Ice Blue Satin Wedding Gown
One of my favorite time periods is the 1930’s. That is why I picked the Ice Blue Satin Wedding Gown form The Meadow Brook Hall Costume Collection that Frances Dodge wore for her wedding in 1938. It is absolutely beautiful. “Of course royalty and those with a high social standing always dressed at the height of fashion, sparing no expense” (Way Back When, 2006). Still, I have never seen anyone wear such a color. This is an old poem that says how the color of your wedding dress will affect your future; “Married in white, you will have chosen all right. Married in grey, you will go far away. Married in black, you will wish yourself back. Married in red, you’ll wish yourself dead. Married in blue, you will always be true. Married in pearl, you’ll live in a whirl. Married in green, ashamed to be seen, Married in yellow, ashamed of the fellow. Married in brown, you’ll live out of town. Married in pink, your spirits will sink” (McIntyre, K, N/D).
Before the 1900’s, women were able to have more color choices (As the Years Went By, 2006). It was more acceptable not to wear white (As the Years Went By, 2006). Brides continued to dress in a manner befitting their social status. Always in the height of fashion, with the richest, boldest materials money could buy. Those without unlimited resources did the best they could, while the poorest of brides wore their church dress on their wedding day. The amount of material a wedding dress contained was a reflection of the bride’s social standing. The more material used, the more sleeves flowed, the longer the train, the richer the bride’s family was apt to be” (As the Years Went By, 2006).
Typically, you have the white or off white wedding dress worn present day. “Today’s bride can get married in almost any style. From an ornate designer dress to a more informal beach wedding dress it’s a given she’ll look beautiful in whatever style she chooses” (Evolution of the White Wedding Dress, 2006). But, “Wedding gowns were not always white. The marriage of Queen Victoria to her cousin Albert of Saxe- Coburg in 1840 has had more influence on weddings than any other. Queen Victoria put the wheels in motion by marrying in white. Though brides continued to wed in gowns of different colors, white was now set as the color of choice for weddings and has continued ever since” (McIntyre, K, N/D).
During the depression, the popularity of the white dress did fade a bit (Evolution of the White Wedding Dress, 2006). “It was a different story during the depression when women were married in their Sunday best. During World War II, many brides felt it was inappropriate to get married in a lavish white dress, and chose church dresses or a good suit for their wedding attire. After the war, a prosperous era dawned and wedding dresses reflected this. Formal white wedding gowns became the fashion. Shades of white, such as cream, off white or ivory are all acceptable wedding dress colors” (Evolution of the White Wedding Dress, 2006).
I love how at first when looking at the garment Frances Dodge wore; it does not look like much. I thought it was a simple, classic, chic, and elegant dress with a flowing drape when viewing the photo. When I looked at the pictures marked detailed, that is when I noticed all of the wonderful embellishments. You see embroidery and the beading around the waistline and the back, along with the gothic styled buttons down the arm. To me, it looks as if it was done by hand. The description reads, “Ice blue satin wedding gown, which according to the designer, was "inspired by the simplicity of ancient Grecian art." The gown has beaded decoration at the waist in an acanthus leaf pattern and a four-and-a-half yard scalloped train. Frances Dodge, for whom the gown was made, also wore a veil of ice blue illusion bound with blue satin held in place with a tiara of illusion decorated with seed pearls. According to Aubrey Eads, president and spokesperson for Peggy Hoyt in 1938, "The procession of bride and bridesmaids was the most wonderful wedding procession, the most exquisite in design, that we (Peggy Hoyt) have ever created. (Meadow Brook Hall Historic Costume Collection. 2006)”.
