Was on a Lovecraft pilgrimage in Providence, RI today when, summoned by air conditioning, I drifted in to the Rhode Island School of Design’s Museum of Art and overheard that today is free day. So the elevator breezes me up to the third floor, the doors open, and to my left there are blown-up 1954 René Bouché illustrations for Vogue and on the wall ahead are cycling movie clips of stylish people drinking. Whoa. Ok. It’s the museum’s “Cocktail Culture” exhibit. It’s outstanding, and tomorrow’s the last day (10am-5pm).

Red silk dress with cartridge pleats from the “Cocktail Culture” exhibit at the RISD Museum of Art. Designed by Norman Norell and Anthony Traina (under the Traina-Norell label), ca. 1949. From InStyle’s great slideshow of the highlights. The exhibit ends tomorrow (July 31st).

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Before we’re caught in the rip current of Fashion Week, a few words of appreciation for Txell Miras’ Fall/Winter 2011-2012 collection. Miras’ stubborn achromatism highlights her talent for layering fabrics and textures. Most of the looks are modern (”modern” here being interchangeable with “post-apocalyptic”) and, as always, her patterns keep the eye busy.

Fortunately for the models, they were all supplied with miners’ lamps to puncture the gloom. Some favorite looks and pieces:

Detail shot of above.

Great jacket patterns:

Love the exaggerated cowl hoods:

This should be interesting. In 1985, Malcolm McLaren commissioned a screenplay from Alan Moore for a film he was trying to get made called, Fashion Beast. The story is supposed to be loosely based on the life of Christian Dior and is, “…an updating of the Beauty and the Beast fable set in the fashion world”. Fashion Beast was never made into a movie, but next year Avatar Press is planning on releasing Moore’s screenplay as a 250-page graphic novel adapted by Antony Johnston (who adapted Moore’s Light of Thy Countenance - well worth the read) and drawn by Facundo Percio. The script can be downloaded here.

A page from Fashion Beast without colors or lettering.

For folks near Cambridge, MA, the Mobilia Gallery is showing “The Teapot Redefined 2010″ now until at least November 6th. Donna Rhae Marder’s sewn lace and wire teapots are included in this exhibit, which “explores the possibilities of the teapot form” using a variety of techniques and materials.

“Oval Geometric Lace Teapot”

“Oval Geometric Lace Teapot”, detail

Marder’s teapots are an homage to her mother, who passed away earlier this year. They are brilliantly crafted from her lace garments.

“Steaming Lace Teapot”

“Beige Lace Teapot”

“Beige Lace Teapot”, detail

I am so impressed and inspired by Renata Morales’ Fall 2010 collection. The output from her Montréal atelier over the last three seasons shows a delightfully idiosyncratic and highly technical style. It is a rare treat to find designers who aren’t slaves to the trend weathervane; who blaze their own trail. Below are some looks from her Fall 2010 collection.

From the Renata Morales Fall 2010 collection modeled by the stunning dancer, Mistaya Hemingway.

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There was an electric spirit in San Francisco’s City Hall the day I got married. Mayor Gavin Newsom had recently legalized same-sex marriage and I will never forget how moved I was to be getting married alongside same-sex couples. The news today that a federal judge has struck down Prop 8 makes me deeply happy.

From the SF Chronicle: Stuart Gaffney (left) and his husband John Lewis wait at the Philip Burton Federal Building for Chief U.S. District Court Judge Vaughn Walker to issue his ruling on the constitutionality of Proposition 8 in San Francisco on Wednesday.

Alexander McQueen was a visionary and losing him extends beyond the realm of fashion.

The Space Needle as interpreted by Sean Dietrich

Couldn’t make it to Emerald City ComiCon and was informed I missed Sean Dietrich - one of my favorite artists/writers. (My husband came home with some of his original art so I didn’t totally miss out.) I met Dietrich three years ago at ComiCon and remember him being approachable and a pleasure to talk to. For folks in San Diego, he live paints in various clubs downtown. He’ll be painting along side My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult at the Beauty Bar May 26th.

Beauty Bar flyer

The newest collection from Sandra Backlund, “Ink Blot Test”:

photo by Peter Farago

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The attraction to Everlasting Sprout’s a/w 2007-8 “Charm” collection is due as much to the idea behind the looks as to the skillfully worked knitwear itself. Keiichi Muramatsu and Noriko Seki explain that what inspired them for this collection, “…was a series of pictures taken by Eugène Atget. The pictures capture the old streets of Paris, but more importantly the light that has been enclosed in the pictures gave us a lot of inspiration. The main idea is the scene in which one man falls in love with one girl. The girl is so beautiful that she is shining, even in a black and white picture.”

Everlasting Sprout, a/w 2007-8 “Charm” collection

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