IN -- Indianapolis -- Indianapolis Museum of Art -- Fashion Exhibit:
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IMAFAS_120810_005.JPG: Norell Blass Halston Sprouse
An American Legacy
IMAFAS_120810_009.JPG: Norell Blass Halston Sprouse
An American Legacy
An American Legacy: Norell Blass, Halston & Sprouse highlights the achievements of celebrated fashion designers Norman Norell, Bill Blass, Halston, and Stephen Sprouse, all of whom hailed from Indiana. This exhibition offers a fresh look at these innovative designers and their lasting influence on American fashion and international style.
Ranging in date from the 1940s to the late 20th century, the garments on display represent each designer's unique artistic approach to decorating the human body.
Established in 1973 with the donation of five pieces from the estate of Norman Norell, the IMA's American fashion design collection now includes over 500 works from Norell, Blass, and Halston alone. An American Legacy features more than 50 of the most outstanding garments from this collection, augmented with major loans from the archives of Stephen Sprouse. It is the first group exhibition devoted to the work of these groundbreaking and prolific designers.
IMAFAS_120810_013.JPG: evening ensemble
Designer Halston | American | 1932-1990
Creation date about 1980
Responding to the glitz and glamour of the 1980s, Halston began adding elaborate beading to his graceful evening ensembles, many of which were made in India.
This fabulous lavender silk evening ensemble with an exquisite beaded jacket is characteristic of Halston's later designs. The jacket is encrusted with bugle beads and sequins, interspersed with long strands of bugle beads. The hem of the jacket and the cuffs are lined with additional strands of beads, creating a dense fringe. The accompanying floor-length silk halter-top dress, based on the form of a tulip, features a wrapped skirt and matching sash.
IMAFAS_120810_027.JPG: day dress
Artist Norell, Norman | American | 1900-1972
Creation date about 1957
This lavish summer day dress features a fitted sleeveless bodice with a modified scoop neckline, which is lower in the back than in the front. The neckline and armholes are adorned with appliquéd cut-out flowers, a feature that was often seen in garments by Chanel and other French couturiers of the time. A crisp single layer petticoat with horsehair supports the bouffant skirt. The hourglass silhouette is reminiscent of Dior's New Look, which he introduced in 1947.
IMAFAS_120810_030.JPG: cape suit
Artist Norell, Norman | American | 1900-1972
Creation date 1957-1958
This well-tailored cape suit is made up of a tunic-length cape and a matching straight skirt. Norell's mastery of cut and construction is evident in the architectural silhouette of the cape, where arched seams in the front and back of the piece create a sculptural effect. This new type of suit became popular for striking a balance between comfort and elegance, which was a combination highly prized by American women. Its dramatic shape also concealed any imperfections of figure.
IMAFAS_120810_033.JPG: day dress
Norell, Norman | American | 1900-1972
Creation date 1958
Typical of late ‘50s silhouettes, this two-piece dress has an exaggeratedly loose tunic top that pairs with a below-the-knee pencil skirt. It represents the greatest degree that Norell designs strayed from the shape of the body. The tunic concept was a style that Balenciaga introduced in 1955, and it reoccurred in many seasons. His special cut and construction -- in which the yoke and sleeves were cut in one piece, similar to this tunic top -- were widely copied. The fabric was possibly made by Ascher Studios in England, which supplied many couturiers in the 1950s and 1960s. The two large black buttons in the front and back were also inspired by Balenciaga's purist concepts.
IMAFAS_120810_036.JPG: day dress
Artist Norell, Norman | American | 1900-1972
Creation date 1960
This dress from the last Traina-Norell collection of 1960 displays a strong Chanel influence. In the spring of 1955, Coco Chanel introduced suits with flapped pockets outlined with piping in a contrasting color. In this dress Norell used black silk shantung piping to outline the front panel, the flaps of the two patched pockets, the collar, and the cuffs to create a dramatic contrast.
The dress was worn by Betty Furness during her on-camera appearances at the 1960 presidential conventions -- and in 1967 by Furness's daughter, when she held the Bible during her mother's swearing-in ceremony as the first consumer adviser to President Johnson.