The designer, Peggy Hoyt, was originally born in Saginaw, Michigan in 1893 (Digital Dress, 2006). From a young age she seemed to take interest in the creative arts making clothing for paper dolls or drawing (Digital Dress, 2006). It was when her father passed that her and her mother (Caroline Stephens) moved to New York to find a better life (Digital Dress, 2006). Only that did not happen at first (Digital Dress, 2006). They struggled financially for many years before any relief occurred (Digital Dress, 2006). Peggy Hoyt was quoted saying, “As a small child, I had all the pretty frocks that any little girl could wish. Then, when I was five, we lost everything we had, and for a long time before his death, which came a few years later, Father was ill and unable to resume his business. Mother made up her mind to get a job at once. She decided to leave Saginaw, Michigan, which had been her home for years, and come to New York. Here, she believed, she would have a better chance to get work which would eventually lead to more than a bare living. Also, she foresaw the educational advantages I would have in a great city” (Digital Dress, 2006). Then one day, “Caroline Stephens found a job as a comparison shopper for a large department store, eventually working her way up to one of the highest salaried European buyers for the store” (Digital Dress, 2006).
When Peggy graduated from her all girls school, at age 17, she “preferred to become an apprentice in a Fifth Avenue millinery shop instead of making her debut. By 1915 she established her own shop under the name Peggy Hoyt, Inc. She started the shop, which was located on upper Fifth Avenue, with $300 she had borrowed from her mother, 3 years later moving the business to 16 East Fifty Fifth Street. She soon became “one of the foremost American designers of gowns and millinery, she offered the Parisian ateliers their first serious competition. In 1920 Hoyt’s costume designs for Colonel Henry Savage’s revival of “The Merry Widow,” were a huge sensation” (Digital Dress, 2006). In 1926 she did over one million in business, and not long after she went into theatrical costume design (Digital Dress, 2006). Unfortunately, she had an untimely death (Digital Dress, 2006). Peggy Hoyt died from pneumonia on October 26, 1937(Digital Dress, 2006). She was buried in Detroit’s Elmwood Cemetery “Hoyt’s work continued after her passing with her mother and husband maintaining the establishment. Eads guarded his wife’s sketchbooks, which after his death were to become the property of the New York Public Library” (Digital Dress, 2006).
Frances Dodge grew up during the great depression (Frances Dodge, 2006). It started in 1929 when the New York stock market crashed, but lasted through the 1930’s and early 1940’s (Building the Hall, 2006). The more industrialized of a country you were, the more the crash affected the economy of that nation. From reading up on the family and the bibliography of Frances, the depression did not seem to affect her family or their estate too much. Three weeks into the depression, the housewarming party for the Meadow Brook Hall still went on as planned (Building the Hall, 2006).
The Doges built the Meadow Brook Hall mansion at a cost of $4 million. Life went seemed to go well for the Dodges (Building the Hall, 2006). Frances mother, Matilda had her hand in the beginning of the project to the end (Building the Hall, 2006). She went on two architectural tours of England to research exactly how she wanted the place to look (Building the Hall, 2006). “Her decorator, Wallace Newton, once said, "She would listen to my advice on design, but not color. She preferred stout colors. She did not like veneered furniture. She wanted solid woods and marble and set out to build a suitable monument for her children, heirs to the Dodge fortune” (Building the Hall, 2006). She had much inspiration from the 16th, 17th, and the 18th centuries (Building the Hall, 2006). Even though her inspiration came from England, most of the materials that were used were all American (Building the Hall, 2006). Many wealthy families of the time would just import such things as entire rooms of paneling and furniture (Building the Hall, 2006).
Frances Dodge did not grow up to be the typical woman as most women born into wealth are not average. History says much more about her life, “Frances was born in 1914 to John and Matilda Dodge, the couple’s first of three children. Her father died in January 1920 when she was only 5. After her mother settled her father’s estate, Frances traveled with her mother, brother Danny, and sister Anna Margaret in 1922 on an extended vacation to Nice, France, in the French Riviera. The family stayed abroad for more than a year before returning to the United States. In April 1924, Frances’ sister died at the age of 4 from complications following the measles after the family had returned from Europe. Her mother was remarried in June 1925 to Alfred Wilson, co-founder of the Detroit-based Wilson Lumber Company, and built Meadow Brook Hall on the family’s Meadow Brook Farm estate. When the hall was completed in 1929, Frances was 14 and moved to the hall with her mother, stepfather, and brother. In 1930, her parents adopted Richard, an 18-month-old boy. They then adopted Barbara, a 3-month-old girl, in 1931. Frances finished boarding school at Mt. Vernon Seminary in 1933. Her debutante ball was held in Detroit that same year” (Frances Dodge, 2006).
