Embroiderers' Guild NSW's 'Carnaby Street 1960's Boutique' at the Craft & Quilt Fair, Sydney 2016

September 2, 2016 Mary Brown

I am a member and a tutor for the Embroiderers' Guild N.S.W. I designed installations for the Guild's very large feature space at the Craft & Quilt Fair in June 2015 and June 2016. The theme for this year was Carnaby Street 1960s. For the latter brief I wrote a brief for the members with 3 design influences - Pop, Romantic (think Biba) and Bohemian. Each area had a specific colour palette. The members responded with dresses, ties, scarves, handbags, (even a crocheted bikini with appliqued daisies) and items for the domestic sphere.

I will include images of works made by others but I will start with my Pop mini dress first!

Mary Brown's studio - pop mini dress in progress for the 'Carnaby Street 1960s installation

This is the front of the dress almost ready to take off the slate frame to make way for the back of the mini dress which was to feature the same border and pattern. As you can see, the very large slate frame (made by my brother Bill who is the most superb craftsman) is resting on 2 trestles (also made by Bill). This is the way I always work, except when I am teaching outside of my studio. Then I use a hoop frame - under sufferance!

The substrate for this dress is a satin finished silk organza. I love this substrate! It can carry the heaviest forms of embroidery without a problem - even goldwork embroidery! The sequins, beads and crystals (all purchased at Photius Bros in Sydney) conformed to the prescribed Pop palette in the brief. I chose the brightest colours in this palette!

Mary Brown - a detail of the Pop mini dress for the Carnaby Street 1960s installation.

This detail shows the edging around the neckline of the dress. I also used it around the armholes and at the hem. It is raised trailing stitch with a zig-zag stitch over the top. Pink Mill Hill Petite Beads were attached on the inside of the line of trailing. When I completed both sides of this dress, I joined the front and back at the sides and at the shoulders using French seams and I trimmed right back to the trailing stitch around the neckline, armholes and hem. I had to work sequin circles over the side seams after the dress had been assembled so that there would be no gaps in the pattern. No mean feat!

Mary Brown - the Pop mini dress in the Carnaby Street 1960s installation in the Embroiderers' Guild N.S.W's feature space in the Craft & Quilt Fair, Sydney June 2016

My friend Jaci Heyman designed and created a few pieces for this 'boutique' which you can see in the background - a daisy pop dress with matching handbag. The 'groovy' kerchief is her work and she did the appliqued daisies for Margaret Smith's crocheted bikini. The saucy bikini drew a lot of attention from the public!

I used a length of my own Marimekko fabric as a prop. I purchased several metres of this in 1972 but only used half of it in my first home after marriage. This left over length is in perfect condition.

Jaci Heyman's embroidered handbag in the Carnaby Street 1960s installation for the Embroiderers' Guild N.S.W's feature space in the Craft & Quilt Fair, Sydney June 2016

The kerchief on the back wall was designed and made by Helen Parsons and the paisley tie by Carolyn Pearce - both superb designers and embroiderers.

The tie on the left is by Joan Dunn and the tie on the right is by Val Tomlins - 2 of many ties in the Carnaby Street 1960s installation for the Embroiderers' Guild N.S.W's feature space in the Craft & Quilt Fair, Sydney June 2016

Rhonda Brownbridge created this child's skirt for the Carnaby Street 1960s installation in the Embroiderers' Guild N.S.W.'s feature space in the Craft & Quilt Fair, Sydney June 2016

Rhonda Brownbridge's quirky embroideries are based on her grandchildren's drawings.

Val Tomlin's 'Lord John Mural' in the Carnaby Street 1960s installation for the Embroiderers' Guild N.S.W's feature space in the Craft & Quilt Fair, Sydney, June 2016

This very large hand stitched embroidery by my friend Val Tomlins was placed on the side wall of the Guild's feature space. It created the illusion that we could see the famous Lord John mural in Carnaby Street from inside our boutique. The old window frame she found in her garage was the inspiration for this work.

In 12 months time I will post images of the work that will be in the Guild's feature space at the June 2017 Craft & Quilt Fair at the new Darling Harbour Exhibition Centre. This year the theme of the brief for the Guild members is 'Order & Chaos'. It has been designed by Val Tomlins, Sharyn Hutchens and Karen Morath. They have been on the Craft & Quilt Fair for the last 2 years with me. By November the brief should be published on the Embroiderers' Guild N.S.W's website. Have a look at the brief, and if you are not a member, but would like to make a work for next year's Fair, just join the Guild!

Christine Wiltshier

August 29, 2016 Mary Brown

Christine is a friend of mine. She is currently a Bachelor of Fine Arts Honours student at the UNSW Art and Design, Sydney. I have seen most of her exhibitions over the last 4 years. Try never to miss seeing her latest body of work.

When I first met Christine, she was a textile maker. Now she is a cross-disciplinary artist and maker working with a range of media including textiles, text, painting, photography, sound and video.

Christine Wiltshier - 'Fabric Collection'

Christine's 'Fabric Collection' was creatd in her first year at COFA (now UNSW Art and Design, Sydney). The students were to work with their hands as tools - the outcome had to be a book. Christine used fabrics from clothes made for her daughter.