IMAFAS_120810_040.JPG: day coat
Designer Blass, Bill | American | 1922-2002
Creation date early 1970s
Blass was renowned for his precise tailoring, which is exhibited in this perfectly aligned and brilliantly constructed coat. Highly graphic, the design of this striking fabric is reminiscent of the sinuous lines in Art Nouveau. The fabric was custom-made for the coat; the addition of a placket that conceals buttons underneath allows the pattern to flow without interruption.
IMAFAS_120810_046.JPG: evening dress
Designer Blass, Bill | American | 1922-2002
Creation date Summer 1963
This summer dress, which was worn by the American actress Betty Furness, is remembered as the dress of that year. A best seller, the dress was featured in a Harper's Bazaar advertisement for Maurice Rentner and made available at Henri Bendel, L.S. Ayres in Indianapolis, and Dayton's department store in Minneapolis.
Although its silhouette is simple, this dress features a molded bodice and a complex contour waistline -- a design element perfected by the couturier Cristóbal Balenciaga in the late 1950s. The dress exemplifies Blass's commitment to working with only the finest European fabrics. The multicolored printed linen used in this garment came from D. Porthault, a French textile firm specializing in luxury linens that opened its first boutique in New York in 1960.
IMAFAS_120810_049.JPG: Cocktail Dress
Designer Blass, Bill | American | 1922-2002
Creation date 1981
The cocktail dress, which had disappeared from fashion when pants took over in the 1970s, was revived by designers like Blass in the early 1980s.
This feminine summer cocktail dress is beautifully constructed in black and cream georgette. The backless one-shoulder bodice is fitted and secured by a single bias cord extending from the left shoulder to the right back. Throughout his career, Blass's use of ruffles was particularly effective. The dress is adorned with an array of asymmetrical, diagonally positioned bias ruffles that create a whimsical yet sexy look.
IMAFAS_120810_054.JPG: Bill Blass
evening dress, 1981
Worn by Nancy Reagan
IMAFAS_120810_067.JPG: coat
Designer Blass, Bill | American | 1922-2002
Creation date about 1968
Blass, perennially inspired by the male wardrobe, tailored this piece in lush machine-embroidered velvet, embellished with silver bugle bead trim. The coat is constructed with a Nehru collar, a component borrowed from Indian fashion, and the fabric used recalls Indian or Mughal influence. Further illustrating the impact of non-Western styles on his design, Blass pads the hemline, which is a construction detail frequently seen in kimonos.
IMAFAS_120810_068.JPG: evening ensemble (pajama)
Designer Blass, Bill | American | 1922-2002
Creation date 1980s
In the 1970s and 1980s, a number of fashion designers produced two-piece ensembles for both day and evening wear that were modeled after 1930s pajamas. The style was simple, but the fabrics they chose were usually interesting and unexpected.
In the 1980s Blass reintroduced the use of bright colors -- orange, emerald, hot pink, and yellow -- for formal and day wear. Reminiscent of a Mexican "Hacienda" dress, the blouse and wide-legged pants are constructed in companion prints, both abstract and executed in bold colors. The blouse has wide elbow- length sleeves set in deep armholes with a rounded notch collar. The collar, shoulder seams, and cuffs are adorned with precise pleating.
IMAFAS_120810_073.JPG: evening dress
Artist Norell, Norman | American | 1900-1972
Creation date 1966
The father of American ready-to-wear, Norman Norell, was celebrated for his well-proportioned suits and clean, precisely tailored silhouettes. He was considered one of the foremost American designers of his time, on a par with the French designers.
By 1944, Norell had launched the straight-cut chemise dress, a silhouette that became popular in the 1920s. This cocktail dress is encrusted with glittering rhinestones. Bugle beads are used to create a fringe around the hem of the dress and along the cuffs.
IMAFAS_120810_076.JPG: coat
Artist Norell, Norman | American | 1900-1972
Creation date 1968 -1970
Beautifully conceived and well-constructed coats were important and reoccurring in Norell's work. One of Norell's classic looks is the cape-collared coat. As was typical of late 1960s styles, the oversized collar resembles a capelet. The shape of the coat follows the contour of the body and calls attention to the upper part of the torso, which is gracefully rounded to stand away from the neck -- a feature that became a hallmark of his designs.