“In 1934, Frances accompanied her parents on a six-month trip to Egypt, India, Spain and South Africa by ocean liner. Frances married James Johnson in July 1938, and had one daughter, Judy, who spent much of her childhood at Meadow Brook Hall. Frances’ brother Danny was married just a month later in August 1938 to Laurine MacDonald and died on his honeymoon after being injured in a gunpowder explosion and drowning” (Frances Dodge, 2006).
“On Frances’ 25th birthday in 1939, a party was held at Meadow Brook Hall, in which a young Frank Sinatra sang accompanied by Tommy Dorsey and his 22-piece orchestra. On that day, Frances also came into her share of the trust fund her father left, which totaled $9.5 million. An internationally known horsewoman, Frances was a pioneer in the harness and saddle horse world. She became interested in show horses at an early age and founded the Dodge Stables at Meadow Brook Farm, where she bred harness race horses. In 1940, she set a record for time in the saddle at the Red Mile that stood for 54 years. In 1945, she purchased Castleton Farm in Lexington, Ky. In 1948, Frances and James divorced. The following year, Frances married Frederick Van Lennep and moved Dodge Stables to Castleton Farms. The couple had two children, Fredericka and John” (Frances Dodge, 2006).
“Frances and Frederick owned and managed a few racetracks including Pompano Park in Florida and Wolverine Raceway in Michigan. Throughout the years, they were leading supporters of many harness racing organizations, including the Lexington Trots Breeders Association, Tattersalls, Hamletonian Society, Hall of Fame and Grand Circuit. In 1969, The Horseman & Fair World, a weekly harness racing publication, honored the Frances and Frederick with the coveted Horseman Award. When first notified, Frederick said, “Give Frances all the credit. It belongs to he” (Frances Dodge, 2006).
“Frances’ stepfather died in April 1962 from a heart attack. Her mother also died of a heart attack in September 1967. A day after Frances and Frederick celebrating their 22nd wedding anniversary, Frances became ill at their winter home in Deiray Beach, Fla., and died the following morning at a Boca Raton hospital on January 24, 1971, at the age of 56. Funeral services were held at William R. Hamilton Funeral Home in Detroit on January 27, 1971, and she was buried in Detroit. She was survived by her husband; two daughters; a son; brother Richard; sister Barbara; a stepson, Hector McNeal Van Lennep; and a grandson, James William Bartlett” (Frances Dodge, 2006).
Today, Meadow Brook Hall is part of Oakland University (Meadow Brook Hall Today, 2006). Four years after Matilda (Frances Dodge’s mother) passed, she donated the estate's 1,500 acres and $2 million dollars to the present Oakland University (Meadow Brook Hall Today, 2006). 100,000 people a year go and tour the historic mansion (Meadow Brook Hall Today, 2006). "Knowledge of the past helps people face the challenges of the future, she (Matilda) once said. Matilda also understood that it is through the preservation of properties like Meadow Brook Hall that future generations will have the opportunity to be inspired and educated by their history” (Meadow Brook Hall Today, 2006).
