Happy birthday to the one and only Paul Poiret, the couturier, artist, iconoclast, and host extraordinaire who surely deserves his place as the greatest figure in the pre-World War I fashion world. Poiret's impressive vision of lush fabrics, rich colors, and bold prints created maximalist and joyful looks that continue to inspire designers and fashion lovers today. Despite his enormous success, he was unable to hold onto his fame and fortune and died in poverty.
Read MoreThe first major installation in New York on lace in more than 40 years: Threads of Power: Lace from the Textilmuseum St. Gallen exhibit at the Bard Graduate Center (September 16, 2022 – January 1, 2023) captured the attention of textile enthusiasts everywhere. Exhibition curators Emma Cormack and Michele Majer answered all of our burning questions about lace, while contemporary lace artist Elena Kanagy-Loux, offered her personal take.
Read MoreBorn on this day in 1930 in New York City, Ringgold created an impactful vision. For over 50 years, her art and activism have been at the vanguard of anti-racism and feminism.
Read MoreThe work of Suzie Zuzek (1920-2011) received some well-deserved attention this past year. A beautiful monograph, “Suzie Zuzek for Lilly Pulitzer: The Artist Behind an Iconic American Fashion Brand, 1962-1985”, a solo show at the Cooper Hewitt, and a stellar presentation by Susan Brown, Associate Curator of Textiles at the Cooper Hewitt and co-author of the book, all shed light on Suzie’s beautiful but little-known work.
Read MoreThe beauty of handcrafted objects of the highest quality has always been appreciated by interior designers—and is more appealing than ever to end consumers eager for a break from mass-production and tech. While the appreciation for the handcrafted has waxed and waned in the US, Mexico never strayed from the commitment to hand craft. Building on deep roots, Mexican designers like Caralarga are forging a new tradition of sublimely modern and socially responsible design.
Read MoreOn February 19th, 2020, a massive retrospective of nearly seventy works by Rosie Lee Tompkins (1936-2006), an accomplished African-American quilt artist, opened at the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive (BAMPFA). A new awareness of her creations as true pieces of art, encompassing masterful color choices, sharp social commentary, and brilliant composition, is emerging.
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