IMAFAS_120810_079.JPG: dress
Artist Norell, Norman | American | 1900-1972
Creation date 1968-1971
Norell's legendary reputation for perfection is evident in this deceptively simple day dress. The carefully fitted torso and molded waist are accentuated by the dramatic full skirt of blue and beige fabric. With every movement of the wearer, the skirt flares out to create an optically engaging effect. In another example of Norell's precision in cut and construction, the skirt's beige fabric was cut on the straight grain, using a technique called slashing. Navy blue fabric inserts were then added. The lining of the skirt is constructed with blue and beige fabric in a similar manner.
IMAFAS_120810_083.JPG: evening coat
Artist Norell, Norman | American | 1900-1972
Creation date 1953-1954
In his Fall 1953 collection, which became known as "Cupola" (or Dome), Christian Dior introduced coats and jackets with a wide, rounded barrel shape. This elegant Norell coat reflects the popularity of the Dior style, which was widely copied around the world. Made from Indian brocade of silk and metallic thread, the coat has threequarters- length raglan sleeves and is decorated with jewel-like buttons. The barrel style was short-lived, and by the mid-1950s prominent waistlines were again a strong design feature of dresses and coats.
IMAFAS_120810_089.JPG: evening dress
Norell, Norman | American | 1900-1972
Creation date Summer 1948
By 1947, with the end of wartime shortages in Europe, French couturiers such as Dior and Balenciaga introduced elegant feminine collections that incorporated yards of fabric. Soft, rounded shoulders replaced masculine- style padded ones, and dresses with long, full skirts and cinched-in waists became all the rage.
The skirt of this utterly feminine summer evening dress uses fourteen feet of fabric. The fine cotton organdy is decorated with cotton cording, which is sewn down by hand in a meandering floral motif. The oversized obi-like sash further accentuates the splendor of this dress.
IMAFAS_120810_092.JPG: day dress
Norell, Norman | American | 1900-1972
Creation date mid-1940s
In 1940, after 12 years of designing for Hattie Carnegie, Norell joined clothing manufacturer Anthony Traina and launched one of the most successful fashion lines in the United States. Norell was the first American fashion designer to have his own name on a dress label.
This classic shirtwaist dress, executed in a geometric diamond pattern of bold colors, is an early example of Norell's emphasis on designing simple, elegant, and well-made clothes. The short-sleeved fitted bodice with lightly padded shoulders has self-fabric button closures in the front, as well as a side zipper. The neckline is finished with a narrow band that ties in a bow at the front.
IMAFAS_120810_103.JPG: Stephen Sprouse
dress, 1977
IMAFAS_120810_130.JPG: evening dress
Designer Attributed to Halston | American | 1932-1990
Creation date 1970s
Halston created beautiful caftans that were both comfortable and flattering to a variety of body types. This piece exemplifies Halston's aesthetic by exhibiting his commitment to the use of fine fabrics, expertly devised layering, and distinctive surface treatment.
This caftan evening dress is composed of two layers of silk chiffon dyed in a gradated blueish gray to dark blue. The piece sparkles as the wearer moves, owing to the strategically placed rhinestones attached to the different layers.
IMAFAS_120810_133.JPG: evening dress
Designer Halston | American | 1932-1990
Creation date 1972
In the 1970s Halston and Andy Warhol collaborated on many projects. Warhol based the print of this dress on his series of successful poppy flowers, introduced in the 1960s.
The dress is made from a single length of fabric. One end is placed under the arm, the corners joined at the shoulder. The fabric is then wrapped around the back and under the other arm and attached at the shoulder. Seams are at the center front and back.
IMAFAS_120810_136.JPG: evening dress and stole
Designer Halston | American | 1932-1990
Creation date early 1980s
Fueled by the desire to eliminate non-functional details, Halston's minimalist approach to design led him to create clothing without the use of buttons, zippers, or pockets. Constructed of two layers of chiffon, this stunning evening dress closes with one hook on either side of the neckline. The floor-length columnar dress is complemented by a long, dramatic stole that significantly changes the visual effect of the ensemble depending on how it is worn.
