textiles

Fashioning Masculinities: The Art of Menswear, at the Victoria and Albert Museum

September 2, 2022 by Intern

Masculine fashion, what does it look like to you? Menswear has evolved and changed over the years as society has developed along with international influence and the greater understanding of what masculinity means to us as individuals and designers. The Victoria and Albert Museum has masterfully curated this exhibition which guides you from the early European menswear, heavily influenced by the idealized chiseled Greek and roman gods, through to the French revolution and its influence on fashion, and then finally finishing in contemporary fashion and how designer’s look to challenge concepts and dissolve the boundaries of menswear.

This in depth exhibition really describes and allows you to understand the why’s and the how’s of menswear, it provides an abundance of information to really allow for you see the links between the period the clothes were worn and what the colours, styles, fabrics and connotations meant to the men as well as society. It gives you the information you thought you already knew, but allows you to see how general life influenced fashion and hopes to influence the public on how menswear is extremely characterful, and a constantly changing industry.

Fashioning Masculinities: The Art of Menswear, at the Victoria and Albert Museum London Hand Embroidery — Giorgio Armani 1994 – Cotton, Silk, Linen

The first room is full of many different topics. With one side showing 18th century under garments and an impressive Armani suit, and the other side overcoming dysphoria. Giorgio Armani’s approach to menswear derived from his respect and appreciation for the male figure – he stripped out the internal structure and let the fabric drape, aiming to reduce rigidity in the look and soften menswear.

For his from his spring summer collection 1996, Jean-Paul Gaultier printed images of clothes onto garments. However, this jacket on show displayed a male torso, a trend we are beginning to see more of in fashion recently.

The exhibition also addressed ‘man scaping’ and ‘body forming’, which is the use of elasticated fabrics to change the body’s form. Spanks, a company originally founded for women’s wear hosiery expanded in 2010 into menswear and allowed for diversity on the high street.

The history of the Jockstrap was also covered – how it was originally designed for cyclist’s and as the modern boxer briefs became tighter, the need for the jockstrap disappeared yet it still holds an erotic currency. Through visiting this exhibition we also learnt that GC2B was the first trans-owned company who produced binders; gender-affirming undergarments worn to flatten the chest which are used by a wide spectrum of transgender men and transmasculine, non-binary people.

The stereotypical ‘masculine’ body form of the greek god’s was adressed with towering sculptures of the male form on display, with reference to Hercules who is the archetype of strength and bravery. He is often depicted fighting or armed, yet the most famous portrayal of him shows him at rest, hinting at his emotions as well as showing his exaggerated physique. I find this quite interesting and telling of how the industry is growing along with the understanding and allowing of men’s emotional feelings, which is increasingly being shown in fashion.

Designers Virgil Abloh for Off-White, JW Anderson and Ludovic de Saint Sernin recreated the classical depictions of ‘The Three Graces’. For this they used sheer fabrics like organza and taffeta which are usually associated with womenswear, encouraging gender neutrality as a reality, not a trend.

Menswear for many centuries was flamboyant, colourful and full of flounce and lace to show wealth, power and status. Those who could afford to bring dyes over from America, Asia and Africa would want to show that they could, and so would wear the bright colours these dyes created. The colour pink, with rich hue’s of magenta was a sign of money, not of gender identity which it is seen as today. Lace and ribbons were also a highly common element of a man’s look, especially in the French courts. An English gentleman John Evelyn commented ‘that one youth had as much ribbon on him as would have plundered six shops… all his body was dres’t like a may pole’ – but now when we see a man dressed in bright colours or with added detail of delicate lace around the trim, we think it is a modern twist of the original straight forward men’s wear, how wrong could we be.

The ‘classical’ monochrome sleek men’s look we think of today started in Europe after rapid change as consequence of the French revolution 1789-99. Lavish Textiles and ornamentation still featured on womenswear, while the spirit of rationality reshaped menswear into a more practical form as men started to adopt a more practical and reserved attire. The industrialisation of cities like London and Paris saw the increase of soberly and uniformly dressed men, black became the new ‘trendy’ colour.

Tailors looked to exploit this by using one colour that allowed for emphasis on sculpting the human form and adding subtle detail, creating the new modern uniform of the men’s suit which was accessible for all. This monochromatic dress suit is the epitome of masculine fashion, however contemporary designers are looking at how to combine masculine and feminine styles together, a very exciting concept!

Within this exhibition there is so much more to unwrap and discover. If you have found this blog has interested you in learning more about modern menswear as well as the history of men’s fashion, we would highly recommend you take a trip to the Victoria and Albert Museum to see it for yourself!

Thank you to the Victoria and Albert Museum for such a great exhibition. Finishing November 2022.

Words by Amelia Vance.

Drawn & Formed Exhibition

August 5, 2022 by Intern

The Goldsmith’s Centre’s Drawn + Formed exhibition; in partnership with the Worshipful Company of Gold and Silver Wyre Drawers

This exhibition explores the history and contemporary uses of hand-drawn wire in embroidery, jewellery and silversmithing. London was first introduced to gold and silver wire drawing by craftsmen from Europe around the 15th century, however, there is reference to combining metal wire with textiles as far back as the writing of the bible.

Wire drawing is the process of hand making wire for jewellery and silversmithing, using a draw bench at room temperature. The draw bench reduces the thickness of the metal by forcing it through a series of draw plates, although today metal thread is most commonly mass manufactured using moulds. The resulting wire is polished and coated with a precious metal, after which the wire can be drawn and reduced to a tenth of the size of a human hair!

This necklace by Teri Howes (Image 1) was inspired by the double helix structure of DNA. The use of contrasting gold and grey/black filaments highlights the helical structure more obviously. Howes uses crochet to create her jewellery pieces, an unlikely technique when using wire, but very effective.

Drawn & Formed Exhibition London Hand Embroidery — Image 1: DNA Necklace by Teri Howes – 18ct gold, fine silver, oxidised fine silver, grey diamonds, black diamonds | Photo taken by Cadi Williams

This display case (Image 2) was almost hidden in plain sight as you entered the exhibition and it was only when I returned to the entrance that I noticed the familiar items from the exhibition advert. They were smaller than I expected but this made the intricacy even more impressive.

I can see why the curators chose the stunning Tiger by Laura Baverstock to promote the exhibition; I noticed I wasn’t the only one admiring it whilst there. The Lenticular Brooches by Andrew Lam were packed with scale-like beads, appearing like textured fur from afar.

This goldwork design titled Morphosis by artist Annalisa Middleton (Image 3) immediately caught my eye due to the striking contrast of bright colours against the shimmering gold. This has to be my favourite piece from the exhibition. Middleton took inspiration from cellular biology and marine life and combined this with her interest in futuristic technologies to create this fantastical, organic, data capsule. The artist describes the design as a ‘portal’ for the viewer to be immersed in her world. From a biological perspective you could interpret the main feature of the design as a virus or a cell filled with a variety of organelles.

Image 4 shows embroidery in a more unusual frame in the form of a used alarm clock. Pankhurst started her alarm clock series with Lockdown O’Clock, an alarm clock with an embroidered face and great feathery wings, at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. This most recent addition to the alarm clock series was inspired by nature and growth, something that many appreciated more throughout lockdown.

Another personal favourite was this rose gold, three-dimensional piece titled Embrace by Naomi Aindow (Images 5 & 6). I kept coming back to this display and would notice extra details every time. This body adornment piece is part of Aindow’s Spores of Life collection inspired by the intricate details of lichen and moss. The focus of this shoulder piece is enhancing the scale of these details through textured hand stitching and beading. I particularly like the contrast between the smooth, shiny, glass beads and the soft, comfortable fields of french knots. The hand embroidered forms remind me of the diverse species seen in coral reef photography.

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed my first visit to The Goldsmith’s Centre and would highly recommend it to anyone else interested in goldwork, silversmithing and body adornment. My favourite design was easily the goldwork Morphosis piece by Annalisa Middleton, due to its biological context and personal connection to the artist. The exhibition has inspired me to be more adventurous and explore more obscure materials and processes in my practice.

Written by Cadi Williams

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Exhibition details:

The Goldsmith’s Centre, 42 Britton Street, London EC1M 5AD

Free admission

16 June 2022 – 15 September 2022, 9am – 6pm

Hawthorne & Heaney Visits ‘Thierry Mugler: Couturissme’

April 1, 2022 by Intern

This exhibition ‘Thierry Mugler : Couturissime’ is on at the Musée des arts Decoratifs, Paris. A wonderful exhibition to go and see should you be in Paris.

