Monthly Archives: March 2011

‘Undressing the Fashionable Myth’ Symposium

Haute Couture or Not Couture By Ariele Elia The founders of the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture established an exclusive trade union in 1868 that would come to include couture houses such as Chanel, Dior and Yves Saint Laurent. … Continue reading

Posted in Symposium | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Pulp Fashion: The Art of Isabelle de Borchgrave

By Marsha Heiman Graduate of the program 2006 Do try to see the exhibit “Pulp Fashion: The Art of Isabelle de Borchgrave,” if you live in the San Francisco area or are visiting there. A painter by training, the Belgian artist … Continue reading

Posted in Exhibition | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

‘Undressing the Fashionable Myth’ Symposium

Beyond Model Myths Emma Kadar-Penner Myths surrounding models and the modeling industry are common and span a spectrum of judgments. Criticisms are railed against the industry for its celebration of unrealistic body ideals. The ‘ passive, sickly’ model body is … Continue reading

Posted in Symposium | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Kudos for ‘Vivienne Westwood, 1980-89’

Check out this interview with Audrey Chaney, co-curator of this year’s students exhibition Vivienne Westwood, 1980-89, on racked.com We are very proud of the 2nd year students who curated, researched, designed and organized this fabulous exhibition!

Posted in Exhibition, interviews | Tagged , | Leave a comment

‘Undressing the Fashionable Myth’ Symposium

Myth Nº 5: The Little Black Dress By Audrey Chaney If fashion is a religion, then Chanel was its prophet. Fashion lore attributes certain modes and manners to this designer, as though she channeled the fashion gods. Simple was chic. … Continue reading

Posted in Symposium | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Set in Style Exhibition Review

At the Copper Hewitt, National Design Museum The exhibition Set in Style: The Jewelry of Van Cleef & Arpels, includes 350 pieces from the firm’s collection and international private collections as well as related objects from the museum’s collection through … Continue reading

Posted in Exhibition | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

I encourage you to check out this fascinating post on Worn Through. It’s an interview with wigs designer Sophia Gan, and also includes a great video of Julien d’Y showing the making of heads and wigs for The Model as Muse exhibition at the … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

‘Undressing the Fashionable Myth’ Symposium

The Rise and Fall of the Hemline Index By Clara Berg Hemlines rise when the economy is good and fall when times are tough—so says the theory of the “hemline index.” This supposed correlation between skirt length and the economy … Continue reading

Posted in Symposium | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

The Oldest Book

You probably guessed by now that we, at On Pins and Needles, are big fans of Special Collections and FIT Archives. What is housed on the shelves of this department is a dream come true for every fashion scholar and researcher. … Continue reading

Posted in Research | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

‘Undressing the Fashionable Myth’ Symposium

Quant-ifying Myths: The Miniskirt and More Laura McLaws Helms Often called the “inventor of the mini skirt,” Mary Quant has also, by herself and others, been named the creator of a number of other fashion innovations. Supposedly responsible for fashion … Continue reading

Posted in Symposium | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment