Gustav Klimt: important in the world of fashion?

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Recently I have come to the realization that I cannot escape Gustav Klimt. He is everywhere. Well, at least he is everywhere in my life.

For those of you who have not discovered this famous Austrian painter, you better read on.

Klimt is a god.

I first discovered Klimt in my art history class last year. After learning of his work I traveled to Vienna to see his creations firsthand.  His work is so genius that I ventured back to the Belvedere museum several times. I've also had to write a few German presentations on him and I keep falling in love. While I was in New York a couple weeks ago, there was a Klimt exhibit near the Upper East Side.

Klimt was born near Vienna in the mid-1800s. His favorite subject was the female body, though his early work was considered mainly academic as he focused on architecture. Early in his career he was commissioned to paint murals in the Kunsthistorisches Museum (also a must see museum in Vienna). He kept busy painting murals in many buildings throughout Vienna. However, after the deaths of several of his male relatives, Klimt had to take financial responsibility for his family.

The deaths of his family members affected his personal art style drastically. Klimt's audience obviously noticed a change in his work and it was offered referred to as "pornographic." Due to the sexuality of his paintings, Klimt's audience found his work disturbing and several of his works were destroyed.

Besides the sexuality of his paintings, Klimt is most well-known for his use of gold leaf. His inspiration for the method came from Byzantine, Minoan and Greek art.

Now what does Klimt have to do with fashion?

While John Galliano was head designer at Dior, the 2008/2009 spring/summer collection closely resembled Klimt's work. Models strutted down the catwalk in silk gowns adorned in gold or sprinkled with gems.

Klimt fanatic, Ariana Sewell, thinks Galliano's use of Klimt-inspired looks was brillant.

"I think more designers should look back into the history of art to find inspiration," Sewell said. "There are so many current trends being recycled from previous decades, and I would like to see designers find new inspirations by linking the world of fashion with art."

Fashion is art after all.

Dior sans Galliano.

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As I have recently delved into the beginning of the fashion empire known as Dior in a previous post an ode to Jackie Kennedy style, I would like to update you on a few of the recent happenings involving Christian Dior's label. 


John Galliano, a British fashion designer, was the head honcho behind the Dior label since 1997 up until two days ago. On Feb. 25, Dior announced that it had suspended Galliano due to his arrest in Paris for allegedly making anti-semitic remarks. On that same day, the website Citizenside received a video dating back to December of a drunken Galliano throwing anti-semitic insults at a group of Italian women--who were not Jewish. "The Sun," a British tabloid, posted the video on their website. On Mar. 1, the fashion house fired Galliano. 


Natalie Portman, a Jewish actress who has an endorsement contract with Dior for its Miss Dior Cherie fragrance, condemned the designer for his remarks. In a statement Portman said: "I am deeply shocked and disgusted by the video of John Galliano's comments that surfaced today. In light of this video, and as an individual who is proud to be Jewish, I will not be associated with Mr. Galliano in any way. I hope at the very least, these terrible comments remind us to reflect and act upon combating these still-existing prejudices that are the opposite of all that is beautiful."


However, Patricia Field, costume designer and stylist for "Sex and the City," disagreed with Portman. Fields defended Galliano by sending an e-mail to 500 friends, blogs and media, reported wwd.com. According to Fields, Galliano was acting out of character. 


"People in fashion all they do is go and see John Galliano theater every season. That's what he gives them. To me, this was the same except it wasn't in a theater or in a movie," Fields said. "John Galliano lives in theater. It's theater. It's farce. But people in fashion don't recognize the farce in it. All of a sudden they don't know him. But it's ok when it's Mel Brooks' 'The Producers' singing Springtime for Hitler."


If you are foreign to French laws, inciting racial hatred to someone in France is illegal. According to a New York Times' article, "Galliano to Face Trial Over a Anti-Semitic Remarks," Galliano could face up to a six months in prison and a $31,000 fine. His trial is set to take place sometime between April and June. 


In a statement provided through his lawyers, Galliano said: "A number of witnesses have given evidence and have told the police that I was subjected to verbal harassment and an unprovoked assault when an individual tried to hit me with a chair having taken violent exception to my look and my clothing. For these reasons I have commenced proceedings for defamation and the threats made against me... Anti-semitism and racism have no part in our society. I unreservedly apologize for my behavior in causing any offense."


Rumor has it that Galliano is now seeking rehab in Arizona.

"Sex and the City" fashion interpreted by college students.