Christine Wiltshier's body of work titled 'Skin Cloth' began with an old Japanese kimino. Its aged cloth inspired an exploration of her own journey towards old age (mind you she is far, far from being considered an aged person). The Australian artist Judy Watson and India Flint, renowned for her publication on the plant staining of fabrics, have been very influential in the development of this work. Christine has aged new cloth to echo the marks of time embedded in her own skin. This collection was created in her 2nd year at COFA.

Christine's installation titled 'Hit & Miss' was exhibited in her 3rd year at COFA. This was Christine's response to the controversial policies that form Australia's border protection. She found that the political rhetoric around the asylum seeker boats coming to our shores had 'many sloganised war like references'. The map of Australia on the souvenir tablecloth has a 'defence wall' of crossed dressmaker pins around the entire border. Appliques of asylum seeker boats circle Australia.

Detail of Christine Wiltshier's 'Hit & Miss'

Christine Wiltshier's 'Hit & Miss' Installation.

Definition of 'artifact' - 'An object made by human hand, of cultural or historical interest'.

Again Christine was influenced by Judy Watson and India Flint. Christine dyed the cotton threads through the processes of botanical and earth staining, then wove the threads and hand printed the pieces. Christine states that the aim of this work was 'to contrast the cultural value placed upon ancient textiles, with the lack of cultural value placed upon the aged in western societies'.

A detail of Christine Wiltshier's 'Artifact'

Pimelia Jewellery

April 6, 2016 Mary Brown

www.pimelia.com.au is 'home to the creative exploits of Leah Sawyer' - who happens to be my niece! Leah was a graphic designer and photographer, but in recent times has poured her creative energy into upcycling vintage jewellery. Her jewellery was carried in quite a few boutiques, but working with 'found objects' made her feel more like a bricoleur than a designer, so she decided she had to create a line of jewellery that she had designed 'right from scratch' combining contemporary technologies with handcrafted finishes - and still adding small components from vintage jewellery to her pieces.

Leah is constantly sketching ideas in a journal. Using the Illustrator Programme, she created computer files from sketches that had a 'feel' of the Art Deco for her first collection as a designer. She found a green powered laser firm in Sydney to realise this collection. Sustainably sourced birch wood has been used for these pieces. Leah, who is also a very accomplished oil painter, has painstakingly painted areas of the jewellery, using layers of acrylic paint to achieve an absolutely smooth and matte finish. She has also added an iridescent medium to the acrylic paint just to make it scintillate a little. There are boutiques in Sydney and Melbourne now selling this collection, but you can go on to her website to purchase your piece.

Yayoi Kusama - In Infinity Retrospective exhibition at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art 2015 Post 3

November 22, 2015 Mary Brown

Finally, a few images of Yayoi Kusama's most recent work.

Yayoi Kusama's 'In Infinity' Retrospective exhibition at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Denmark 2015

The paintings in this room belong to her most recent (and ongoing) series entitled 'My Eternal Soul'. This body of work started in 2009 and it has grown to several hundred paintings. Some of the paintings in this room were done specifically for this exhibition.

She paints with the canvas lying flat on a table. The paintings are covered with patterns in an unbroken flow of activity - no overpainting and no revision. Yayoi Kusama describes the process as 'a wordless, associative visual flow'.

A recent photograph of Yayoi Kusama working on a painting for her 'My Eternal Soul' series

Yayoi Kusama's 'In Infinity' Retrospective exhibition at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Denmark 2015. 'All About Joy' 2014

Yayoi Kusama's 'In Infinity' Retrospective exhibition at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Denmark 2015. 'Entrance to Rise to Heaven' 2013

Yayoi Kusama's 'In Infinity' Retrospective exhibition at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Denmark 2015. 'Life of a Human' 2014

Yayoi Kusama's 'In Infinity' Retrospective exhibition at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Denmark 2015. 'Nothingness in my Heart' 2015

Yayoi Kusama's 'In Infinity' Retrospective exhibition at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Denmark 2015. 'Star Fairy' 2015

Yayoi Kusama - In Infinity Retrospective exhibition at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art 2015 Post 2

November 20, 2015 Mary Brown

This Post features mostly Yayoi Kusama's 1980s works. By this time she has moved back to Tokyo. She left New York in 1973. Her mental health had declined after the death of her closest friend, Joseph Cornell, the American Surrealist artist, in 1972. On her return to Japan, she was considered to have been 'westernised', so little interest was shown in her work initially. She had to work on a small scale again as she did in the 1950s because she did not have access to a large studio. By the 1980s though she is beginning to show in Tokyo galleries which prompts her to work on a large scale again.

Yayoi Kusama's 1980s works in the In Infinity Retrospective at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Denmark 2015

Yayoi Kusama's 1980s works in the In Infinity Retrospective at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Denmark 2015. The title of this acrylic painting - 'Stardust of One Hundred Million Light-Years' 1989

Yayoi Kusama's 1980s works in the In Infinity Retrospective at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Denmark 2015. Detail of 'Stardust of One Hundred Million Light-Years' 1989

Yayoi Kusama's 1980s works in the In Infinity Retrospective at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Denmark 2015. A detail of 'Sprouting' (The Transmigration of the Soul) 1987.

These paintings make reference to the microscopic and macroscopic worlds 'spanning the smallest and biggest things: cell division and galaxies'. (NOTE: the didactic boards in this exhibition were a mine of information on Yayoi Kusama's work - volumes of it actually - I am just sharing a little with you.)

Yayoi Kusama's 1980s works in the In Infinity Retrospective at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Denmark 2015. 'Pumpkin' 1980. Acrylic paint and printed fabric.

The pumpkin was a new motif which appeared in Yayoi Kusama's work at the beginning of the 1980s. The pumpkin is yellow whose surface is covered with dense patterns of black dots. It appears in painting, sculptures and installations.

In her words: 'The first time I ever saw a pumpkin was when I was in elementary school and went with my grandfather to visit a big seed-harvesting ground. Here and there along a path between a field of zinnias, periwinkles, nasturtiums I caught a glimpse of the yellow flowers and baby fruit of pumpkin vines. I stopped to lean in for a closer look, and there it was: a pumpkin the size of a man's head. I parted a row of zinnias and reached in to pluck the pumpkin from its vine. It immediately began speaking to me in a most animated manner......'

Yayoi Kusama's 1980s works in the In Infinity Retrospective at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Denmark 2015. 'Yellow Dots' 1982

Yayoi Kusama's 1980s works in the In Infinity Retrospective at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Denmark 2015. A detail of 'Yellow Dots' 1982

Yayoi Kusama's 1980s works in the In Infinity Retrospective at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Denmark 2015. 'Pumpkin Night' 1985

Yayoi Kusama's 1980s works in the In Infinity Retrospective at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Denmark 2015. A detail of 'Pumpkin Night' 1985

Yayoi Kusama's 1980s works in the In Infinity Retrospective at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Denmark 2015. 'Walking on the Sea of Death' 1981

Yayoi Kusama's 1980s works in the In Infinity Retrospective at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Denmark 2015. A detail of 'Walking on the Sea of Death' 1981

Yayoi Kusama's 1980s works in the In Infinity Retrospective at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Denmark 2015. 'Black Flower' 1986

Yayoi Kusama's 1980s works in the In Infinity Retrospective at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Denmark 2015. A detail of 'Black Flower' 1986

A happy shot of Philip and I in one of Yayoi Kusama's Mirror Rooms.

Yayoi Kusama invited all visitors to add spots to this installation. We accepted the invitation.

Such fun!

Yayoi Kusama - In Infinity Retrospective exhibition at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art 2015 Post 1

November 19, 2015 Mary Brown

Yayoi Kusama was born in Japan in 1928 into a wealthy family. She emigrated to the States in the late 1950s, landing her right at the beginning of the Pop and Minimalist Art Movements in that country. She became involved with both. Over the last 6 decades, she has remained relevant and significant in the art world because she has worked over many artistic media - visual arts, performance, film, literature and design.

This retrospective exhibition is titled 'In Infinity'. Her work expresses her fantasies of infinity. They are 'dizzying psychological spaces you can disappear into.....Infinity in Kusama's art is at once a cosmic space, a spiritual idea and a psychological abyss. The attraction to this great void is both pleasurable and anxiety inducing.' (Information taken from a didactic board in the exhibition.)

Yayoi Kusama's 'Infinity Nets Yellow' 1960

A detail of Yayoi Kusama's 'Infinity Nets Yellow'

'The persistent repetition of the same little gesture, over and over, again and again is both meditative and neurotic'.

According to information in this exhibition on the net paintings, the idea occurred to her as she flew over the Pacific Ocean from Japan to the States

Yayoi Kusama's 'Accumulation Sculptures'

The Accumulation works started in 1962. Furniture and other objects were covered in stuffed soft-fabric protuberances and were then spray painted. She was one of the first artists to develop room installations.

This chair, plus a sofa, were exhibited in the first Pop Art exhibition in New York's Green Gallery in 1962.

As you can see it is quite gritty!

A detail of Yayoi Kusama's 'Phallic Girl' 1967

Only 12 people were allowed in at one time. We had to stay on the walkway between the red spotted protuberances.

Yayoi Kusama's fashion garments - 2nd half of the 1960s

In the 2nd half of the 1960s, Yayoi takes her practice into the commercial world (as did Andy Warhol). She started several companies , published a very risque newspaper, 'Kusama's Orgy', directed a psychedelic film and designed for fashion.

Yayoi Kusama's 'Polka Dot Love Room' 1967/2015

There are actually 5 mannequins in the space. Ultraviolet light shines on all the dots to make them fluorescent. This installation was first set up in the Dutch Orez Gallery in 1967. At this 60s exhibition, Kusama's guests had their naked bodies painted with dots and they moved in and around the mannequins. This work was completely restored for this retrospective exhibition at the Louisiana - the first time it has been viewed since 1967.

I shall post this now. Another post is to come on this exhibition.

Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Humlebaek, Denmark

November 17, 2015 Mary Brown

Our 2nd day in Copenhagen, was actually spent at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art in Humlebaek, 35km north of Copenhagen. We caught a train to Humlebaek from Centraal Station. Humlebaek appeared to be a village, rather than a town - a very attractive one at that! We had a 15 minute walk to the museum. It was very well signposted all the way - and we were not the only ones from the train who were heading to the museum. The building that you enter was originally the home of Alexander Brun, and he had named the home after his 3 wives who all had the name of Louise! This building is not the only one in the grounds of this museum. The property extends right down to the shore of the Oresund Sound between Denmark and Sweden. The museum's collections are comprised of art created since WWII. Sculptures have been installed in the museum's gardens.

This is a museum I could return to many times.

Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Humlebaek, Denmark

Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Humlebaek, Denmark. Yayoi Kusama's 'Pumpkin'

I knew that we would be seeing Yayoi Kusama's retrospective exhibition on this our 1st visit to the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art. I will do a separate post on Yayoi Kusama.

Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Humlebaek, Denmark. Alberto Giacometti's 'Femmes de Venise' 1956

Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Humlebaek, Denmark. Alberto Giacometti's 'Man Walking'.

Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Humlebaek, Denmark. Cesar's 'La Grande Puce' 1968

Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Humlebaek, Denmark. Jean Dubuffet's 'Manoir d'essor' 1969

Tzuri Gueta

November 17, 2015 Mary Brown

First day in Copenhagen, we headed to the DESIGNER ZOO gallery in Vesterbrogade to buy gifts for our family. This is a design and craft gallery. All pieces on sale are made by Danish or guest designers and artisans. When we walked in, I immediately recognised the work being installed in the front rooms of Designer Zoo as being by the renowned Tzuri Gueta, a textile designer from Paris. I approached the director of the gallery and asked him about the exhibition and in the course of the conversation he told me that Tzuri was in the gallery (there were quite a few people in the space bumping in the exhibition) - he pointed him out to me. I went over to Tzuri, introduced myself, and told him that I knew his work, and because he is a designer in his own right who collaborates with Haute Couture fashion designers such as Karl Lagerfeld and Jean-Paul Gaultier, he had been on my 'radar' to interview (told him that I had interviewed Annie Trussart, the Artistic Director at Montex on one of my trips to Paris). He invited me to come to his atelier the next time I am in Paris and gave me his card. I asked him if I could photograph his work for my blog and he was more than happy for me to do so.

Tzuri Gueta refers to himself as a textile designer, but he also designs jewellery and art objects. In his search for new technologies in textile design, he came upon silicone and invented a technique of blowing silicone into lace or open weave materials. He patented this technique in 2005 and it is now his signature material. The director of the gallery told me that Tzuri is a passionate scuba diver which explains why his textiles appear to reference underwater scenes and his jewellery and objects look like sea creatures or coral. Tzuri told me that all the pieces are handworked. He has other designers and artisans working with him in his atelier in Paris.

Textile designed and created by Tzuri Gueta

The orange substrate for the blue 'beads' of silicone is lace.

Utrecht, Netherlands

November 16, 2015 Mary Brown

This was our first visit to Utrecht. The sole reason for visiting this city was to see the Rietveld Shroder House. It had been on my 'bucket list' for many, many years. On every European trip, I schedule into our programme, visits to iconic buildings designed by renowned 20th century architects. I have a particular interest in Art Nouveau architecture and design, and its extreme opposite, Modernist (Functionalist) architecture and design. The former is 'artistic' and idiosyncratic through applied ornament and the latter is austere in eschewing ornamentation. Le Corbusier's Villa Savoye, in an earlier post, belongs to the latter.

This house in Utrecht was designed by the De Stijl architect Rietveld in 1924 (Mondrian was the most famous member of the Dutch De Stijl group. You are so familiar with them - geometric paintings - white grounds with black horizontal and vertical intersecting lines with the addition of red, yellow and blue - they are iconic).

Rietveld's, client, Truus Schroder, was a widow with 3 children. She and Rietveld collaborated on the design of this house (they were lovers). She wanted a home where she could be very engaged with her children and where like-minded artists and intellectuals could gather to discuss ideas.

It was designed according to De Stijl principles. Think of it as a very complex Mondrian painting in 3D. Unfortunately I was not able to photograph the interior of the house, so a brief description will have to suffice. The ground floor was the 'service' area - kitchen, maid's room, and when Rietveld moved in, he installed a dark room to develop his own photographs. His office was also on this floor. The kitchen was innovative for its time because of its glass wall cabinets. Upstairs is the living area and it is an open-plan space. At night, walls and doors were slid along coloured runners on the ceiling to make private bedroom spaces for the children. The day-time sofas converted to children's beds at night. Truus's bedroom was a separate room and it was almost claustrophobic in its lack of space (the bed almost occupied the whole room and it was not a wide bed). So much was cleverly concealed on this floor - the bathroom, storage units, etc. All furniture was designed by Rietveld and most of the furniture in the house today is original to this house. Must also mention that curtains were never a feature in this house. Downstairs, blue panels were put up by the maid at night (the originals are still stacked in the kitchen) and in the living area upstairs, blue blinds (the originals are still in place) were pulled down. The windows on this level could be opened right out on a fine day to bring the outside to the inside.

It is the 'trickiest' house I have ever been in.

The Rietveld Shroder House in Utrecht, Netherlands.

I was listening to a description of the interior while waiting for the guide to take us through the house. It is such a fragile house that you have to be accompanied by a guide - and that is a good thing because she is the one who demonstrates all the tricky devices in the house. You just wouldn't know how this house functions otherwise. By the way to see this house you need to book in. We did that before we left Australia. The house is managed by the Centraal Museum in Utrecht.

This is the side view of the house. The Shroder House when built was butted up against the brick semi-detached house that you can just see in the photograph. We were told that this row of houses was at the very edge of Utrecht's suburbia in the early 1920s.

This is the front view of the house.

Small-scale models of Rietveld's furniture which were on sale in the Rietveld Shroder House office.

Rietveld was primarily a furniture designer before being commissioned to design Truus Shroder's family home.

I am not going to leave Utrecht at this point. This small city has much to offer and if you have not visited Utrecht, we would highly recommend that you add it to your next European sojourn.

Drakenborch, Utrecht, Netherlands. It is now the store for Strandwest.

This building is a 4 storey monumental stadskasteel (city castle) and has been declared a National Heritage Site. It is the oldest building in Utrecht, being built in the 11th century.

Strandwest is a very contemporary design and home solutions store which occupies all 4 floors of this historical building.

Drakenborch, Utrecht, Netherlands. It is now the store for Strandwest. The ancient wall frescoes are protected with a veil.

We moved on to find a cafe to have a cup of tea. We found it.......Winkel van Sinkel!

Winkel van Sinkel was the 'Selfridges of Utrecht'! At what point did this department store become a restaurant/bar, salsa dance venue??? I do not know! It was just along from Strandwest. We sat on the terrace facing the sun and ordered our cup of tea. It was a glorious day - and this was at the end of October!

While enjoying our morning tea at Winkel van Sinkel, we noticed an extraordinary contemporary 'free-standing' (????) facade in front of another building. There were, however, what appeared to be struts between this facade and the building behind it, and Philip thought that it was a building still under construction. We wandered off to explore this building further. We eventually discovered it was Utrecht's City Hall!

This is what we could see from Winkel van Sinkel. At this point we did not know that it is Utrecht's City Hall. We turned the corner and ..............

Still none the wiser as to what this monumental building is, so walked its length and turned the corner, to be gobsmacked by this 'ruin' (??????)

We were totally mystified, because there was nothing to identify this bizarre building. We had to bail up a person coming out of the building to the left of this 'conglomeration', to find out what purpose this building served. She told us that this was the administration building for the City Hall. She said she worked in the building - she absolutely loves it but many do not. To find out more she suggested that we go into the building via the door she came out of, where we would be able to find out much more from the person on the information desk. And this person was ever so friendly, helpful and informative.

This is what we found out. The City Hall was an assemblage of medieval houses and halls close to the canal. In the 19th century, a classical facade was built around them to unify them. Then another wing was added in the Modernist style in the 1930s.

In 1997, the 'fathers' of the Utrecht City Hall commissioned Miralles Tagliabue EMBT (husband and wife team, Enric Miralles and wife Bernadetta Tagliabue) to 'rehabilitate' the City Hall. The internals of the conglomeration were in decay. They were instructed to conserve what could be saved and to create a new building for administration. Sections of the buildings destroyed were used for this building!

We were given permission to wander through the building. If a door was closed, however, we were not to attempt to open it nor were we allowed to go into the administration block.

This beautiful neo-classical reception room was totally conserved during the 'rehabilitation' programme.

Just a few more images of beautiful Utrecht.

'Korea Now' exhibition at the Musee des Arts Decoratifs, Paris 2015 - Post 3

November 5, 2015 Mary Brown

We are now leaving the left side of the Musee des Arts Decoratifs to go to the right side to view a very few of the product design exhibits in 'Korea Now'.

Musee des Art Decoratifs, Paris. 'Korea Now' exhibition 2015

Musee des Art Decoratifs, Paris. 'Korea Now' exhibition 2015. This installation is by Lee Sung-keun.

Musee des Art Decoratifs, Paris. 'Korea Now' exhibition 2015. The knitted curved seat was designed by Lee Kwang-ho.

Musee des Art Decoratifs, Paris. 'Korea Now' exhibition 2015. The knitted sofa was designed by Lee Kwang-ho.

Musee des Art Decoratifs, Paris. 'Korea Now' exhibition 2015. Table designed by Choi Byung-hoon.

Musee des Art Decoratifs, Paris. 'Korea Now' exhibition 2015. The resin chairs and table designed by Park Won-min

Musee des Art Decoratifs, Paris. 'Korea Now' exhibition 2015. The resin chair designed by Park Won-min

'Korea Now' exhibition at the Musee des Art Decoratives, Paris 2015 - Post 2

November 4, 2015 Mary Brown

This post only features the garments designed by Jin Teok. This South Korean fashion designer is now 80 and is still designing the most avant-garde garments on the International scene. She has 50 years of designing behind her. Her work has been described as being poetical. Most of her garments in this exhibition were white or the palest of hues. She plays with textures in her choice and juxtaposition of fabrics and in her manipulation of fabric - such as layers and layers of calico, organza with cut-out leather, lace. They are extraordinary garments.

'Korea Now' exhibition at the Musee des Arts Decoratifs, Paris 2015. Design by Jin Teok

This was set up like an installation work!

'Korea Now' exhibition at the Musee des Arts Decoratifs, Paris 2015 - Post 1

November 3, 2015 Mary Brown

'Korea Now' opened at the Musee des Arts Decoratifs, 105 rue de Rivoli, in September 2015 and goes through to the 3rd January 2015. This exhibition is so immense (over 700 articles covering all areas of design), and I literally took hundreds of photographs. I will have to do a major edit to present what I think are the most beautiful pieces in this exhibition to my 'followers'. Enjoy!

'Korea Now' exhibition at the Musee des Arts Decoratifs. Closes on the 3rd January 2016

The Musee des Arts Decoratifs has a left and a right wing. The 2 levels of the left wing were devoted entirely to fashion. The fashion exhibition was organised around the 5 cardinal colours in Korean culture - red, yellow, blue, white and black. All are heavily loaded with symbolism.