IMAFAS_120810_140.JPG: evening dress 'Clouds'
Designer Halston | American | 1932-1990
Creation date 1982-83
After a visit to Japan in 1980, Halston sought out the Japanese textile designer Reiko Sudo (b. 1953) for collaboration. Sudo's hand-painted designs soon replaced the perennially popular tie-dyed prints that were characteristic of Halston's collections. Taking its inspiration from organic forms and nature, the original cloud print for this dress was hand-painted on silk by Sudo and later reprinted. Iridescent clear sequins cover the entire surface of the dress, giving it a subtle luster and sheen.
IMAFAS_120810_143.JPG: evening dress
Designer Halston | American | 1932-1990
Creation date about 1977
Halston perfected a technique for cutting and constructing elegant, columnar-style dresses. A signature look, the "tube" dress first appeared in his Spring 1974 collection, and he created multiple variations in future seasons.
Upon first glance, Halston's designs seem simple, but his refined construction techniques are quite complex. Cut on the bias, this dress is composed of one length of fabric expertly measured, cut, wrapped, and sewn with a seam spiraling around the body.
IMAFAS_120810_145.JPG: evening dress
Designer Halston | American | 1932-1990
Creation date about 1971
Inspired by traditional non-western dress such as the sari and the serape, Halston created flowing, shapeless garments that caressed the body.
The floor-length serape is tie-dyed in a feather-shaped motif that forms a large arch on the background. The shoulder areas are tie-dyed in an abstract spider web pattern.
IMAFAS_120810_148.JPG: evening coat
Designer Halston | American | 1932-1990
Creation date late 1970s
Halston was greatly influenced by the skill and engineering exhibited in works by the French couturier Madeleine Vionnet and the American fashion designer Charles James. Halston created a number of garments based on and inspired by landmark pieces in James's 1930s collections.
Reminiscent of traditional Chinese jackets, this exquisite, made-to-order quilted evening jacket is most likely based on a coat James created in 1937. Halston used fabric cut entirely on the bias and custom quilting to miter padded channels, creating what appears to be a straight-grain garment.
IMAFAS_120810_193.JPG: 1775
1770s
American War of Independence (1775-1783)
The Declaration of Independence (1776)
Panniers (side hoops worn as undergarments) were used to extend the width of skirts from side to side. Sleeves were long and narrow and dress were heavily decorated.
IMAFAS_120810_196.JPG: 1805
1800-1820s
Napoleon crowned himself Emperor in 1804
The American-British War of 1812 (1812-1815)
The empire or high waistline rose to just below the bust. Women rarely wore corsets. The chemise dress had a slender and natural silhouette. The sleeves were long tubes or shorts puffs.
IMAFAS_120810_203.JPG: 1835
1830-1840s
The Industrial Revolution (1780s-1840s)
First patent of the sewing machine (1846)
The waistline returned to its natural level and corsets with several petticoats were worn. Sleeves ballooned out from the shoulders and reached their greatest volume in 1835. They were known as "gigot" or "leg-o-mutton."
IMAFAS_120810_208.JPG: 1860
1850s-1860s
Darwin Origin of Species (1859)
The American Civil War (1861-1865)
Emancipation Proclamation (1862)
A dress support known as a cage crinoline, invented in 1850, made skirts large and round. Sleeves evolved into large open cuffs, known as "pagoda."
IMAFAS_120810_213.JPG: 1885
1870s-1880s
Montgomery Ward (1872), Sears and Roebuck (1887) opened and mail order catalogs were popular
The bustle was used to support skirt volume, which was now pushed to the back. Dresses incorporated asymmetrical draping and extensive pleating. Narrow sleeves and high collars became popular.
IMAFAS_120810_222.JPG: 1895
1890s
Women's suffrage movement
Motor cars (1896)
The silhouette emphasized femininity. Skirts were conical. Waists were small, collars high and large "leg-o-mutton" sleeves were popular. Bustle pads were used to add a subtle emphasis on the back.
IMAFAS_120810_228.JPG: 1905
1900s
The Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905)
Einstein's Theory of Relativity (1905)
Corsets were used to create an S-shaped silhouette. The S-shape emphasized a low, full bust, known as a "mono-bosom," that was pushed forward, and a small waist, with hips that were pushed backwards.
IMAFAS_120810_233.JPG: 1912
1910s
Ballet Russo (1909)
The sinking of the Titanic (1912)
World War I (1914-1918)
The silhouette was like a lampshade. The corset was loosened and then abandoned. Free-hanging panels and draped layers embellished the silhouette. Fashion was influenced by elements of "Orientalism."