The exhibition focuses around the work and life of Thierry Mugler (1948-2022). Known for his avant-garde techniques and use of interesting materials like faux fur, vinyl, latex, glass, PVC and chrome. His ‘fantasy-tinged architectural style and bold silhouettes have made their mark on the history of fashion’.

Exhbition Signage, Yasmin Le Bon, Palladium , London, 1997

The exhibition showcased over 140 pieces, almost all of which had never been seen outside his ‘industrial couture’ atelier. Also shown are videos, photos, music videos, accessories, stage costumes and sketches.

La Chimère Collection 1997-98, ‘La Tonkinoise’

Metamorophosis: Fantasy Bestiary

In 1997-98 two collections debuted by Mugler, Les Insects and La Chimère. These turned heads due to their fantastical and mythical depictions. Taking inspiration from Insects, reptiles, birds and butterflies. Les Atlantes, took inspiration from the sea, in all its mythical depths.

Les Insectes Collection 1997

Mugler was an innovator, and determined to use synthetic materials in his work opposed to real skins or fur. He created his own versions, the most famous of which are his embossed leather jumpsuits, pieced together to resemble crocodile skins.

Another example of this is the stunning plumage on his butterfly dress. A long velvet sheath with flared train adorned with peacock feathers.

La Chimère Collection 1997-98

Mugler embodied a key moment in French fashion history, when the ‘Jeunes Créatuers’ put Paris back in fashion competition with the rest of the world.

One of the most breath-taking and interesting pieces was his famous La Chimère gown. This piece was designed in collaboration with the famous corset designer ‘Mr Pearl and the artist ‘Jean-Jaques Urcun. It is said to be one of the most expensive couture creations in history.

‘La Chimère’ from La Chimère Collection 1997-98

A long sheath dress, and fitted corset, adorned in ‘scales’ embellished with feathers, horsehair and crystals. It was one of the pieces in this exhibition that took your breath away, whether it be by the dazzling crystals and embellishment or the ‘scaled’ effect.

Futuristic & Fembot Couture

Presented in 1989, the Hiver Buick collection paid homage to the American car designer Harley J. Earl, responsible for the 1959 Cadillac Eldorado’s famous tail fins.

The collection played on these ideas, featuring a metallic finish, ‘convertible’ sheath gowns, ‘radiator’ belts and ‘fender’ bustiers.

Tire Look Rubber Suit from Les Insectes Collection 1997 & A velvet suit with florescent Line embroidery from ‘Music-Hall’ Collection 1990-91

A later collaboration with Jean-Jacques Urcun and Jean-Pierre Delcros (an aircraft bodywork specialist) created mystical robotic-couture creatures.

Maschinenmensch from the 20th Anniversary collection 1995-6

One of Mugler’s all-time masterpieces was the ‘Maschinenmensch’ which was presented in 1995 at the 20th anniversary show. It plays homage to the character of ‘Futura’ from the dystopian novel Metropolis. The outfit took 6 months to make, and is reminiscent of a crabs shell in its construction. The body armours plastic internal framework enables the wearer to move.

The Mugler Lab

From experiences when he was young, Mugler often looked to the sky and his favourite star, shining bluer than the others. He took to thinking of this star as his guiding angel, following him though life.

This later formed part of the inspiration for his perfume line, which he wanted to smell ‘so delectable you want to eat it’

A Luminous dress from the Les Médases Collection 1999-2000

Staging Fashion

Fascinated by breath-taking architecture and the immensity of natural settings, Mugler went on to photograph his own muses and create his own campaign visuals. He took to extreme locations, inspired by their sheer beauty and power. Photographing muses such as Jerry Hall in locations like an iceberg in Greenland, the dunes of the Sahara or atop the eagles of the Chrysler building.

A silk chiffon cape gown adorned with crystals from the 10th Anniversary Collection, 1984-5 and an image from the iceberg photoshoot

Mugler considered costume essential in the construction and enhancement of an individual’s life, staging it to make it more beautiful and fun.

Belle de Jour & Belle de Nuit

Mugler’s ‘glamazon’, a stylish, urban and unconventional woman defied the early 70’s hippie movement style. Broad hats, architectural silhouettes and revealing cleavage defined his glamazon woman. He thought of ‘Elegance is guts, it’s nerve’.

Garments from the 20th anniversary collection. With a fitted velvet coat with snow look crystals and feather embellishments

Mugler adopted materials like latex and vinyl, often used in the underground scene and turned them into elegant classics in his collections. The Mugler Look made history.