'Korea Now' exhibition at the Musee des Arts Decoratifs. Closes on the 3rd January 2016. These garments were designed by Lie Sang-bong

These contemporary ensembles are based on traditional Korean clothing called hanbock. Traditionally the ensemble has a jeogori (bolero) and a very voluminous skirt which has 2 undergarments beneath - could be a pair of wide pants and an underskirt - all to emphasise the hips! Red for Koreans, by the way, symbolises virginity, so red is a youthful colour. Traditionally a married woman would not wear red.

'Korea Now' exhibition at the Musee des Arts Decoratifs. Closes on the 3rd January 2016. This garment was designed by Andre Kim

His garments were sumptuous garments embellished with goldwork embroidery. On the garment above he has also introduced padded gold lame appliques. Andre Kim was the first Korean couturier, opening his studio in 1962. He died in 2010 at the age of 76.

'Korea Now' exhibition at the Musee des Arts Decoratifs. Closes on the 3rd January 2016. These garments were designed by Andre Kim

'Korea Now' exhibition at the Musee des Arts Decoratifs. Closes on the 3rd January 2016. Contemporary Ceremonial Korean dress

'Korea Now' exhibition at the Musee des Arts Decoratifs. Closes on the 3rd January 2016. Contemporary 'parure finery'

MORE FROM THIS EXHIBITION TO COME IN THE NEXT POST!

Dolce & Gabbana's 'love affair' with goldwork embroidery!

November 1, 2015 Mary Brown

We walked past the windows of Dolce & Gabbana in rue St Honore in Paris and we saw fabulous (in the absolute true sense of the word) goldwork embroidery on garments for men. Historically, male attire was highly embellished, especially with goldwork embroidery (also referred to as metal thread embroidery). I snapped the garments in the windows and then very bravely went in to photograph garments. I was allowed to photograph whatever I liked.

Dolce & Gabbana, rue St Honore Paris. A goldwork embroidered garment from a 2015 collection for men.

A note to the embroiderers who specialise in goldwork embroidery - the embroidery on these garments may not have met up with your expectations because there are 'imperfections' galore! Fashion embroidery is all about spectacle for the most part. It is very quickly worked - no time to be precious about the work. To the artisan embroiderer, not working to commission, she/he would ensure that every length of purl is cut to the right length and is sitting correctly. Not happening in this work!

Coco Chanel 31 Rue Cambord, Paris

October 31, 2015 Mary Brown

31 Rue Cambord is where Chanel entertained and worked. It is a 4 storey building. In Chanel's time the 1st floor was a showroom, the 2nd floor for haute couture dressing, 3rd floor her apartment for entertaining only (she had a permanent apartment at the Ritz for sleeping) and her workrooms were on the 4th floor.

This is the renowned faceted mirrored spiral staicase that Chanel designed. It connected all 4 floors. Supposedly she could stand in one particular spot and see what was happening on all floors!

Coco Chanel 31 rue Cambord, Paris. An embroidered gown from a 2015 Chanel collection.

Coco Chanel 31 rue Cambord, Paris. A detail of an embroidered gown from a 2015 Chanel collection.

I asked for permission to photograph this gown because 31 Rue Cambord is 'hallowed ground' - I could happily 'snap away' in the Galeries Lafayette, but it would not be at all appropriate in this couture showroom. Obviously permission was granted, but it was for this dress only!

Coco Chanel 31 rue Cambord, Paris. A beautiful ensemble from a 2015 Chanel collection.

Of course there is nothing to stop you from photographing gorgeous garments that are in the windows! But you do have to cope with the reflections in the windows.

Galeries Lafayette, Paris

October 29, 2015 Mary Brown

This over 100 year old department store in Paris has the most awesome (in the true sense of the word!) glass dome. It is so renowned but I will feature it on this post as well as a few of the pret-a-porter designer clothes on the designer floor that are 'beyond my reach', but I would wear them if I could! And embroidered clothes will always get a 'look-in' with me.

Galeries Lafayette, Paris. Mary Katrantzou embroidered top.

Galeries Lafayette, Paris. Mary Katrantzou skirt. An acrylic material has been manipulated for the border of the skirt.

Galeries Lafayette, Paris. Mary Katrantzou 'duffle' coat!

Galeries Lafayette, Paris. Acne collection 2015

Galeries Lafayette, Paris. Delpozo coat 2015

Galeries Lafayette, Paris. Detail of embroidery on the Delpozo coat 2015

More embroidery detail shots on another Delpozo 2015 garment below.

La Villa Savoye, Poissy, France

October 28, 2015 Mary Brown

The Villa Savoye was designed by the very renowned Le Corbusier and his cousin Pierre Jeanneret in 1928. We have previously visited one of their villas in Paris. This villa is a short journey outside of Paris. It was the 'weekender' for the Savoye family. In designing this home (they were given absolute 'carte blanche' by the Savoyes) Le Corbusier applied his five points for a new architecture - the house would be built on piles (so that the house would appear to 'float' in the landscape). It would have to have a 'sky garden', open plan living, free facade (that is no ornamentation - and it had to be WHITE) and strip windows! I took at least 100 photos inside and outside - I will share only a few of them with you.