IMAFAS_120810_238.JPG: 1925
1920s
American women gained voting rights (1920)
International Exposition of Modern Industrial and Decorative Art (Art Deco) (1925, Paris)
The silhouette was tabular. The waistline dropped to the hips and the bust was flattened. Hemlines gradually rose, reaching the shortest length just below the knew (1926).
IMAFAS_120810_243.JPG: 1935
1930s
Crash of the US stock market (1929) and Great Depression, World War II (1939-1945)
The ideal silhouette was long with broad shoulders. Hemlines dropped to mid-calf or to the floor. Fashion trends included bias-cut fabrics for evening dresses and tailored suits for day wear.
IMAFAS_120810_248.JPG: 1955
1950s
The Korean War (1950-1953), Rise of US economy, Birth of the Baby Boomers (1946-1964)
The feminine silhouette emphasized small shoulders, cinched waists and round hips. Petticoats were used to add volume to skirts. Fashion was influenced by Christian Dior's "New Look" (1947).
IMAFAS_120810_255.JPG: 1968
1960s
The Vietnam War, American Civil Rights Movement
President John F. Kennedy assassinated (1963)
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. assassinated (1968)
Fashion was radical and changed quickly. Women began to wear pantsuits and the shift or A-line dress. Blue jeans and t-shirts were also popular.
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Wikipedia Description: Indianapolis Museum of Art
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Indianapolis Museum of Art (known colloquially as the IMA) is an encyclopedic art museum located in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. The museum, which underwent a $74 million expansion in 2005, is located on a 152-acre (0.62 km2) campus on the near northwest area outside downtown Indianapolis, northwest of Crown Hill Cemetery.
The Indianapolis Museum of Art is the ninth oldest[note 1] and eighth largest encyclopedic art museum in the United States.[note 2] The permanent collection comprises over 54,000 works, including African, American, Asian, and European pieces. Significant areas of the collection include: Neo-Impressionist paintings; Japanese paintings of the Edo period; Chinese ceramics and bronzes; paintings, sculptures, and prints by Paul Gauguin and the Pont-Aven School; a large number of works by J. M. W. Turner; and a growing contemporary art collection. Other areas of emphasis include textiles and fashion arts as well as a recent focus on modern design.
In addition to its collections, the museum consists of 100 Acres: The Virginia B. Fairbanks Art and Nature Park; Oldfields, a restored American Country Place era estate once owned by Josiah K. Lilly, Jr.; and restored gardens and grounds originally designed by Percival Gallagher of the Olmsted Brothers firm. The IMA also owns the Miller House, a Mid-Century modern home designed by Eero Saarinen and located in Columbus, Indiana. The museum's holdings demonstrate the institution's emphasis on the connections among art, design, and the natural environment.
Founded in 1883 by the Art Association of Indianapolis, the first permanent museum was opened in 1906 as part of the John Herron Art Institute. In 1969, the Art Association of Indianapolis changed its name to the Indianapolis Museum of Art, and in 1970 the museum moved to its current location at Michigan Road and 38th Street north of downtown Indianapolis. Among the Art A ...More...
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2012 photos: Equipment this year: My mainstays were the Fuji S100fs, Nikon D7000, and the new Fuji X-S1. I also used an underwater Fuji XP50 and a Nikon D600. The first three cameras all broke this year and had to be repaired.
Trips this year:
three Civil War Trust conferences (Shepherdstown, WV, Richmond, VA, and Williamsburg, VA),
a week-long family reunion cruise of the Caribbean,
another week-long family reunion in the Wisconsin Dells (with lots of in-transit time in Ohio and Indiana), and
my 7th consecutive San Diego Comic-Con trip (including side trips to Zion, Bryce, the Grand Canyon, etc).
Ego strokes: I had a picture of Miss DC, Ashley Boalch, published in the Washington Post. I had a photograph of the George Segal San Francisco Holocaust memorial used as the cover of Quebec Francais (issue 165). Not being able to read French, I'm not entirely sure what the article is about but, hey! And I guess what could be considered to be a positive thing, my site is now established enough that spammers have noticed it and I had to block 17,000 file description postings for Viagra and whatever else..
Number of photos taken this year: just below 410,000.
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