Good Reading-- Style Book II: Pattern and Print

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5MKU6msS9nUGzbsE1Z_6VYCUwi-BR9YjMH7IJznXFXeiOdZsfPHJTfqn9fzcEg9wwVKzF30NE3hqM9oGTt-3Ovj5XJ6Uq7PhmoQqJ93P_l7NiAIXbIwgnWHza5xH101HjfQVrRMm0m1XS/s1600/Style+Book+II+cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5MKU6msS9nUGzbsE1Z_6VYCUwi-BR9YjMH7IJznXFXeiOdZsfPHJTfqn9fzcEg9wwVKzF30NE3hqM9oGTt-3Ovj5XJ6Uq7PhmoQqJ93P_l7NiAIXbIwgnWHza5xH101HjfQVrRMm0m1XS/s400/Style+Book+II+cover.jpg" width="457" /></a></div><br /><br />Now that the holidays are over and we can get back to what we were doing about a month ago, I find myself spending my morning coffee with a great little book that was given to me at Christmas, "Style Book II: Pattern and Print". This recent fashion publication is different from many of the other chunky photo collections in that it is centered on design inspirations and influences for fashion and textiles. <br /><br />In some ways, this is like sitting down with a talented design student's clipping files, and going over each category or style. The book is grouped into nine subject areas where patterns are related. Visual groups on international textiles, florals, graphics, plaids, dots and more are packed between the covers. The images are both recent and date back in time, providing a well rounded view of fashion inspirations during the 20th century and before. <br /><br />At times it is possible to see a photo of an 'original' design influence on one page, and a more current fashion influenced by that on the other page. Sometimes this works, sometimes it doesn't. But overall, it's a fun way to re-think how we see and value fashion. It is also a reminder that when we dress, we are usually inspired by an earlier version or an original version of that fashion. <br /><br />This book has little to say about each photo, and I am OK with this since it really is a picture book, not a research document. The author, Elizabeth Walker, projects a very British point of view in her choice of images and comments. Her written notes are fine most of the time, but her POV does carry some examples of subjective commenting when objectivity would be more scholarly. Most of the photos in the text are from Getty Images, which probably made the process of assembling works with permission to publish alot easier to accomplish. <br /><br />I would recommend this book to any design student or those who are interesting in textile design. It will also appeal to readers with a visual bent who want to learn more about the source of fashion design and how inspirations are utilized as fashion evolves. <br /><br />

Good Reading-- Style Book II: Pattern and Print

Now that the holidays are over and we can get back to what we were doing about a month ago, I find myself spending my morning coffee with a ...

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Let's Talk About: Chanel Metiers d'Art, 2013 & Historical Inspiration

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg217/pintucks/Pintucks%20Blog%20Photos/Slide2-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="350" src="http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg217/pintucks/Pintucks%20Blog%20Photos/Slide2-2.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br>The Chanel Metiers d'Art for Fall 2013 has been buzzing big online this week. In part, it was the lush use of Scottish textiles and heather colors that caught the eye of everyone who has seen it. But another facet of this collection are the direct references to Elizabethan era fashion, men's apparel in particular. This slide shows both a runway look and men's doublets from the late 1500's that could have inspired it. <br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg217/pintucks/Pintucks%20Blog%20Photos/Slide3-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="350" src="http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg217/pintucks/Pintucks%20Blog%20Photos/Slide3-2.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br>Lagerfeld has always shown an interest in using historical references to inspire his work, and this design from the early 1600's is a great example of how skillfully he can take a strong historical silhouette and create modern fashion that feels new and exciting. <br><br> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg217/pintucks/Pintucks%20Blog%20Photos/Slide1-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="350" src="http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg217/pintucks/Pintucks%20Blog%20Photos/Slide1-2.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br>The three slides shown include several runway ensembles along with original historical portraits. I hope they help to demonstrate how closely Lagerfeld used the late 1500's to mid-1600's as design inspiration. The women in black dresses with white lace accents from 1600's were obviously used to inspire this black dress on the runway. It also is easy to see where he worked with current trends for line, silhouette, color and texture to produce dramatic and new design ideas that are clearly derived from the past. <br><br>It is brilliant and creative collections like this one that drive fashion forward and give us something to talk about and try out for ourselves. Keep your eye on Fall 2013, we may see more of styles like these as other brands modify and copy Lagerfeld's lead. <br><br><br><i>This original article on fashion is part 9 of a series called <a href="http://pintuckstyle.blogspot.com/p/fashion-design.html"><b>"Let's Talk About:"</b></a> that is posted only here at Pintucks. The contents of this article are the intellectual property of this blog. Please do not copy any content or images to another blog or digital media without contacting me first. I will ask that you link back to this article and give reference to this source within your feature. If you are using content or images for a research paper or project, please link back to this page in the traditional academic format, thank you! </i><br><br>

Let's Talk About: Chanel Metiers d'Art, 2013 & Historical Inspiration

The Chanel Metiers d'Art for Fall 2013 has been buzzing big online this week. In part, it was the lush use of Scottish textiles and hea...

Read more »