Museum Report - Ralph Rucci Exhibit at SCAD

I'm finally going to share my pictures and thoughts about the "Looking Back to the Future: Ralph Rucci Evolved" exhibit at the Andre Leon Talley Gallery at the SCAD museum in Savannah during my vacation!  First of all I should say that I'm a huge Ralph Rucci fan, I believe he's one of the top 5 designers working today.  His work is so precise and the details are so impressive.  I'm even more impressed having seen the work up close.  The workmanship blows my mind.  So many parts coming together to create these breathtaking garments.  I love his structure and tailoring, the subtle and not so subtle embellishments, and the mix of materials used and how they marry in one garment and/or look.  But enough of my rambling, I'll let the pictures talk for themselves, enjoy!

Here's the list of all the looks in the exhibit:

 Please excuse the quality of the photos, I left the house without my camera and just had my daughter's iTouch - duh. I'm still kicking myself.

All images via me!

NYC Museum Report - Color Moves: Art & Fashion by Sonia Delaunay at Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum

Contributor Laura Johnson checking in again with another exhibition report. Laura is a gifted textile designer and colorist with 20 years of experience who lives and works in Manhattan. Because we all can't live in or visit NYC regularly she'll be checking in from time to time to report about exhibits and other interesting tidbits happening there.

The Color Moves: Art & Fashion by Sonia Delaunay at the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum  is one of the best I have seen this year. The show includes some garments and many, many textile designs There are multiple colorways shown for some, which I found especially enjoyable.

Source: dwellstudio.com via Jenny on Pinterest

Sonia Delaunay and her husband Robert were members and among the founders of the Orphism movement, which emphasized geometric shapes and the use of strong colors. What makes her especially interesting is the way that she was a female artist and a modern designer.

via NY Times

Her work included painting, set designs, textiles, clothing and furniture. She was also the first living female artist to have a retrospective of her work at the Louvre.

Source: dwellstudio.com via Jenny on Pinterest

Here is a link to the NY Times review of the show for some additional information about Sonia Delaunay.

NYC Museum Report - Alexander McQueen Savage Beauty at the Met

Today I'm so happy to welcome a new contributor to my little ol' blog.  My dear friend and former colleague Laura Johnson.  Laura is a gifted textile designer and colorist with 20 years of experience who lives and works in Manhattan.  Because we all can't live in or visit NYC regularly she'll be checking in from time to time to report about exhibits and other interesting tidbits happening there.  I know I always love hearing her thoughts about these things and I wanted to share them with you all too!  So without further ado, we will begin with the biggest exhibit with the most buzz going on right now - Alexander McQueen Savage Beauty at the Met's Costume Institute (which Laura has been to TWICE - I'm so jealous)!  Take it away Laura...
 

The Metropolitan Museum of Art is packed these days, everyone is going to see the Alexander McQueen show, and for good reason. If you are in the NYC area, I highly recommend making the time and battling the crowds (try a weekday; I heard there was a 45 minute wait one Saturday). The exhibit is extremely theatrical. Each room is a unique setting, completely transformed with music and sounds accompanying the work. It almost feels as if you are traversing a fun house of sorts.


In the first room you see an amazing collection of his tailoring, including some wonderfully low slung pants. There is a Cabinet of Curiosities room that has an amazing selection of accessories. Videos play on the walls from some of his most dramatic runway shows. As you continue from room to room you see work that is technically amazing, beautiful, torturous and ethereal. There is so much talent on display. For a man who died at 40, what a body of work he left behind. You leave feeling almost stunned by it.

Dress, No. 13, spring/summer 1999

Photograph by Sølve Sundsbø

 Here's how it was created on the runway.

Corset, Dante, autumn/winter 1996-1997

Photograph by Sølve Sundsbø

Jacket, Joan, autumn/winter 1998-1999

Photograph by Sølve Sundsbø

Dress, Widows of Culloden, autumn/winter 2006-2007

Photograph by Sølve Sundsbø

Dress, The Horn of Plenty, autumn/winter 2009-2010

Photograph by Sølve Sundsbø

Ensemble, Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, autumn/winter 2002-2003

Photograph by Sølve Sundsbø

"Oyster" Dress, Irere, spring/summer 2003

Photograph by Sølve Sundsbø

All images via The Met