A Tuxedo-style jacket with see through back adorned with crystals from the Ritz Collection 1992-93

Too Funky

In 1992 George Michae released the music video for his hit song ‘Too Funky’ music video. During this time, George Michael had fallen out with his record company and boycotted appearing in his own videos to spite them. For ‘Too Funky’ he chose to use footage of a Mugler show, couture outfits and the models.

Details from outfits which appeared in the Too Funky video

This wonderful video also allowed Mugler to reveal the contrast between glamour out on the runway and the chaos behind the scenes

Wrought Iron crinoline adorned with sequins and crystals from the Les Cows Boys Collection 1992

This exhibition truly made us fall in love with design and embroidery all over again, with the dazzling sequins and elegant forms of the designs.

Thank you to Museé des Arts Decoratifs for this beautiful exhibition.

https://madparis.fr/thierry-mugler-couturissime-en

Words and Images by Rosie Watkins

Louise Bourgeois: The Woven Child at the Hayward Gallery

March 25, 2022 by Intern

The Louise Bourgeois: The woven child was certainly an exhibition that made you stop and really consider the thought process of each piece, what emotion and psychological motive she was trying to portray to the viewer. With her use of materials ranging from steel to bone to gold and lingerie, each surface represents a memory and emotion from her life.

The last two decades of her practice became more and more oriented around fabrics and the amenable characteristics of them, the ability to cut, tear, rip and then sewing them back together which Bourgeois used in a strong metaphorical style. Enhanced by the tactile sense of the pieces which evoked vulnerability and intimacy which Bourgeois furthered by using her own personal garments and bed linens in her work. She stated they were her ‘second skin’, they had been present at the monumental events in her life and were now a representation of that memory.

As you enter the exhibition the first installation you are drawn to is ‘Cloth and Bone’, a steel pole has cattle bones attached to the end of rods which hang the artist’s undergarments, all saved from her childhood or of her mothers. Louise Bourgeois believed that the clothes she kept were just as important as the pages of her diary, which I can’t agree with more! Hunting through your wardrobe and finding certain items that suddenly spark a happy memory is just magical. Or more fitting with this exhibition, one that has that sentimental purpose to you, that words in a diary just couldn’t capture.

Louise Bourgeois: The Woven Child at the Hayward Gallery London Hand Embroidery — ‘Untitled, 1996, cloth, bone and steel.
Glenstone Museum, Potomac, Maryland’

Louise Bourgeois explores the meaning of mending and how this is shown through her use of fabric. The sculptures are formed from several distressed or ripped pieces of cloth which are then sewed back together, in a manner where the seams are still raw and visible. A metaphorical stance of human emotional repair which is not always perfect and when we are ‘mended’ we will look different than before how people carry their scars and allow this to be normal and ok, with the finished product becoming a work of art.

Her connection with fabrics is relevant to her mother who was a tapestry restorer, the late exploration from Bourgeois into fabrics suggests that in her later years of her life she wanted to revisit back to her youth and her family seeking familiarity with fabrics.

This series of textiles was based on the character Eugenie Grandet who was oppressed by her father, Bourgeois felt similar with her own father and wanted revenge against him. The artwork was made onto handkerchiefs and tea towels collaged using old embellishments from her hats and dresses, with most frames showing a clock to suggest the passing of time.

My favorite series in the whole exhibition were the stuffed heads, each made with a textiles exterior and molded to express a human portrait. The aim of these portraits was not to create a likeness to any person but to show a psychological state and emotion, with some of the works having two faces on one head to express the contradicting and complex feelings shown by humans. Each head is made from a different process ranging from cloth to tapestry and needlepoint.

This collection of work was created by Bourgeois when she was trying to understand her youngest son and his withdrawal. The sculptures represent his birth and early life with the figures being distorted and further animated by the concave mirror behind the scenes which added the metaphorical message of a distorted memory. Louise Bourgeois in her own words,

‘There’s is a child who simply refused to be born, his birth was quite late. Was there something that he perceived that prevented him from wanting to leave the womb and go out into the world? How much of who he will be, his feelings and actions, will be pre-determined by this refusal to appear? How will this child face the future? Will he be shy, reduced to silence, awkward or even hostile?

