, Clair de Lune gowns, Fall 1981

Hello Everyone! I’m busy at work finishing up a garment that I CANNOT wait to show you! You’ll have to stay tuned. In the meantime, I thought I would introduce you to a fantastic fashion space in Atlanta that you may not know about yet. Those of you who live in New York, London or Paris are so fortunate to have your pick of museums to visit to see amazing fashion exhibits. And honestly, nothing really compares to the shows I’ve seen at the Met, the V&A, or the Palais Galliera. But if I can’t jump on a plane, I can go down the street to SCAD FASH, a truly gorgeous museum space at the Savannah College of Art and Design.

It’s important to know that the museum is not visible from Peachtree Street. To get there, you’ve got to pull in the driveway passing the main building and enter the parking deck at the back. At the rear of the parking garage, there are elevators lit up with neon signs announcing that you have found SCAD FASH. I tell you all this because I have heard that some potential visitors were confused about where to go or were intimidated and left without going in. Don’t be nervous, guys! Park and get on that elevator!

A Collection of Carolina Herrera Wedding Gowns

When the elevator doors open, you are welcomed into a lovely lobby with staff (SCAD students) who are decked out in white smocks as if they were employed in an atelier. And let me just praise the museum staff for just a moment. These students are very well informed and incredibly friendly. They make a point to let you know that they are available to answer any questions you may have. Each time I have visited, I’ve had informative conversations that enriched my experience. For the Carolina Herrera show (pictured above), the staff carried iPads with photographs of the celebrities who wore the garments.

Fashion Exhibit — Threads of History, Two Hundred Years of Fashion

I have been so impressed with the choices that the museum has made in displaying the garments. The Carolina Herrera show was in a clean, white space with interesting poses while the Threads of History exhibit was complete with sets straight out of a period drama. I really appreciate the creativity and the attention to detail.

Sleeve Detail — Floral Dress, Courtesy of the Raffaella Piraino Collection

Vintage Gowns — Dress designed by House of Wirth in Black Silk Tulle with Lace Appliqué (Circa 1903) and High Necked Gown in Woven Black Silk Damask and Black Silk Chiffon with Black Sequin Florettes (Circa 1905)

I think that the Threads of History show just recently came down. The last time I visited, I begged the staff to share with me what was up next and I’m told that it’s going to be a good one. Shoes: Pleasure and Pain!!!!! It opens mid-April and I can’t wait!

Clothing Exhibit — Threads of History, Two Hundred Years of Fashion

Outdoor Seating and the Atlanta Skyline at SCAD FASH

If you are interested in visiting, you can find them at 1600 Peachtree Street in Atlanta, (404) 253-3132.

Have a great week! I’ll see you soon!

Caliber

12.20.2015 by Tracey //

Caliber Bracelet

Caliber Cuff

Photography by Santiago Vanegas

I’ve been busy working on my skirt project and about a million other holiday and school related things, so Santiago took the lead this week to bring you this post. This photo shoot is 100 percent his brain-child.

The bracelet and cuff he photographed this week are made by a company called the Caliber Collection. (The steel one belongs to me, the brass one belongs to Santiago.) The jewelry is made from the metal from illegal guns and bullet casings taken off America’s streets. Twenty percent of the net proceeds from the sale of their jewelry are used to fund public safety initiatives designed to reduce illegal gun violence.

Well, with a background like that, Santiago’s ideas started flowing. This is a wonderful thing, but understand this, some of his plans can be pretty ambitious and most of the time I just stare at him and say, “How the heck are we going to do THAT?!” So when he made his pitch that he wanted to create a room and use string to mark bullet trajectories like in our favorite crime show Dexter, I gave him the look I sometimes do that says “Don’t you put one more thing on my plate!” The idea was good, so I told him to run with it. But he was on his own.

I love how the images turned out! To see him in action, we have a time lapse video up on our Instagram. And just to explain a little further, the number on the bracelets are serial numbers from weapons reclaimed by law enforcement as part of buy back programs in cities across the US. Our bracelets come from the San Francisco program. To read more about the Caliber Collection, click here.

We will be back again when I have something to show you on my skirt. Not exactly sure when that will be, but hopefully soon!!

Happy Holidays Everyone!

Iris Van Herpen

12.06.2015 by Tracey //

Dress with Motorcycle Chain and Grommets — Iris Van Herpen, From the Mummification Collection, January 2009

I know, I know! I told you that you would see a muslin this week. But why look at a muslin when you can see this instead?!! I recently had the amazing good fortune to find myself in the High Museum taking in the Iris Van Herpen exhibit. My mind was so blown that I still have smoke coming from my ears! I consider myself a fashion junkie, especially obsessed with all things couture and although I had heard of Iris Van Herpen, she wasn’t really on my radar. Now she is, in a huge way! I can’t stop thinking about what I saw.

Dress with Lacing — Iris Van Herpen, From the Mummification Collection, January 2009

Bodice Detail with Bike Chain — Iris Van Herpen, From the Mummification Collection, January 2009

The title of the exhibit is Iris Van Herpen, Transforming Fashion. Honestly, it’s way more than fashion. Each piece is a work of art. It takes incredible creativity and ingenuity to mold such unconventional materials into a garment. For the Mummification Collection, she used motorcycle chain, bicycle chain, and grommets. For the Chemical Crows Collection, she used umbrella spokes.

Dresses with Umbrella Spokes — Iris Van Herpen, From the Chemical Crows Collection, January 2008

Black Leather Dress — Iris Van Herpen, From the Radiation Invasion Collection, September 2009

Black Leather Bodice Detail — Bodice Detail, Iris Van Herpen, From the Radiation Invasion Collection, September 2009

Iris Van Herpen takes her inspiration mostly from nature, but not in expected ways. Her collections have been about radiation, smoke, magnetic force, and crystallization to name a few. Then with amazing artistry, she solidifies those concepts into something tangible.

Dress Detail — Iris Van Herpen, From the Wilderness Embodied Collection, July 2013

Collaboration is a huge part of her process, as technology must come into play to realize her vision. She seeks out partnerships with people in many different mediums to pull off these garments. Many of her pieces use 3-D printing. Some are made by hand. It can be difficult to tell which process she used as some of the more organic looking pieces were 3-D printed while some that look more technological advanced were actually made conventionally.

Leather with Ray Fish Print Dress — Iris Van Herpen, From the Biopiracy Collection, March 2014

Dress with Metal and Crystals — Iris Van Herpen, From the Magnetic Motion Collection, September 2014

If this work excites you as much as it does me, then make a point to visit the High Museum before May 15. I’ve shown the tip of the iceberg here. The exhibit covers 3 floors and being able to see the back of the garment is just as valuable as seeing the front. And if you can’t make it to Atlanta, then consider buying the book, Iris Van Herpen, Transforming Fashion. It’s absolutely gorgeous. I’ve included a few pictures below.

Book Spread — From the book, Iris Van Herpen, Transforming Fashion

Book — From the book Iris Van Herpen, Transforming Fashion

See you soon!