References:
As the Years Went By. (2006). Love To Know Corporation. Retrieved November 26th, 2006, From
http://weddings.lovetoknow.com/wiki/History_of_the_Wedding_DressDigital Dress, 2006, Designer Bio; Peggy Hoyt, Retrieved November 6th, 2006, From
http://lumprod.wayne.edu/cp/tag.8f53ea675ab50d0e.render.userLayoutRootNode.uP?uP_root=root&uP_sparam=activeTab&activeTab=u28l1s53&uP_tparam=frm&frm=frameEvolution of the White Wedding Dress. (2006). Love To Know Corporation. Retrieved November 26th, 2006, From
http://weddings.lovetoknow.com/wiki/History_of_the_Wedding_DressMcIntyre, K. (N/D). From Times Past, The History of the White Wedding Dress Retrieved November 20th, 2006, From
http://www.fromtimespast.com/wedding.htmMeadow Brook Hall Historic Costume Collection. (2006). Retrieved November 6th, 2006, From
http://dlxs.lib.wayne.edu/cgi/i/image/image-idx?g=costumegroupic;c=hcc;q1=weddings;rgn1=hcc_su;sid=1be9958744d32bf9177b139523e13922;size=20;lasttype=boolean;view=entry;lastview=thumbnail;subview=detail;cc=hcc;entryid=x-01-und-32-und-38;viewid=ET01A01_32_38D;start=1;resnum=1Meadow Brook Hall & Gardens. (2006). Meadow Brook History: Building the Hall. Retrieved November 7th, 2006, From
http://www2.oakland.edu/oakland/OUportal/index.asp?item=3758&name=Meadow+Brook+Hall+History&site=87Meadow Brook Hall & Gardens. (2006). Frances Dodge. Retrieved November 7th, 2006, From
http://www2.oakland.edu/oakland/OUportal/index.asp?item=3996&site=87¢eronly=yMeadow Brook Hall & Gardens. (2006). Meadow Brook Hall Today. Retrieved November 7th, 2006, From
http://www2.oakland.edu/oakland/OUportal/index.asp?item=3758&name=Meadow+Brook+Hall+History&site=87Way Back When. (2006). Love To Know Corporation. Retrieved November 26th, 2006, From
http://weddings.lovetoknow.com/wiki/History_of_the_Wedding_Dress
Detroit Historical Museum
I am not sure what I anticipated going into The Detroit Historical Museum, but I did not expect to see what I did. Walking in to the museum did not seem very special. Looking around I see this boring front desk and in front of the desk is a couch with no back. Going further inside we met Bob our Volunteer tour guide, and stand beside a large bronze beaver. Bob was so enthusiastic about introducing us to the museum. He told us about how the French settled Detroit originally. They did so because of the fur trade and the strategic location of the settlement. After 60 years the British fought France for Detroit. The British won. 1805 Detroit burned and was left with just one house standing. They rebuilt and Detroit thrived. I thought he did a fantastic job on our introduction to Frontier to Factory, our first stop of our morning.
Frontier to factory was a small exhibit. It went trough the time where Detroit was just starting to blossom with industry and trade. You first see a Native American to your left. He is almost shown to remind you that they were still here before any of us were. There was many different sections explaining about the many industries and who was first to start them. If you pressed certain buttons character actors were taped to portray these wonderful frontier people. They really embodied this spirit or nostalgia that helped with the walk through tour.
Down stairs I was able to see the Streets of old Detroit. This was really amazing. It was a mini town set up like Detroit in the 1900’s. Everything from the very first K-mart, drug store, salon, shoe store, bank, etc… was in the basement. Some of the places you were able to go in to observe. They had mannequins in full costume dress performing certain everyday tasks such as shaving a man in a barber shop. Others had decorative store window displays set up. The actual street was made of brick, and as you make your way to the back it turned to stones. If you closed your eyes you could just hear the horse’s clip clopping, carrying the buggy, down the unpaved road.
On the second floor you will see the Digital Dress: Women About Town exhibit. At that moment I felt I really needed to sit down for a minute to collect myself. The garments were beautiful. Right above one of the dresses Matilda Doge wore was a quote by Paul Poiret, “To dress a women is not to cover her with ornaments, it is to underscore the endowments of her body, to bring them out and stress them”. To me, accentuating the body correctly is what true beauty in fashion is. That is what these dressed did. Sizes did vary for the items. All were put together with such accurate measurements and extraordinary precision to fit the many different body shapes. My favorite dress was the vintage Christian Dior gown that Elizabeth Park Firestone wore. I can see why, from just viewing a few of her items, she was named one of the 1950’s best dressed women in the world. My tour ended with a quote from the remarkable Bill Blass that was on the back wall above the 1960’s area, “Sometimes the eye gets so accustomed that if you don’t have a change, you’re bored, It’s the same with fashion, you know. And that, I suppose, is what style is all about”.
Comedy
#1 At the end of this essay, de Botton favorably compares comics to other artists. What does he see as the role or purpose of art-particularly comedy-in a society (Botton,397)?