This creation was probably one of the most striking in there, a life size shaped human hangs from a single point attached to the ceiling, made entirely from black cloth and only the bottom half is recognisable as human limbs with the top consisting of a spiral. The twisted nature of the piece evokes nausea, dizziness and disorientation; it shows the physical manifestation of psychological states such as fear, anxiety and alienation. Bourgeois interest in the spiral shape stems from her fear of losing control, with the winding of the spiral being a tightening action and retreating into a point of disappearance. Then with the opposite movement of twisting outwards is a representation of giving up control and allowing positive energy.

If you don’t like creepy crawlies then look away now! The Spider however for Bourgeois was a symbol of a ‘mender’ as if you break its web it will just rebuild it. This creature sits above the cage with its legs wrapped around it in a protective manner, Bourgeois personal belongings sit within the metal cage again, another nod to the sitting time. However the large scale of the spider has hints of a predator and if you digest the facts of spiders they have cannibal characteristics which again show’s a more complex side to the artist and her feelings towards motherhood and her sexuality.

This glass box contains hanging conjoined heads each with two faces, the black fabric resembling depression, mourning and melancholia. The mirrors in each bottom corner of the box show the scrutiny the faces face, along with the idea of fragmentation and unease.

Near the end of the exhibition the sculptures begin to become more abstract still with gestures towards the human figure but very faint. One installation that really caught my eye was a collection of vertically stacked shapes. All were made from clothing or bed linen, terry cloth, tapestry and upholstery and unlike her other work had a sense of regularity. Louise Bourgeois felt the predictability of formal repetition and the rules given to geometry allowed for her life to have some order, she felt the set rules were the exact opposite to the emotional world she inhabited.

‘Soft fabrics show a sense of vulnerability and intimacy, while also remaining flexible, adaptable and resilient’, This statement from the Hayward Gallery I felt really concluded the exhibition and the change of materials presented by Louise Bourgeois which perfectly mirrored her emotional state.

Thank you to the Hayward Gallery for such a wonderful exhibition, if this was an interesting read I would highly recommend you visit yourself.

https://southbanklondon.com/events/southbank-centre/louise-bourgeois-woven-child

All pictures from Amelia Vance (Hawthorne and Heaney Intern)

Hawthorne & Heaney visits Peru: A Journey in Time

February 8, 2022 by Intern

Independent, isolated yet highly developed. The Andean people challenge contemporary ideas of what makes a successful society, yet their civilisation began 3,500years ago (900 to 200 BC). The British Museum’s exhibition ‘Peru: a journey in time’ intrinsically integrates the different Andean communities in chronological order yet still allowing for an organic integration of life, death and rebirth which is poignant to the lives of the indigenous communities.

We must understand the connection the Andean people had with the land, which was shown predominately with symbols in their artwork, for example this cloth showing the three diverse landscapes the communities lived from, the rainforest, the mountains, and the ocean.

Hawthorne & Heaney visits Peru: A Journey in Time London Hand Embroidery — A piece of cloth, with hand painted symbols of the land. The bird feathers representing the rainforest, the circular shapes showing the mountains and the lakes and the waves for the Pacific Ocean.

They were incredibly resourceful from the sea and cultivated the land for crops, showing great technological innovation and communities that were rich in knowledge. However, unlike modern day cultivation they do not just take the resources, what is so beautiful about the Andean culture is that they believe that nature is a living being. ‘Sustaining all life, woven into the shared belief system of which the natural and supernatural worlds are intimately connected’. Many objects in the exhibition show this intimate connection through the divine beings embodying the power of plants and animals, reflecting how nature supplied for the needs of society.

An Andean understanding of time is contradicting to that of a western perception. The belief that past, present and future are directly interconnected and happening at the same moment is for us almost incomprehensible and disrupts almost everything we base our cultural beliefs on! The Andean people take the living past into the present which influences the future. The importance of respecting ancestors and ensuring a safe passage into the afterlife is integral to the communities.

Just dissecting this remarkable piece of textiles, we can take so much information about the funerary rituals. Firstly, the severed heads which represent the importance to the afterlife, it is suggested that the heads were taken from the sacrificial rituals which then developed into the life-giving ceremonies. The life-giving ceremonies were when the life force of individuals were symbolically extracted to maintain balance in the neutral cycle of life, enforcing this further the heads are sometimes depicted with plants sprouting from the skulls to show the interdependence of life and death.

Deities, were how the ancestors and mythical beings were depicted with head dresses on, nose pieces and accessories which gave them animal type features showing the strong link with nature. This style of dressing was not just depicted in the artwork to honour the ancestor, but also worn by the living bringing the deities to life.