La Villa Savoye, Poissy, France. Designed by Le Corbusier and Pierre Jeanneret in 1928

At long last I have arrived at this Villa! We always have such a full programme when we come to Paris, and this trip I had determined that we would travel out to see this villa, before doing anything else in Paris. It had top priority! When you enter the property , you do not see the front entrance to the villa.

This is the front entrance to the villa.

This photo of the circular staircase was taken on the ground floor. It goes up through the house and also descends into a cellar.

There is also a ramp that you can use instead of the circular staircase. This will take you up to the 'sky garden' or solarium - sun baking was considered a healthy pursuit!

The kitchen looks spartan by today's standards, but it was intended to be purely functional.

This open plan living room is vast. I have only photographed it from the centre of the room because they had some very bizarre objects in the room which I wanted to avoid but I have noticed that I was not entirely successful. They were setting up for a function when we arrived - maybe these objects have just been installed for whatever???? I was disappointed though that they have not furnished the villa with the furniture that these two men designed, as has been done in the villa that we visited in Paris. Notice the strip lighting - could be very NOW!

This is the courtyard which opens off the open plan living room. It also extends up to the Savoye's private domain.

This is one of the most photographed bathrooms ever! This is in the Savoye's private domain.

This is the corridor that leads to the son's and the guest's bedroom, plus bathroom.

Issey Miyake, Hanover St Store in London

October 28, 2015 Mary Brown

I have loved Issey Miyake's designs eversince the early 1980s. I started buying Issey Miyake Vogue Designer patterns at that time, andmy mother (she was a superb dressmaker - she used all couture finishes) would make them up. I did make an Issey Miyake jacket myself in 1981 and I still wear it because it is both classic and edgy. To add to these garments (yes, I have kept them), I have acquired 4 Issey Miyake Pleats Pleaz garments on the last 3 trips to the Northern Hemisphere (including this one), and being timeless I will be able to wear them forever. I call this investment buying! They also pack up to nothing when travelling! When I went into the Hanover Store I asked if I could photograph for my blog and they were very happy for me to do so.

Issey Miyake - Hanover Street London 2015

Liberty in Fashion exhibition at the Fashion & Textile Museum, Bermondsey, London 2015

October 27, 2015 Mary Brown

This exhibition opened in October 2015. I was so looking forward to this exhibition and it far exceeded my expectations. The public are allowed to take photographs without flash. In this museum we always have the added advantage of not having to view exhibits behind glass as in the V&A and at the Bath Fashion Museum.

Illustration for wall mural in the Liberty in Fashion exhibition at the Fashion & Textile Museum, Bermondsey, London 2015 designed by Naomi Kratz

Liberty in Fashion exhibition at the Fashion & Textile Museum, Bermondsey, London 2015. These two exhibits are a c1910 afternoon dress and an 1895 collar

Liberty in Fashion exhibition at the Fashion & Textile Museum, Bermondsey, London 2015. A detail of the embroidery on the 1910 afternoon dress.

Liberty in Fashion exhibition at the Fashion & Textile Museum, Bermondsey, London 2015. A 1895 satin collar embroidered with white floss, crystal beads and pastes.

Liberty in Fashion exhibition at the Fashion & Textile Museum, Bermondsey, London 2015. This is a traditional silk embroidered kimino that had been imported by Liberty in the 1920s.

Even the Liberty's sales assistants wore these kiminos to promote their sales in the store!

Liberty in Fashion exhibition at the Fashion & Textile Museum, Bermondsey, London 2015. These dresses are mostly from the 1960s and show the influence of the Art Nouveau Revival at the time.

From 1958 to 1960 there were a series of exhibitions on the Art Nouveau period (from 1895 through to WWI). This movement had been dismissed and forgotten after WWI. Liberty saw the potential of referencing their own archives from that period for possible new designs to print for their current textiles. One of their designers, William Poole, redrew a selection of the company's original Art Nouveau patterns, and to contemporise them he repainted them in the vivid Pop colours of the early 1960s. They became known as the 'Lotus' collection. They were sold as dress fabrics. They became popular with British designers in the 1960s.

Liberty in Fashion exhibition at the Fashion & Textile Museum, Bermondsey, London 2015. The maxi dress in the middle is a late 1960s Colin Glascoe (London designer) dress.

Liberty's were very annoyed that Colin Glascoe never acknowledged that he was using their prints for his designs. He ordered thousands of metres from Liberty. Still goes on today. Very rarely do we see the artistic directors of embroidery ateliers or fabric print designers being acknowledged today - and their studios are design laboratories.

Liberty in Fashion exhibition at the Fashion & Textile Museum, Bermondsey, London 2015. The 'Swinging Liberty' exhibits. All the fabrics are by Liberty and the garments are designed by young British designers in the 1960s.

Liberty in Fashion exhibition at the Fashion & Textile Museum, Bermondsey, London 2015. This print was designed by Richard Nevill. The dress was made for 'Through the Looking Glass, the most popular fashion shop in Liverpool, UK

Liberty in Fashion exhibition at the Fashion & Textile Museum, Bermondsey, London 2015. The prints for these 1970s garments were either designed by Richard Nevill, Susan Collier or Sarah Campbell - all design consultants for Liberty.