To answer that question I have to use a long quote. "Comics, no less than other artists, hence fit rewardingly into Matthew Arnold's definition of art as a discipline offering criticism of life. Their work strives to correct both the injustices of power and the excess of out envy of those positioned above us in the social hierarchy. Like tragedians, they are motivated by some of the most regrettable aspects of the human condition. The underlying, unconscious aim of comics may be to bring about, through the adroit use of humor, a world in which there will be a few less things for us to laugh about" (Botton,396).
I think what he is saying is that using comedy; you can get away with saying more controversial things. Past issues that have arisen over the years capitalize on being funny but having a particular thing they want to point out. Maybe it is a character flaw in someone important or an important policy being overlooked by the government. Just as we talked about in class, using comedy can put a spotlight on touchy subjects that would otherwise not be mentioned for the fear of offending someone. I think that humor is a good thing most of the time. If you were to get into trouble you could use the excuse that it is all in good fun, I was just kidding, trying to joke etc... That takes the heat off what you really meant to say.
What it really comes down to is the fact that free speech is important. Being able to use comedic relief to express what you need to is ingrained in entertainment across America.
Cranbrook Art Museum: When Philip Met Isabella
WHEN PHILIP MET ISABELLA Philip Treacy’s Hats for Isabella Blow Saturday, June 3, through Sunday, August 27, 2006Cranbrook Art Museum will present an exhibition of the extraordinary hats that the Irish designer Philip Treacy made for his friend and muse, Isabella Blow. The exhibition, When Philip Met Isabella -- Philip Treacy's Hats for Isabella Blow, draws on work from the private collections of both Treacy and Blow, and opens on June 3,2006. Since their first meeting on a fashion shoot in 1989 when Treacy was a student at the Royal College of Art, Blow has been his staunchest supporter and a constant source of inspiration. After leaving the RCA, he lived and worked from the basement of her London house for three years. Many of his most surreal and sculptural hats have been made for her. “Issy never says: ‘You have gone too far,” says Treacy. “She always says: ‘You haven’t gone far enough. ’”The presentation of When Philip Met Isabella at Cranbrook Art Museum is generously sponsored by Julia Reyes Taubman.
http://www.cranbrookart.edu/museum/treacy.htmlThis was taken from one of the pamphlets I have on the exhibit:
"Cranbrook Art Museum presents the US debut of an exhibition of extraordinary hats that the Irish designer Philip Treacy made for his friend and muse, Isabella Blow, the former Fashion Director of Tatler magazine. Organized by the prestigious Design Museum, London, and curated by Donna Loveday, When Philip Mew Isebella is full of humor and imagination and reveals why Treacy is known as the master of modern hat making. Born in Ireland, Philip Treacy studied fashion design in Dublin before winning a place at the Royal College of Art. As well as founding his own successful hat business, he has made haute couture hats for such fashion houses as Chanel, Valentino, Gianni Versace, and Alexander McQueen. This exhibition features Blow's personal collection of Treacy hats, including such works as the Ship, an astonishingly realistic replica of an 18th-century French ship with full rigging, and Gilbert and George, a fantastical concoction of pink and green lacquered ostrich feathers named after two of the most influential contempory British photographers".
I went to the exhibit just the other day. These two people have been talked about in all of the major magazines I have read lately. Most speak of inspiration and wonderful designs. I had to see what all of the talk was about. I was not disappointed. The displays were set up in one large room. Not only where there many hats on display but there were pictures and a documentary on past photoshoots and runway scenes with the models wearing the hats. Some are so unique it was hard for me to see how you would wear them. The movie cleared that up right away and helped set the mood of what sort of inspiration the designer was thinking of when he visioned it.