Textiles also played a large role in respecting the dead and the ancestors. Skilled and trained weavers were sourced to create the most beautiful, patterned textiles to wrap the dead body, usually being much more complex weaving methods and finer fabrics used for the dead rather than the living who wore practical everyday cloth. The Textile industry was proof of technological innovation in society, being a collaborative activity, the trade was passed down to workers who would train for years to perfect their skill and improve their knowledge.

Sacrifice and Ritual were dominant methods of respecting the ancestors, pleasing the gods and ‘maintaining a balance between the natural and supernatural worlds’. Ritual battles provided this, the indigenous communities didn’t fight to expand territory but used soldiers in a Moche ceremony of ritual battle. In which pairs of finely dressed warriors engaged in hand two hand combat, the losing warrior was stripped and taken to the mountains to be sacrificed.

Hallucinogenic plants were used extensively and were an important part of Nasca ritual, it allowed individuals to transform into different states of being and transcend time. This was visible in the artworks and ceramics of the communities giving the individuals the ability to really aline with their belief of life, death and rebirth being connected so deeply.

The exhibition expresses all these elements of Andean life and culture in such a respectful and informative way I felt myself gliding round the room mesmerised by each fact and admiring such an enduring culture and community who lived through colonisation from the west. It truly is remarkable and really telling of how deep rooted and powerful their traditions were to survive western repression and rule and still be seen to be practised today, 200 years after gaining independence again from Spain.

‘In many ways, past traditions inform present practise, and the enduring belief that humans are a part of the living landscape helps to shape our shared future. The objects in the exhibition connect this narrative and provide a brief glimpse of these remarkable societies from whom there is so much to learn’. The last message from the Exhibition curators as you leave the exhibition, which I felt summed the whole display up wonderfully.

Thank you to the British Museum for this remarkable exhibition, if you found this interesting then I strongly suggest you visit the exhibition and see the artifacts for yourself! Closing 20^th February 2022.

Photos and Words by Amelia Vance

Hawthorne & Heaney Explores London Craft Week

October 13, 2021 by Intern

Last week was full of London Craft Week events, workshops and open houses. A few of which we had the delight to attend including an open house and embroidery demonstration at Erdem, an exhibition of embroidery artist Rosalind Wyatt’s work and a talk and demonstration by the Heritage Craft Association on the red list of endangered crafts.

We also have enjoyed participating ourselves with twice daily live stitching on display in The Service on Savile Row – thank you to everyone who came to see us!

TOAST & Rosalind Wyatt

We started the week with a trip to lifestyle brand TOAST’s London store where they were running a series of workshops and an exhibition of Textile Artist Rosalind Wyatt’s work titled ‘Stories through Stitches’

Rosalind Wyatt is a mixed-media and embroidery artist, most recognised for her embroidered letters and calligraphy. Some of these beautiful pieces were on show in store!

She considers handwriting a significant part of culture and people’s lives. Where calligraphy and cloth meet in her work signifies the emotion held in the textiles, emotions found in handwritten letters

She writes with her needle onto garments people have worn, encapsulating their emotions into their clothes.

TOAST was also running a live workshop where participants leant the art of mixed-media textiles. The workshop aimed to promote a more thoughtful way of life, sustaining traditional textiles techniques and craftsmanship.

Erdem Open House and Demonstration

We were then lucky enough to attend Erdem’s open house to see some of their embroidery in process.

The demonstration featured a neckline for one of their dresses, being embellished in large crystals and beads on a frame, the dress itself was also on display in store to allow viewers to see the final outcome.

Erdem is a womenswear brand, based out of central London. Their collections are often finished with hand and machine embroidery – it was wonderful to see some of these samples too which were on show alongside the demonstration.

Heritage Crafts Association Endangered Crafts

To end our London Craft Week adventures, we finally had the pleasure of attending the Heritage Crafts Association event held at Fortnum and Mason. Fortnum and Mason are known for their long-associated traditions with craft and quality – the perfect venue to hold this event!

Exhibiting their work was ‘Paula Carnell’ a Bee Skep Maker, ‘Coates English Willow’ who are a company of Basketwork Furniture Makers and ‘Ernest Wright’ who is a traditional Scissor Maker. These crafts are all at risk with Scissor Making and Basketwork Furniture Making being Critically Endangered.

