Reading: Christian Lacroix on Fashion

I am reading the above book as a starting point for research for our Lacroix Sweetie exhibition. The book was produced to accompany an exhibition at the Les Arts Decoratifs Musee de la mode De Textiles Paris, 2007-2008. The book is a visual feast and I am dissapointed that I was unable to see the exhibition in person. Lacroix use the historic collection and juctopositioed his work with the historical to produce a narative on fashion.

I also own this book and have not looked at it for a long time. I am revisiting each on to re connect with Lacroixs' assetic.

This is a great little book and was the first of the set of fashion books I bought in the late 1990's.

This book is missing from my collection and I know I own it but have lent it in the past and it has not come back"home". So looks like it's hello amazon!

I am enjoying the reading and research, I am using this as my visual diary. It is such a visual feast.

A list words Mr Lacroix uses to discribe textiles, fashion, art in general.

draperies
grandiose
mixtures

flowers

colours

pattern

texture
cobwebs

strong

delicate

full

My Words to discribe Lacroix

colour

texture

liquid

mad

exuburant

Bright

lussious

delicate.

structured

contrasting

heart

floral

multipule

sophistication

unusual

art

contemporary

historical

The list is never ending.
How am I going to use these words? I wonder how Mel will interperate these books.

Bella:)

A Little Trip to NSW Gallery

Earlier in the week I had a quick trip to Sydney to see the gallery and Kynokuniya book store.
We saw a stunning exhibition of 17th Century Japanese woodblock prints. I was more impressed with the Wynne and Sulman Prizes than the actual Archibald Prize - a stunning show of really interesting contemporary art.
I've been feeling a little lost lately so I thought a couple of basic books might pep me up. How to be an Explorer of the World is a wonderful book - lots of fun - and reminders.

And these were a little treat - I love them!

--mel

New Warp On..

Who'd have thought I'd finally get another warp on? Ok, so it's double weave tube scarves, with rayon, overtwisted wool and 8ply worsted wool. I hope it turns out how I'm hoping it will - there are 5 scarves on there. I'll keep you posted when they are off.

.. and this is how much threading I have done - a whole 3 centimetres. Guess what I'm doing tomorrow?

--mel

From My Front Garden

It has been raining quite a lot here lately and interesting things keep popping up. I think I am a little obsessed with natural shape, line and texture.

The lines on these folds I find beautiful.

The spores inside are supposed to be wonderful for dying, but I have yet to try them. I collected a few to try.

I was being watched closely.

--mel

More from Julie Ryder's Exhibition

These are a few extra detail pics from Julie's exhibition.









--mel

My next lot of Japanese textiles

Yesterday I visited KimoYES and to make a purchase of some fabric. Some vintage but not all and some woven and some printed. Jill the owner was wonderful and let me look through her "Shop" and I had a ball I could have bought lots more but had to think of how the M/C would hold up.
After I had made my purchases Jill gave me some Obi offcuts as a gift. KimoYES has a promotion at the moment with purchases. Above is a sample of some of the Obi pieces. I love the backs of them as much as the fronts.

Fabrics from Japanache in Mittagong

My Bag of Goodies

Fabric 1 - Back

Fabric 1 - Back

Fabric 1 - Front

Fabric 2 - Back

Fabric 2 - Back

Fabric 2 - Front

Fabric 3 - Back

Fabric 3 - Front

Fabric 4 -Front

Fabric 4 - Front

Fabric 5

Fabrics 1-4 are pieces, these came in a roll of "scraps" I have unpicked most of them and washed them. i have to say they were quite dirty. These are the only nice woven pieces from the 2 pack. Fabric 5 is a roll I bought and has about 4- 5 mts on it I think.