Beyond the hats you find yourself learning about Isabella’s friendship with Philip. She commissioned him on most of the hats he made. Isabella urged her friends to buy from him. It sounded like she made him a better known person by who she was and the connections she had from the magazine. It was interesting because as an observer you only get her side of the story since it is her collection on display. I wonder if there was more to the relationship then what is said on the walls of the museum (there was lots of history, including a time line, and sponsors, written on the walls to fill empty space). Two people who are that close is seems unusual to not have been romantic at some point
Cranbrook is beautiful itself with many things to see such as Saarinen House, The Gardens, The Institute of Science, and Cranbrook House. I will be going back soon to take the Saarinen House tour. That house is an architects dream, a masterpiece of Art Deco design completed in 1930.
The Brain In Love, Benedict Carey
#1 According to Carey's essay, scientists discovered the effect of love on the brain is like being on drugs. "The (MRI) pictures showed that the experience of romantic attraction activated those pockets of the brain with a high concentration of receptors for dopamine, the chemical messenger closely tied to states of euphoria, craving, and addiction. Biologists have linked high levels of dopamine and a related agent, norepinephrine, to heightened attention and short-term memory, hyperactivity, sleeplessness, and goal-oriented behavior. When they’re first captivated, Fisher argues, couples often show signs of surging dopamine: increased energy, less need for sleep or food, focused attention, and exquisite delight in smallest details of this novel relationship". I have taken two classes at Wayne State that speaks identically of what this story is saying. Drugs and Behavior in Society and Human Sexuality were talking about how the brain works when you are introduced to another who sparks that interest or how it responds to certain chemicals. They really do go hand in hand. The same areas of the brain were stimulated with the person that you are in love with like you had just did a line of coke or shot up. The news does not really surprise me but it sort of takes all of that magical romance out of what you are feeling. Knowing that it is just chemicals in your brain that are making you feel certain powerful and emotional responses takes the fun out of dating or the relationship itself. I could go snort some cocaine and feel the same (I would never want to experiment in such a way) That thought creped me out me a bit.
20 Simple Tips for the First Date
#5 After reading the three sections in the book, I realized that I have my own rules for dating that I go by. Some are very similar to the 20 rules Samantha Daniels wrote about. Some are not. I am a very high maintenance girl in the appearance area of myself. For instance, If I am going on a date (we will say a date is going out to dinner) the guy should not be wearing jeans. I love to dress up. I am not into jeans, never really have been. I do not feel comfortable in them. I think that a women should look her best at all times. Jeans are not for looking your best. I have a three day calling rule. If you are interested in something calling me within the three days is probably a good idea. Any longer and I probably lost intertest and will assume you have too. Out of site out of mind. Most of the things that I want or that I expect out of people are things that I would expect myself to do or not do. Most men that I meet have no chivalry, respect, irresponsible, and unreliable. First impressions are important with dating as they are with a job interview. I sort of look at it like you are interviewing each other for a position. Weather that idea matches up is what the date is for. So showing up in jeans is not really looking your best. Would you do that in a job interview?
To answer the question Although The Rules was met with heavy criticism when it was published because of it's built in assumptions about women's roles, doesn't "20 Simple Tips for the Perfect Date" operate under the same sets of beliefs? Why, then, might some readers find The Rules unacceptable, but "20 Simple Tips" palatable? The 20 Tips just seem curtseys towards people. A respect for the person whom you spent time with or who you will be. To me The Rules are telling me that if I do not "Wait" for the right guy I am going to get all the wrong ones. That is the most retarded thing I have herd. It is not the Man's job to put forth all the effort in relationships. In my eyes that should be equal. The reason why certain things worked like coming out parties was because of the era. They did not have the internet where people can connect instantly for whatever reason. No cell phones or T.V. Time moves forward, I think it is good to incoperate certain things into dating, ethics and morals are important, update versions of rules, but I will not place someone else's happiness above my own. When I am married there will be compromise. I try to live my life by this quote "I swear by my Life and my love of it that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for the sake of mine". Ayn Rand 1964 Atlas Shrugged
Tarnation
This was an unusual film to start off with. Deeply troubling and overwhelming are the words that come to mind. Not a poor documentation of someone's mystory in the least. I did feel really confused most of the time while I was watching it.