Basketwork Furniture making is a recognisable craft, however is critically endangered as only one company which supports the craft is left. P.H Coate & Son was founded in 1819, and although the business has a new apprentice this wonderful craft is at risk!

The straw baskets used in Beekeeping, known as Bee Skeps are beautiful objects in and of themselves. The straw is twisted and bound in a continuous coil of lipwork with lapping (lapping can be made from bramble, willow and hazel). Whilst highly practical the craft started to wane after the First World War as Skep making is a highly time-consuming craft compared to its value.

The final endangered craft on display was scissor making. One of the last remaining companies to produce this craft is Ernest Wright. The scissors are very high quality and long lasting – a durable crafted item.

We hope you have enjoyed London Craft Week as much as we have, thank you to all of the wonderful events that we attended!

More information about endangered crafts can be found on Heritage Crafts Association’s website

https://heritagecrafts.org.uk/redlist/

Words by and Images: Rosie Watkins

Sneaker Unboxed – Studio to Street

July 16, 2021 by Intern

This exhibition showcased how the sneakers you choose can relate to a particular sport, music genre or subculture. Fast paced production leads to us and the brands themselves dismissing the history of where it all started. The motivation for the exhibition was the innovative attitude and products within the sneaker industry being developed today.

Stock X funded the Sneaker Unboxed exhibition, the brand is a live marketplace for people selling their sneakers online, along with other designer products. The data that they have collected throughout their five year history, has allowed us to see patterns and behaviours of consumers within the sneaker industry.

Sneaker market value has increased by double since 2012 from $40,000 to $80,000 and is expected to reach $100,000 by 2025. An astonishing 1,282 million shoes were sold worldwide in 2019.

Where it all began, Converse All Star sneakers being the oldest shoes at the exhibition, taking us back to 1920. Charles ‘Chuck’ Taylor brought out his first pair in 1917, marketed towards basketball coaches to influence their players. Converse All Stars were the Olympic shoe for 30 years, due to their effective sponge rubber insoles and moulded outer sole, which benefited athletes as the signature diamond tread avoided them slipping on smooth wooden floors. The Converse All Stars were extremely popular until the late 60’s, and then the sneaker industry began to grow.

Customising sneakers was something that was at the forefront of the exhibition. As the 1970’s began young people from diverse inner-city neighbourhoods started to wear sport sneakers as a fashion statement. However brands were unaware of this, therefore still promoting them as sports shoes. Brands saw the new craze and marketed their sneakers to younger people, towards the 90’s started collaborations with fashion brands.

Within the 1970’s, people were having economical issues, yet they still wanted ‘fresh creps’. Therefore they would buy the well promoted sports sneaker, and interchange accessories, such as different width or coloured laces. To match outfits or just to make a statement. People were thriving off the compliment they were getting about their sneakers.

Adicolour kits were available to buy in 1983, which were a set of coloured marker pens. Later in 2005, the kits were reissued with oil paints.

Another sneaker trend began in the 1980’s revolving around Adidas, Run-DMC were a big hip-hop group and they were the first non-sport stars to promote a sports brand. The iconic unlaced Adidas Superstars with the tongue pushed out took New York by storm. Originating from one of the band members being jailed, as the typical prison procedure his laces were removed from his shoes, however when being released he did not replenish the laces and the trend grew from there. Increasing Adidas’ sales, as they had plummeted in the 1970’s.

It was interesting to see which trainers fitted with each subculture and the journey they had taken.

In 1984 Jordan’s were established, a collaboration with Micheal Jordan and Nike. Nike created the shoe particularly for Micheal Jordan, this was the first collaboration of a brand and a singular sports individual, resulting in success and thirty five sneaker models being released to date.

Skateboarders did not really have much choice for shoes, therefore wore basketball shoes to support their ankles while skating. There was suddenly a change in the sneaker market as Van’s rebranded themselves with their famous logo today ‘Off The Wall’, in 1976, they took off in the skating subculture, for their sturdy structure and style. Nike Air Jordans were created as a result of Van’s success, and were very popular within the skateboarding culture.

Casual wearing of sneakers was adopted by football fans in the late 1970’s in Liverpool and Manchester, the subculture the ‘Casuals’ showed their rivalry by their sneaker, your choice showed which football team you supported.

