DANCE & FASHION

One of the most inspired exhibitions we’ve seen so far this fall is Dance & Fashion at the FIT Museum, quite superbly curated. It was lovely to see at close range costumes from some our favorite ballets, those of very recent years and also those from as far back as the early 19th century. It was also fantastic to learn of the work of designers I had no idea designed for dance such as Gianni Versace and quite thrilling to see iconic costumes like those worn by Martha Graham and Judith Jamieson. And it was such a treat to watch once more David Michalek’s Slow Dancing film featuring his wife Wendy Whelan that was part of the Dries Van Noten exhibition in Paris earlier this year. The catalog is well worth your time, and I imagine the two-day Dance & Fashion symposium on October 23 and 24 will be too.

Dance & Fashion will be on view through January 3

www.fitnyc.edu/museum.asp     

THE POWER OF STYLE: VERDURA AT 75

Coco Chanel’s original “Maltese Cross” cuffs designed by Duke Fulco di Verdura circa 1930

A wonderfully special exhibition opened today, The Power of Style: Verdura at 75. This retrospective of master jeweler Duke Fulco di Verdura (1898-1978) features over 150 jewels designed and created by Verdura himself as well as his objets d’art, photographs, gouache jewelry designs and archival materials. Curated by Carolina and Reinaldo Herrera, who were personal friends of the jeweler, and their daughter Patricia Lansing, The Power of Style celebrates the 75th anniversary of Verdura on Fifth Avenue. Duke Fulco di Verdura, an Italian aristocrat, began his career at Chanel in 1927 after being introduced to the fashion designer by mutual friends Linda and Cole Porter. In 1934, Verdura left Chanel for Hollywood and later New York where he established his own brand in 1939. Over the course of his nearly fifty-year career, he built a notable clientele that included Diana Vreeland, Joan Fontaine, Babe Paley, Marlene Dietrich, Joan Crawford, Millicent Rogers and Greta Garbo, and became one of the most important and influential jewelers of the 20th century.

The Power of Style: Verdura at 75 is on view through December 23 at 745 Fifth Avenue, 12th Floor, in gallery space adjacent to the Verdura flagship store

www.verdura.com/power-of-style



   

THE FIFTIES: FASHION IN FRANCE, 1947-1957

Photograph Pierre Antoine

If I was in Paris right now I would be heading straight to the Palais Galliera, Musée de la Mode de la Ville de Paris, to see The 50s: Fashion in France, 1947-1957. These are my absolute favorite years in fashion history, with Christian Dior leading the charge in France with the New Look, and Balenciaga, Pierre Balmain, Jacques Fath and so on. I swoon..

The 50s: Fashion in France, 1947-1957 runs through November 2. Be sure to take a look at the exhibition video here

www.palaisgalliera.paris.fr

YADDO

This past weekend Yaddo, the hallowed and very private artists’ retreat in Saratoga Springs, opened its doors to the public for only the sixth time in its 114-year history. Situated on 400 acres of stunning wooded property, Yaddo has hosted (and continues to do so) well over 5,000 artists, across five disciplines, in stays that range from two to eight weeks. Yaddo’s roster of celebrated guests includes Leonard Bernstein, Louise Bourgeois, Truman Capote, Noah Baumbach, Sylvia Plath, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Langston Hughes and Aaron Copeland. There is something so tremendously inspiring about this place, we felt it all around us. Among the countless standouts we’re still thinking about are the lovely cocktail room, the communal dining room and the magnificent Tiffany & Company fireplace in the 19th-century art-filled mansion. A glass mosaic frontispiece depicting a phoenix rising out of fire and ember, illuminated by the glow of the actual fire behind it. We can only imagine how breathtaking it is when in use. We’re also still thinking about Katrina Trask, a poet in her own right and the founding patron of Yaddo, and a true romantic and visionary. It was she who envisioned this haven where artists could create freely and without interruption, this haven that has made such a profound impact on the development of the arts in this country. And no less important, we learned that white was her personal color, which she wore exclusively, and love was her chosen emotion. LOVE.       

www.yaddo.org        

CALVIN KLEIN COLLECTION

Photograph www.vogue.com

I couldn’t let New York Fashion Week pass by without saying a word about the Spring 2015 Ready-to-Wear line from Calvin Klein Collection presented yesterday. Simply put, I love every single piece. The palette of navy, red, black and white, and the long, lean silhouettes make these pieces feel decidedly modern, and for me, overwhelmingly appealing. Exactly what I dream of wearing when the weather turns warm again. 

THE ROW

Photograph www.style.com

I am a huge fan of The Row and loved their Spring/Summer 2015 Ready-to-Wear collection presented yesterday during New York Fashion Week. Very clean and quiet, slightly monastic, and very right.

MAGIC IN THE MOONLIGHT

Photograph www.sonyclassics.com

Despite the generally tepid reviews, I really enjoyed Magic in the Moonlight. Classic Woody Allen and the ideal summer movie, the costumes were lovely, the scenery transporting and the film itself very easy to watch. It was like a perfectly wrapped gift. And to be honest, I would see anything with Colin Firth…