Color Me Beautiful

As glossy images cover the majority of fashion in today’s society, it is rare to come across a designer sketch or illustration that conveys the emotion of fashion. Joelle Chariau’s has collected one of the most historical fashion illustration archives in the world, and is showcasing it for the first time to the public at the Design Museum London. Drawing Fashion is the enchanting look into the world of fashion illustration over the past 100 years. It showcases the famous works of the most creative illustrators at their career heights, alongside film clips of the artists at work.  

In the beginning of the 20th century, George Lepape took fashion illustration to a new level with the rising demand for magazine illustrations. His illustrations for Vogue covers and designers not only showcase the fashion of the times, but give personality to the settings in which it was worn. These drawings evoke the high spirit of the roaring 20s through the lighter and more embellished fashions of the period.

The artistic New Look, created by René Gruau for Dior in the 1950s, followed as the vision for modern magazines and advertisement. Gruau’s illustrations convey facial expressions and exemplify specific parts of the body, particular garments, and detailed fabric patterns.

As the exhibit moves into the late 20^th century, Antonio’s dynamic Pop Art images are impossible to miss. His illustrations for design houses and portraits of celebrities convey the influence of Andy Warhol’s lead in the 1960s and 1970s, and the cultural highs of the 1980s, with a cartoonish style.

Turning down the last corridor of the exhibition, today’s fashion illustrators give sight and hope to the future of fashion illustration. Current illustrators, including Mats Gustafson, François Berthoud and Aurore de la Morinerie, continue to capture the movement and light of fashion through different personal styles. 

The illustrations intertwine the beauty of fashion with cultural changes throughout the 20^th and 21^st centuries. Drawing Fashion is a visit into the past and a fashionable view of the future.

Design Museum London

28 Shad Thames

London SE1 2YD

Drawing Fashion

3 November, 2010- March 6, 2011

Opening Hours: Daily 10am-5.45pm, last admission at 5.15pm.

Office 020 7403 6933

Info@designmuseum.org

meeting the king of modern sportswear chic

tonight i was honored and completely blown away to meet the young and extremely talented Alexander Wang at Liberty's exclusive get together with Love Magazine. Alexander Wang's SS11 collection was at the fore front, turquoise metallic and all. my favorite looks, of course, were white from head to toe, perfect for spring and summer. 

it has been just a week since debuting his AW11 collection in new york and opening his first flagship store in the city and he is still on a global roll. his AW11 collection was a sportswear masterpiece of layering. a neutral collection playfully broken up by some pink and blue metallic skinny trousers. texture was key in the flow of the collection from nylon to leather to chunky knits and fur. structure and freedom  intertwined in a sea of chic.

shopping magnificence

harrods is the largest, most decadent department store in the world. it encompasses over one million square feet in retail space, with over 330 departments. founded in 1834, harrods has become the one stop shopping destination in the world.

from the many rooms of treats, oysters to desserts, to the floors of designer collections from all over the world, it is the place of luxury. profound designers have designated floor shops for their collections and accessories. it allows the five acre space to seem cozy and personal for shoppers.

 

the ground floor is home to cosmetics, beauty, accessories, and the world famous eateries and food departments. each room is themed from floor to ceiling in fruit, candy, seafood, etc. according to its shops.

the home decor departments are themed according to style and gorgeously arranged on display.

you can take the famous egyptian staircase, built in the 1960s to the very top and to the basement floor where the princess diana and dodi fayed memorial is set.

harrods is also owner over harrods bank, harrods estates, and harrods air. the bank is located on the basement floor for the rich and famous to spend, spend, spend.

happy shopping!

garden wall

in all the rain and gloom, a trip into anthropologie on regent street is an absolute must. not only does it have the wonderful clothes that i love and that bring the comfort of home, but it also has a perk in the gray of london winter. along left side wall of the store is a garden wall from the basement floor to the 3rd floor ceiling. many different kinds of plants live side by side and the store is constantly sunny inside, due to the "sun" lights surrounding the top floor ceiling. it is great for a splash of early spring brightness.

snow puppy

at home last week, chicago was hit with a major snow storm that i missed because i am 3000 miles away in rainy london. the whole area was shut down for at least a day, which never happens. everyone was snowed in. i was quite upset that i missed it, especially after my mom sent my these pictures.

the fresh juice secret

while wandering around belgravia and chelsea, i stumbled upon this really awesome pub, the thomas cubitt, on elizabeth street. it is a dim, grey wooden pub with a surprisingly beautiful turquoise and dark wood loo. the pub, named after one of london's masters in building during the 19th century, is one of four sister pubs in the neighbourhood, including the orange, the pantechnicon, and the grazing goat. the orange and grazing goat are pubs featuring a small number of beautiful hotel rooms.

i stopped in to have some tea and hang out, but my mind quickly changed when i saw fresh juice combinations on the menu (i am always up for that, eg. joe and the juice). i ordered pear, apple, blackberry juice and i believe that it was one of the best tasting drinks/food i have ever had! the pink juice had a layer of yummy pear and apple foam on top from freshly made. so perfect. so i sat and enjoyed my juice, some fresh baked bread, and the newest edition of harper's featuring gwenyth paltrow: what a great afternoon.