At the beginning of the exhibition it explained that sneakers are constructed by different sections of the sneaker being created in different factories world wide, and then being shipped to one place to be constructed. Therefore adding to the industry’s carbon footprint. As the exhibition unfolded it showed new sustainable methods of making shoes that brands are now considering as well as producing for the market.

There were some great examples of how the sneaker industry is developing, for example Adidas have made their classic Stan Smith’s out of Mylo mushroom leather, looking and feeling like animal leather however totally harmless on the environment.

There was also Stella McCartney Loop Sneakers produced in 2018, which was a new concept of how sneakers are attached together. Instead of using toxic glue, adding to our carbon footprint, McCartney uses interlocking clips and stitch techniques instead. Another issue within sustainability was that each part of the shoe takes different times to degrade. With this shoe the parts can be removed from each other easily, therefore making it easier to recycle or be reused.

To conclude the exhibition was an interesting journey, it was a great way to see how shoes have evolved over the years and how they are going to keep adapting in the future when adapting with a sustainable attitude.

The Sneakers Unboxed Exhibition is on at the Design Museum: Now until the 24th October 2021, tickets are £14.00, some concessions available- see the website for full details and booking.

Words by Victoria Jones

Hawthorne and Heaney Explores the Online V&A Museum Exhibition – Schiaparelli and Surrealism

February 17, 2021 by Intern

With London being placed into tier 4 and the closure of all things deemed as non-essential, I decided to explore some of the virtual exhibitions available online and came across the Schiaparelli and Surrealism collection displayed at the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Elsa Schiaparelli was an Italian fashion designer who challenged the concepts of dressing, playing with silhouettes and traditional tailoring. She was heavily influenced by the Surrealism movement and the Surrealist artists of the time such as Salvador Dali, Jean Cocteau, Man Ray and Bebe Barnard.

Surrealism is an avant-garde movement introduced in the 20th century that was heavily influenced out of the Dada movement. Its focus was to release the imagination of our unconscious mind, by juxtaposing images and ideas. With the freedom of the movement and the collaboration with artists and photographers, she stretched her creative boundaries, creating unique fashion statements.

Evening Coat- 1937 Elsa Schiaparelli and Jean Cocteau

This dark blue silk jersey evening coat was a collaboration with Jean Cocteau, who drew the facial features positioned on the centre back of the coat. Cocteau was obsessed with the effect of double imagery, as did many of the other surrealist artists. Looking closely at the artwork on the back at a first glance, you wouldn’t spot the vase shape containing pretty pink gradient ribbon roses. Instead, the focus would be on the facial forms. The beautiful gold embroidery detailing helps to distinguish both of the shapes as well as adding the glamour and luxury to the tailored coat.

Tear Dress – 1938 Elsa Schiaparelli

I’m sure you will find this dress stunning and intriguing too with the use of colour and print replicating rips and tears to mimic torn flesh. An idea that appeared on women in Dali’s paintings. The veil has the same effect also, however, includes an appliqued fuchsia chiffon underneath the cream fabric. A good contrast to the abstract print. It makes the viewer look into the work and use their imagination to understand the reasoning behind the idea and the design.

Skeletal Dress- 1938 Elsa Schiaparelli and Salvador Dali

Skeleton dress was the most significant garment creation in the collection made with black crêpe sheath and a raised skeletal form using the trupunto technique. The technique involves adding wadding into the back of the fabric after stitching a shape, forming a raised platform on top of the surface. Adding in hooks to link the bones together such as the leg connecting to the pelvis, added a style included in jewellery. The design itself, was sketched by Dali.

Velvet High Heel Hat 1937-38 Elsa Schiaparelli and Salvador Dali

One of my favourite pieces of this collection, was the velvet high heel hat, part of the Autumn/Winter 1937-1938 collection. I liked the way the hat has been thoughtfully positioned on top of the head with the bottom of the shoe face upwards. The idea came from a photo of Salvador Dali with a shoe belonging to his wife, placed on his shoulder. This influenced other ideas to come, placing unusual found objects on the head in three-dimensional structures. One of her other hat creations consisted of a lamb chop meticulously placed above the head to match the design featured on the summer jacket of 1938.

It has been a great way to view and revisit some of the fantastic artwork available online. Google Arts and culture have a vast selection of exhibits that are free and not just from the UK, but also some located all around the world. Worth checking it out.

Words written Jessica Westley

Photo’s sourced from Google Arts and Culture- V&A online exhibition

(This was written before the national lockdown)