Future Beauty - Finally!

I finally made it, with one day to spare.

photo from Portland Monthly Magazine, photo Nathanial Wilson

This show from the Kyoto Costume Institute has been touring the planet for a couple of years, and I have had its dates on my calendar since it was announced last year. I just didn't think I'd be working or parenting every single day from June  though now. 

So I went early and stayed for hours, taking a lunch break with my sister, a break to buy a notebook (I FORGOT MINE!) and borrow a pen. Pages and pages of notes, and when I stop writing this, I go drape a pattern I figured out while I was there.

The arrangement of the manikins has varied from location to location. The above photo does provide a good example of one thing SAM got right; the flat version faces itself. Of course, by the time lunch had rolled past, this space was filled with people. No photography allowed, kids. 

Just click here for more about Final Home coat. I had heard about this project, it's a topic worth searching on. I had never seen one before in person. It was stuffed with fake flowers for this exhibit. Miss the point, why don't ya?

I didn't realize I would turn out to be such a Yamamoto fan, especially seeing

this boned FLANNEL dress The boning in the skirt follows the seams, which are on the slant (oh go to the dang link and read the copy and click on the real zoom button)

White silk and wool blend bias dress

Yes, very Vionnet.

What worked for me about this dress was seeing it next to a video of a runway show with it at the end (remember when the end of the show was the TaDAH! wedding dress reveal? When did that stop?). It's on the bias, and very wearable (thought the scowling model wouldn't let on). Lots of little stitches and hook and eye closures just under the arm (this view).

Lots and lots of runway collection videos; heard the comment over and over about folks coming back to just watch all the videos.

Amusing collection of monitors, all on one wall, crammed in a hallway with mid-eighties shows from Claude Montana, Yves St Laurent, Alaia Azzedine , JP Gautier, a real early Lagerfeld Chanel collection (when he used the 5 and the other icons as appliques and fetish objects). There was a lot of snickering from the viewers, somehow forgetting how much they loved what they were watching when it came around the first time.

Repeat viewers talked about evenings where the patrons were as well dressed as the manikins. There were some swell things, mostly Miyake (including me in one of my many versions of top from Vogue 1257). 

This boiled wool (aka felt) dress has a pocket (welt) on the other side, about hand level. Alright!