Liberty in Fashion exhibition at the Fashion & Textile Museum, Bermondsey, London 2015. This early 1970s dress was designed by Foale and Tuffin. They loved to mix prints and here they have used prints designed by Richard Nevill, Susan Collier an… — Liberty in Fashion exhibition at the Fashion & Textile Museum, Bermondsey, London 2015. This early 1970s dress was designed by Foale and Tuffin. They loved to mix prints and here they have used prints designed by Richard Nevill, Susan Collier and Sarah Campbell.

Liberty in Fashion exhibition at the Fashion & Textile Museum, Bermondsey, London 2015. This ensemble was in Foale & Tuffins A/W 1972 Collection. The prints are Richard Nevill's.

Liberty in Fashion exhibition at the Fashion & Textile Museum, Bermondsey, London 2015. The print is Richard Nevill's.

Liberty in Fashion exhibition at the Fashion & Textile Museum, Bermondsey, London 2015. This is Richard Nevill's print from his landscape range that he designed in 1968. He was inspired by 1930s travel posters.

Liberty in Fashion exhibition at the Fashion & Textile Museum, Bermondsey, London 2015. This print has been borrowed from a tapestry designed by Gunta Stolzl, a Bauhaus student in the 1920s. This was a very popular design for Liberty.

Alke Schmidt's 'Tangled Yarns' exhibition at Cromford Cotton Mill, Matlock UK

October 25, 2015 Mary Brown

Alke's work in this exhibition explores the politics and the morality of the textile industry from the 18th century to the present day. It has been and still is a very exploitative industry. It could have been a very confronting subject for art but the very decorative nature of most of Alke's work probably makes it too palatable for us. The artist gives us many links for us to do our own research on this industry, particularly in the fashion area. I will enter some of the links on this post.

The exhibition has been installed at the now defunct Cromford Cotton Mill at Matlock in Derbyshire.

Cromford Cotton Mill Matlock, Derbyshire UK

Alke Schmidt - 'Stained' - oil and embroidered appliques on an 1840s style printed cotton

A woman in an elegant ball gown is confronted by the women who have been responsible for the creation of this dress - "a US cotton plantation slave, a Lancashire weaving mill worker and a dressmaker". We know that the conditions for slaves in the US were inhumane. According to information given to us at the exhibition, the living conditions of Lancashire mill workers was deplorable and the dressmakers were paid a paltry amount for their labours.

Alke Schmidt - 'Calico Madams' - oil, khadi paper and transfer print on 18th century stile printed cotton.

The 'Calico Women' were English women who dared to wear dresses made from imported Indian printed cotton. Indian printed cotton became so popular that it impacted on the English wool and silk weavers. They ran such a violent campaign against women wearing these 'offending' garments that the government had to ban the import of Indian printed cottons. Why naked female bodies??? Attackers would strip women of their 'offending' garments. They would then burn the garments or throw acid on them.

This is Alke Schmidt's response to the collapse of the Rana Plaza building in Dhaka in 2013. 1138 Bangladeshi workers were killed. Alke has used garments that she sourced in Walthamstow but they could well have been made in Bangladesh. She has also inserted a shalwar kameez, the traditional garment in South East Asia worn by the Bangladeshi garment workers.

Alke Schmidt - Memorial 1138 and Counting

This work is a memorial to the 400 workers who died in two fires in garment factories in Pakistan and Bangladesh. The work was inspired by an image of rows of abandoned sewing machines covered in ash in a small newspaper.

These are some of the links Alke Schmidt has given us on the garment industry today.

www.labourbehindthelabel.org

www.cleanclothes.org

www.fairwear.org

www.measureup.org.uk

www.ethicalfashionforum.com

www.betterfactories.org

A Rule of Tum Burger Shop, Hereford, UK

October 20, 2015 Mary Brown

Our friend Carol in Hereford suggested we go to her sons' friend's Burger Shop for our last dinner with her. She warned me that knives and forks were not used! In case I could not cope she took a fork with her! (As it turned out she needed a fork for her dish but she was provided with a fork.) On seeing the menu I could see that flatware would be a nonsense. It is a limited menu but it has been the best food experience so far on this trip. The address is: 32 Audrey Street, Hereford. They do takeaway as well. They will be opening up a restaurant as well next door in the near future. Food will be 'plated'.

A Rule of Tum Burger Shop 32 Audrey St, Hereford

Philip and I shared the Wigmore Pheasant Burger - this was confit of pheasant with beef patty, bramble ketchup, walnut & chervil mayo, fennel & watercress on a brioche bun. We also had rabbit croquettes (I want to replicate these) with smoked tarragon mayo, cauli cheese croquettes with a hot sauce and rosemary potatoes. All so memorable.

This was Carol's choice - Lentil Burger - this was puy lentils with a soft cheese patty, burnt red pepper chutney, celeriac & yoghurt slaw, roast garlic mayo, ketchup, leaves - Carol asked to have this without the brioche bun - hence the need for a fork! I had a couple of mouthfuls of this delectable dish.

Philip and I had a Spiced Pear Crumble. This was a Black Hole Lane Pear compote with an oat crumble served with an apple and blackberry icecream.

Carol said I had to pay a visit to their loo! This is what I saw!

A Rule of Tum Burger Shop 32 Audrey St, Hereford (their loo!)

A friend of Dorian and Edwin's (the two brothers who own this enterprise) painted these murals for them. I did write down her name on a slip of paper and now that scrap eludes me. The lads have acknowledged her as the creator of the murals in the loo.