Friday, January 20, 2012

Happy Birthday Fleur!

Fleur Cowles in 2003 at her apartment in London, wearing vintage Balenciaga.

Happy Birthday Fleur Cowles! 

Cowles would have been 104 today. She was born on January 20, 1908 in New Jersey and died June 5, 2009 in London. Cowles was a true original. She was described in a 2010 Town & Country article as being "petite, perfectly coiffed, and flamboyantly chic". She was never seen without her signature amber-tinted, oversized horn rimmed glasses and was know for dressing in bold prints and huge, antique statement jewelry.

But Cowles was best known for founding Flair magazine in 1950 in New York. Even though the magazine only lasted a year, it was a landmark publication that left an indelible mark on publishing history and is still considered by many to be one of the most innovative magazines in the history of publishing.

First issue of Flair Magazine.
Flair introduced a new form of magazine. It covered fashion, travel, art, decor, and literature - something that had never been done before.

Seven page feature in Flair by Salvador Dali that includes multiple die-cut images of his surreal imagery.
Flair's contributors included artists such as Salvador Dali, Rene Gruau, Lucien Freud, Edgar Degas, Jean Cocteau, and Saul Steinberg. It featured articles written by acclaimed writers such as W.H. Auden and Tennessee Williams. Flair also included contributions by such famous personalities as Winston Churchill and Eleanor Roosevelt.

Saul Steinberg pull-out for Flair Magazine.
Flair was a pioneer in it's day not only for it's content but also for it's innovative design such as see through die-cut covers and pop-up pictures. This was to be the magazine's downfall. While it sold well on the newsstand, it was too expensive to produce.

Fleur Cowles in the 1950s.
In 1955 Cowles moved to London with her fourth husband, British timber tycoon Tom Montague Meyer. She became a doyenne of English Society. She was known for her dinner parties and counted among her friends everyone from Cary Grant, Marilyn Monroe, and Salvador Dali to the Queen Mother and Winston Churchill.

Painting by Fleur Cowles from the 1960s.
Cowles went on to become a painter, author, and philanthropist among other things.



In 1975 Limoges Denby created a china pattern using Cowles paintings. The pattern was called 'Jardin de Fleurs' and featured her beautifully rendered flowers and insects. 

Cowles was truly an inspiring woman!


Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Art in Fashion

I have been looking at the Spring 2012 shows on-line and noticed that many designers are drawing inspiration from great works of art. 

Kate and Laura Mulleavy of Rodarte channeled Vincent Van Gogh by drawing inspiration from his paintings of sunflowers and starry nights for their vibrant prints and fabrics.

Vincent Van Gogh, Sunflowers, 1888

Rodarte Spring 2012

Vincent Van Gogh, Starry Night, 1889



Rodarte Spring 2012

Moschino looked to Frida Kahlo's self portraits for inspiration.

Frida Kahlo, Self Portrait, 1940

Moschino Spring 2012

Sportmax referenced Monet's Water Lillies for it's prints and color palette.

Claude Monet Water Lillies, 1916

Sportmax Spring 2012

Raf Simons of Jil Sander was inspired by Picasso's ceramics.

Pablo Picasso, vase, c. 1947

Jil Sander Spring 2012
Referencing great works of art in fashion is nothing new. In the 1970s a company called, Goldworm created a line of "Artists' Series" dresses that featured great works of art that were printed onto their signature knits. 

Goldworm dress from the 1970s featuring Claude Monet's Water Lillies.
Goldworm was a knitwear company founded in New York City in 1928 by Gertrude Goldworm. In 1947 Goldworm joined forces with a small knitwear company in Italy. This allowed Goldworm to create American fashion but with traditional Italian craftsmanship. Goldworm became known for their high-quality knitwear. 

Goldworm dress from the 1970s featuring Henri Matisse's "Interior in Aubergines". 
Goldworm received many honors including the Coty Award in 1957. Goldworm also became the first American company to receive the Premio Mercurio D'Oro - Italy's highest award for commercial and economic achievement.

Goldworm dress from the 1970s featuring a Tahitian painting by Paul Gaugin.
Even Barbie is getting in on the action! Mattel recently released the "Museum Collection" Barbie. It consists of three specialty Barbies each dressed to represent a painting by a great artist. The one below is dressed in a "Starry Night" inspired gown much like the looks at Rodarte!
Barbie Doll inspired by Vincent Van Gogh


Thursday, January 12, 2012

Coco Says...

Coco Chanel
"In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different" - Coco Chanel

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Everything Old is New Again: 2012 Pre-Fall Collections


Givenchy 2012 PF

The Pre-Fall 2012 Collections are being shown and once again designers are looking to vintage eras for inspiration. The photo above is a look from Givenchy's Pre-Fall 2012 collection. The designer, Riccardo Tisci said that the collection was influenced by the 1950's silhouettes of Bettie Page as well as 1970s French horseback riding. I love seeing how designers take vintage inspirations and interpret them into something fresh, new, and innovative.