I thought it was interesting in the beginning how uneducated the parents were about shock treating their daughter. They do not say if they did any research other then what the doctors told them. I know that any sort of big thing, like a surgery, I would have researched and assessed. Then, if I had any doubts in my mind at all, it would not happen. It that community and time period that was how they handled disorders. Just because on the outside a person seems fine does not always mean in the inside that is the case. Falling off a roof is traumatizing to begin with. Who knows what sort of nerve damage ect....happened that just needed time to repair itself with proper care. The parents seem to have solidified their daughters ill fate with that shock therapy.
Who knows if the entire story is true though. It seemed that everyone had some sort of mental disorder or personality disorder. Personal accounts do not always match up when it is only told through one person. I know he had much on film, but I still think it may be a little more one sided. Especially, when Jonathan was "interviewing" his mother Renee. She was pretty bad. Some of her accounts of things probably did happen. There were things she said that were questionable. Especially after the lithium overdose. Sadly, she had brain damage. Correct recollections of memory's would have me worried.
I would really have liked to know more about the father. I am sure he would have given great insight on the family and Renee before Jonathan was born. I would have liked to see more of that in the film. At least it he seemed to find romance and perhaps a loving normal relationship with that guy in New York. I was happy for him he found someone who did not have a psychological problem.
For Jonathan to be into the Gay community at such a young age was different for me to see. Especially since he was dressing up as a goth girl to get into clubs. It did not surprise me that he did get really into theatre and directed school plays. He is very artistic and creative. Could it have been the drugs at such a young age? We still do know exactly how ones brain works after taking mind altering drugs. To what extent was the damage? He was still developing and growing as a young boy.
Something that I notices that with most families you have a tradition. It could be birthday celebrations, Christmas, or thanksgiving etc... I did not see any in the film. It was full of pain early on. The foster care people beat the poor child. It is amazing the boy is not more screwed up.
Technology was important to this film. If Jonathan owning a camera at a young age helped him to document and make his movie. I really think it was an outlet for him. One might think that looking through that camera lens you are just filming a scene in a movie. That it is not real. Me said that he became disconnected and felt like he was walking through a dream. I think he put in the movie that it was depersonalation disorder.
"Feelings of detachment or estrangement from ones self are signs of depersonalization. Although these feelings are difficult to describe, individuals with this disorder will report feeling as if they are living in a dream or watching themselves on a movie screen. They feel separated from themselves or outside their own bodies. People with this disorder feel like they are "going crazy" and they frequently become anxious and depressed".
http://www.athealth.com/Consumer/disorders/Dissociative.html That was a huge theme in the movie, those feelings and memories connected with them.
New York Study Tour: Donna Ricco Critique
This was my favorite stop we made along our Tour. I thought Donna
Ricco was a wonderful and down to earth type of person. She had great insight
to tell us and was extremely informative about her market. She knows that
nothing will sell without the right design and the right color. When she designs
she also knows most women want something that will make them look and feel
good. Misses are the majority of women that she caters to, sizes 18-24 second,
and petites last. She recently has decided to start producing sizes 0-4 to fit
more of a variety of her customer base. This is smart on her part. I am sure
she will increase her sales. She is also increasing sales by launching her
internet site http://www.donnaricco.com. That will be a good opportunity for
her to grow as a business and as a brand. Many retailers are limited so the
internet is important because there is ability to grow on-line.
What really intrigued me was when she was speaking about other brands
such as Zara or H&M. The clothing is made to fit Spanish or Sweetish people.
She said many American’s have a harder time fitting into the clothing because
of the size differences and the way the garments are cut. European body
styles are much different then American, as are Asian.
Many designers use color services such as the Color Association. Donna
exclusively owns all of her colors. It takes a lot of time and development but
she has a great team that pulls colors from any sort of color inspiration they
work with or are looking for. It is important for Donna to identify what exactly
she is looking for, for her inspiration. She looks at original artwork prints as
one source. Art combined with fashion important. She will find a style she
likes and expands on it.
To update a best seller, sometimes she will take one create new versions
retailed the season before. She knows they already did well. Just changing
the colors can be very profitable for the next season. It just depends on her
vision and what the consumer would buy. Her line gets edited based on what
buyers choose and what did well in the store before.