This past weekend my roommates and I held a "Sex and the City" themed party. Our guests had to dress how they interpreted "Sex and the City" style. Though, most Chanel and Dior gowns are out of the question when it depends on the average college student's bank account, many of our female guests wore cocktail dresses, sequins and heels. The men of the party also stayed true to "Sex and the City" style. They wore button up shirts, blazers and cashmere sweaters. Though "Sex and the City" fashion can be interpreted into over-the-top trends and fashions, ultimately it is about making the outfit your own in a way that will make you stand out from others. 

an ode to Jackie Kennedy style.

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During the early 1960s, Jackie Kennedy was a fashion icon for many women. She enlisted Oleg Cassini to design her wardrobe when her husband was elected president of the United States. Cassini designed nearly 300 looks for Kennedy. 

Cassini, a French-born American designer,  originally worked as a costume designer. Cassini grew up in Florence, but visited Paris twice a year with his mother to study French fashion. In later years, he moved to New York and eventually Hollywood. 

Kennedy's style was elegant, yet simple. She wore pieces that were tailored, geometric and decorated with large buttons. Many women copied the "Jackie" look by donning pillbox hats, above-the-elbow gloves and low-heel pumps. However after her time in the White House, her style changed dramatically. Her conservative First Lady clothes disappeared and she started to wear wide-leg pantsuits, headscarves, large sunglasses and gypsy skirts. Her clothing was also bright in color. 

Not only did Kennedy wear Cassini, she also wore Chanel and Dior. 

Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel was the inventor of the "little black dress," quilted handbags and the tweed suit. Chanel grew up in an orphanage during the late 1800s. Though she never married, she had several lovers and eventually obtained the funds to start her fashion empire. She shortened the hems of skirts to just below the knee (this was long before Courreges instituted the miniskirt in France) and made costume jewelry fashionable. According to Werle (author of "50 Fashion Designers You Should Know"), Chanel was not the first to reject the corset in her designs (Poiret and Vionnet had previously done so), but it was ultimately she who banned this garment from the wardrobes of the world. 

During World War II, Chanel stopped production of her clothing (as did most other French designers). However, in 1954 at the age of 71, Chanel made her comeback. 

Christian Dior, yet another French designer, took his wearers into the past. His evening gown creations used up to 40 meters of fabric. Chanel is quoted as saying, "These heavy, stiff dresses that don't even fit into a suitcase--ridiculous! Dior doesn't dress women, he upholsters them." However, Dior said his aim was to "make elegant women more beautiful and beautiful women more elegant." 

Dior proved to be successful, and by 1950 he had as many as 1000 dressmakers working for his fashion house. In only ten years he created 22 collections, and changed the silhouette of his designs each season. As many designers abolished the corset, Dior brought it back. Chanel's answer to this was tweed suits, quilted bags and the "little black dress."

the forgotten, yet notable: part II

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In 1946, Pierre Balmain yearned to bring buyers and clients back to Paris. After World War II, the French fashion scene was at a standstill. This French designer traveled throughout America to re-conquer the hearts of the elite American women, as well as their pocketbooks.

A year prior, Balmain's designs were featured in American Vogue. His designs were ultra feminine and flattered the waistline with a wide tapering skirt. This change was accepted after an era of long, fitted suits with wide shoulders. According to Simone Werle, the author of "50 Fashion Designers You Should Know," the wide, graceful shape of Balmain's clothes was exactly what women wanted--excitingly different, romantic and luxurious. However, it was Christian Dior who became famous for this look in 1947.

Originally Balmain desired to study architecture, but soon found a passion for fashion, which he called the "architecture of movement." Not only did Balmain introduce the wide tapering skirt, he also pioneered dresses and skirts that were fitted until the wearer's knees. In the 1960s, these gowns were popular among the Hollywood starlets.

Also during the 1960s, another French designer created a collection that was unlike any previous creation. According to Werle, Andre Courreges' collections looked as if they had come straight from the moon. Courreges' specialized in geometric cuts, lines and the color white. His creations were paired with goggles, hats and thigh-high boots. Courreges also raised the hemline of the skirt to above-the-knee. This was the first appearance of the miniskirt on a French runway.

In the late 1960s, Courreges launched three collections: "Prototype," "Couture Future" and "Hyperbole." Courreges clothes were as modern as the names of his collections--he created modern clothing for the modern, active woman. He also created form-fitting women's pants with a masculine style. His designs were not restricting and women had the freedom of movement while wearing Courreges' creations.

Eventually, Courreges closed his fashion house to the press and buyers because his designs were frequently being copied. In later years he tried to make several comebacks, but his creations remained low profile.

Because fashion is always about the newest trends or what is upcoming, designers have to evolve with trends. However, as the history of fashion proves, many designers cannot sync their style with these upcoming trends. Thus, they are forgotten.