Depending on how you look at it, I was fortunate/unfortunate enough to interview four designers on stage as part of the Arts of Fashion Tandem Series in Philadelphia. The point was to expose the various facets of being a young independent designer and so the talk was divided into two parts; the first, I interviewed Anthony Vaccarello and Aurore Thibout who are in the primary stages of their designer careers. In the second part, I interviewed Christian Wijnants and Matthew Ames who are in a latter stage, having established their own business.
So it was FORTUNATE that I got to speak to them and to hear their insight on what are the difficulties facing a young designer but probably UNFORTUNATE for them that I was stuttering the whole time. I think at one point, Joe's R'n'B classic 'Stutter' kept popping up in my head.
In my research, I got to take a good look at Matthew Ames' website. I've written about his early work on a few occasions so it was good to catch up on his more recent work where his concerns with shape and volume have taken a more free-flowing direction. Where in the beginning his shapes were somewhat very literal and graphic, they have now become more classic whilst still retaining the minimalist dramatics that first caught my eye. These are various images of his A/W 09 collection which champion a covered-up silhouette and that isn't about screaming in itty-bitty details but rather concentrates on the overall effect of layers and shapes cocooning the body.
Delving into Ames' website further, I discovered he's been keeping an online journal that sheds further insight into the inspiration images that inform his work. It's definitely something I'm all for designers doing even if it's a minimal text, max on images type journal just because I find it so interesting peering into people's moodboards. Matthew Ames' images include these Irving Penn images of Issey Miyake's looks from the early 80s...
...these images from Wiener Werkstätte-Mode archives, the Vienna Workshops's fashion work...
Max Snischek, Photo by Madame d’Ora, 1919 // Pyjama (designer unkown), Photo by Madame d’Ora, 1921
In particular, I loved these images of Valentina Nicholaevna Sanina Schlee aka Valentina, the Russian émigrée fashion designer who had a New York-based couture/costume house from the 20s to the 50s. I these images especially resonate strongly in Ames' A/W 09 collection where Valentina's famous phrase "Fit the century, forget the year." Truly gutted I missed the exhibition dedicated to Valentina's work in the Museum of the City of New York.
That gathered-neck Valentina dress would be the star of my closet. Gorgeous. (I might leave off the wimple, however.)
http://closetaltar.blogspot.com
Posted by: Style Spy | 03 November 2009 at 14:22
I love the volume of fabric and yet none of it feels heavy.
Posted by: Fajr | Stylish Thought | 03 November 2009 at 14:35
i love how japanese deconstruction has been re-discovered -- when i look at this designer's work, it's lovely to see the big billowing that designers like miyake played with, but melded with that 1940s adrian column-esque draping. what a lovely combo!
Posted by: reeraw | 03 November 2009 at 14:46
I want proof that you were stuttering. Let's go to the tape, as they say in sports ;-)
Posted by: WendyB | 03 November 2009 at 16:10
I dig the first photo, simple but powerful attitude!
Posted by: Cecilie E. | 03 November 2009 at 16:32
WendyB: Not sure who was arsed to tape the thing.... but I can assure you there was much stuttering... and umming and aahing...and saying "Y'know" all the time...
Posted by: susie_bubble | 03 November 2009 at 17:31
the black and white one with the asian lady...Issey Miyake right? maybe?
Posted by: Prince | 03 November 2009 at 18:42
Great interviews Susie!!!
Posted by: nathalie doucet | 03 November 2009 at 20:57
Love the draping/folding/volume of these pieces! Gorgeous photos!
xx
Posted by: Brigadeiro | 03 November 2009 at 21:11
Sorry I missed chatting with you at the symposium, Susie, but I agree that the interviews were excellent -- nice balance between art and commerce. And I certainly didn't hear stuttering!
Posted by: Susan Scafidi | 03 November 2009 at 21:18
Oh no! Can't believe I missed it!
Posted by: KD | 03 November 2009 at 22:31
Gosh! She's great :)
contact me darling!!! I MUST TALK ABOUT SOMETHING GREAT TO "STYLEBUBBLE" !! PLEASE CONTACT ME!!!
Posted by: Marco Santaniello | 03 November 2009 at 23:35
Such a breath of fresh air after all the bodycon lately.
~R
www.designdigression.blogspot.com
Posted by: Roseann | 04 November 2009 at 03:22
a wonderful post; thoroughly enjoyed the images, thank you xo
- andrea [www.shewilldressherself.blogspot.com]
Posted by: Andrea | 04 November 2009 at 10:25
so elegant... hoods are awesome!
http://www.twolia.com/blogs/teacups-and-couture
Posted by: roxy | 05 November 2009 at 00:56
this is good. it makes me think of madame gres too.
Posted by: SwanDiamondRose | 06 November 2009 at 02:01
amazing pics and lovely style!!
Posted by: *elvps | 06 November 2009 at 20:21
nice inspiration!"Fit the century, forget the year."
Posted by: iulia | 07 November 2009 at 17:52
Valentina was also a character. Read the stories in the book (also good for photography)... there's an incident in which she ended a fitting with "madam, you have a very beautiful face, but you must do something about your figure, Valentina is dress maker, not upholsterer!"
Posted by: Jurek | 10 November 2009 at 23:57
I love loose hanging silhouette =)
Posted by: Ashburn Eng | 15 November 2009 at 21:51