Jean Paul Gaultier at Montreal Museum of Fine Arts

A French-Canadian museum gets tres chic today as Fashion's French bad-boy gets a retrospective.  The exhibit celebrates the Jean Paul Gaultier's 35 years in design.  The looks presented are divided into five themes of his influence on fashion design,  Paris, Fusions, Multi-Gender, Eurotrash/X-rated and Metropolis.

Besides clothing creations, the museum will display photos, sketches and audiovisual elements.  Mainstream fans will probably look for his collaborations with pop culture icons like Lady Gaga, Madonna, Kylie Minogue and Andy Warhol.  What would lingerie be without the iconic cone bra?  Gaultier also contributed to memorable looks in film, photography and concerts.

The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts exhibit of The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk runs until October 2, 2011.  

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Balenciaga and Spain Exhibit in NYC and San Francisco

Cristobal Balenciaga left a legacy of elegance in Haute Couture.  The designer was heavily influenced by the culture and religion of Spain.  This relationship was explored in an exhibit that just finished at the Upper East Side’s Queen Sofia Spanish Institute and will resume in expanded form at the De Young Fine Arts Museum in San Francisco. 

The exhibit was curated by Vogue’s Hamish Bowles.  There were archival films of the designer’s salon presentations and 1960’s fashion films.  Collections of his sketches and magazine editorials were displayed with influential images that figured into his work.

Another floor compared religious garb and their influence on some of Balenciaga’s iconic pieces.  Heavily embellished toreador uniforms were muse to a collection of hats and beaded boleros.  The rest of the third floor was devoted to gorgeous couture corsets and dresses that were drool-worthy even today.

When disposable fashion fails to inspire you, take a moment to see how a master gets it done.

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The Dressmaker's Art - Bruce Museum, Greenwich CT

In a world of fast fashion and mass market distribution, where is the craft of dressmaking?



The current exhibit at the Bruce Museum in Connecticut showcases an edited collection from 1820 to the ‘modern’ 1920’s. Meticulous garments show the progression of technology and trends during this period, and how it influenced the speed of fashion trends. In addition to the show, there is an information lecture series, ranging from the Science of Dressmaking to Re-inventing Glamour.



Elaborate underpinnings, embellishments and accessories are also on display. An example would be the Brussels lace wedding veil once worn in 1903. Charles Worth, one of the first 'famous' fashion designers has a gown in the exhibit from the 1890's.



The exhibit runs until September 15th, 2010.



Photos courtesy of the Bruce Museum

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