Last week, I finally made my way to the Textile Museum to take a look at the collection of the Mayan textiles from Guatemala. And I cannot help sharing with you what I saw.
If colour and pattern were language - which I think they definitely are - this compilation of Mayan embroidery designs would sum up my impressions of the exhibit. It speaks for itself. It makes me happy! My happy muscles start twitching and my happy antennae start vibrating. Do you get that?
[The Maya believed that clothing could transform a person and a person could transform the garment and is expressed through it, so naturally clothing was of great cultural significance. ]
The traje is also more durable, and a woman may wear it for many years, weaving a new one to recognize major life transitions or when resources permit. It makes me sad that we no longer spend as much time on a garment as women traditionally used to. Perhaps that is the reason fashion has become disposable, the less you pay for it, the less relation you have to it, the fewer times you will wear it and the less attachment you have to it. Eventually, it ends up in the donation bin...
As promised, this post is my report on the 60 Years of Designing the Ballet and the Tutu Project exhibitions at the Design Exchange. Ballet is a childhood obsession of mine, which never really left me, simply moved aside to the back of my mind making space for the clothing design obsession. These days, the two obsessions have found perfect partnership in regular visits to the National Ballet of Canada and in constant admiration of the choreography, costume and set design. The DX exhibition is dedicated to the process of creation of the magic of ballet.
As the elevator took me up to the exhibition hall on the second floor I felt that I got magically transported to cloud number nine. This exhibition is pure heaven not only for ballet lovers but also, and especially, for costume designers. It features objects usually found only backstage and offers a close up look at some of the costumes worn by principle characters in major National Ballet productions. Here are some of my favourites:
a headdress from the Nutcracker
a fragment of a dress from Sleeping Beauty
Juliet's costume from Romeo and Juliet
Other costumes on display include head pieces, wigs, boots, pointe shoes (in cross section too!), a whole wardrobe from the Nutcracker, a bolero worn by Mikhail Baryshnikov and, needless to say, a great multitude of tutus including one worn by Karen Kain, the artistic director of the National Ballet of Canada.
The highlight of the exhibition for me was the "show Bible" for the Nutcracker and Romeo and Juliet.
The "show bible" is the most important document in the wardrobe for each particular production. It documents everything from the sketches of all the characters of the ballet to the fabrics swatches, trims and buttons to be used for each costume, to the instructions on how the costume was built. It is referred to when costumes need to be remade or repaired. I drooled over the bible for minutes on end and took tons of photos.
The following two videos from the National Ballet of Canada website do a wonderful job at explaining the process of building a costume.
What an exciting peek behind the scenes! 60 Years of Designing the Ballet exhibition gave me a privilege I do not normally get when I climb up to my seat in the 5th ring of the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts! It definitely helped me acquire a new appreciation of the grandeur of work that goes into each production. The exhibition is on until the 2nd of September. When you come, make sure to wander around the first floor of the DX. Here, you will find a fun and colourful parade of various tutus designed by artists, designers, and members of the community. This part of the exhibition is free to see and is very inspiring in nature.
Rejoice shoe lovers! This post will hopefully find you interested and inspired. For 'tis devoted to the elegantly sculpted and tastefully bejeweled creations of Roger Vivier - the father of the beloved stilleto heel. If you have not yet done so, make your way to the Bata Shoe Museum for it holds the treasure beyond all your imaginings - Roger Vivier: Process to Perfection Exhibit.
While such pathos might sound slightly overboard for those less enthusiastic about shoe fashion history, this fashion designer who specialized in shoe making and worked with Christian Dior and Yves Saint Laurent did make some very noteworthy shoe history. Without revealing too much about the exhibit I will only point out two of my favourite styles Vivier invented.
One - the choc heel:
Two - the comma heel:
Both of these styles are present in multiple design variations at the exhibit.
One might argue that it is hard to shock or even simply to impress present day fashionistas who are used to the likes of Lady Gaga sporting such sights as the atrocious "heel-less heels." Vivier's slightly curved kitten heels are just not bold enough. Nevertheless, I find Vivier's innovative shapes provocative (albeit in a very lady-like fashion) yet graceful. While heel-less shoes make an immediate aggressive statement, elegance and simplicity are timeless! Plus, in my humble opinion, a true fashionista should have all of these styles in her arsenal in order to cover her full emotional spectrum: from 'kitty' to 'scratchy.'
While you do have until April 7 2013 to enjoy this exhibition, I would recommend to not procrastinate and go think "inside the shoe box" (I am referring to the architectural structure of Bata, in case you did not know). The most keen of museum-goers and fashion history-lovers might be interested in taking a look at this additional brochure outlining the Lecture and Movie Series offered at the Bata Shoe Museum in connection with this magnificent exhibit.
“To wear dreams on one’s feet is to begin to
give a reality to one’s dreams.”
-Roger Vivier
P.S. Oh and if you are lucky enough, on paying your admission to the museum you will receive a 2-for-1 admission to another city museum, one of which is DX - Design Exchange. Their current exhibition is even more exciting! A full report to follow. Stay tuned!