Every season has a color story. Trend Boards were important to Donna.
She had one for just about every look or fabric she was creating. She keeps in
mind all the trends and puts them together. When she decides, she creates an
original of everything. She works directly with a factory in China. They will
also make a sample just to make sure things are right like the color.
Donna works about a year ahead. Currently, she is already working on
the summer for 2007. Her trend forecast for the near future are: crinkle
cotton in colors for next year along with crinkle silk in small dots including:
red, black, and white. Many seasons are being looked upon at the same time.
You can find her dresses at White House Black Market and most Federated
stores including; Dillard’s, Marshall Fields, Lord & Taylor, and Macys
*Blogging about*New York Study Tour:Fashion Institute of Technology Critique
These items were the best of the best to be put up on display at the Fashion & Textile History Gallery: The Tailor's Art May 23 - November 4, I think going to The Fashion Institute of Technology was the icing on the cake. Being able to view The Tailor’s Art was such a defining moment for me. It was a smaller gallery then what I had expected. I thought it would be as large as some of the exhibits we had seen at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. After seeing the Fashion and Textile History gallery, I am glad it was smaller. It made the experience more personal, I felt less rushed to get through every area, and I was actually able to read the offered
material on the items.
The pieces that were put on display were elegant and very beautiful. They were
tailored to such perfection. I was impressed with many of the designer’s creations.
Visually the museum was set up very attractively with readable explanations of each
piece below it. It started from around the 18th century to present day for the collection.
They do rotate the pieces out with different themes etc... It includes textiles, accessories,
and even sample books that are showcased. The tour was at your own pace. I was really
in to this day suit from 1937, one pant suit from John Galliano, 1993, and this spectacular
silk/lace/ruffled dress from France, dating 1905.
I think this stop was important for both design and merchandising students.
Learning about the past always helps to improve the future. Knowing a “historical
overview” fills in the whole picture for me. In the pamphlet we received it states,
“Tailoring is one of the most important elements in the history of modern fashion. An
immensely technical craft requiring the precise measuring, cutting, and sewing of fabric
in order to highlight the idealized human form, the tailor’s art has had a profound impact
on the aesthetic development of fashion for 250 years”. It is part of our culture, not just
us but globally. That is what it is, global.
New York Study Tour: Worth by Design Critique
We had the head designer for Worth direct our tour for this stop. It was really hard to hear what she was saying sometimes because the design studio was jam packed with things and people working on many projects at once. Looking around the rooms we went to, most were messy and cluttered with designs, fabric, pieces, illustrations, or the latest magazines. We were able to see some of the line on the models pictures that were taken. The head designer showed us how and what they would do to put together an advertising catalogue. Since they are one of the few designers that still only do direct selling, she explained to us how that worked. They sell their clothing by having a representative go to a home or by having a trunk show. She mentioned there about 500 representatives in the nation.
I did barley hear what the head designer was saying about going to Europe 2 times per year for something and there are mills for fabric that they use that Chanel and Escada used as well. Many of their fabrics would mirror theirs. Gwen Stephani came up a few times through the trip as a style icon but I made note of it at the worth collection. I liked that Ocsar De La Renta’s sweater designer freelances for Worth. Kind of puts that couture spin on garments.
Many times if she is searching for something like paisleys they would go to the Fashion Institute of Technology and look for ones that have been archived. They work a year ahead using trend boards and color stories to keep track of lines they are working on. Every season they do three different groups of color stories for instance, one group would be black and white. Things that sold well are anniversaried for the next year or season.
I thought it was great that a private company not traded on the stock exchange would let us take a tour with their head designer around the Worth Collection. I think that this offered a different outlook on how things can be sold and marketed to people. Directly going to someone’s house to update the wardrobe really makes the line look so much more exclusive and prestigious.
New York Study Tour: Color Association Critique
Margret Walsh was the intelligent older women who spoke to our group about the
knowledge she has accrued over the years of being in her business. I think she was a
great speaker. She is here to project color into the future for two years at a time. She
says it has been going on since 1915. Not so much how it is now, but that is when it
started. Forecasting is based on a notion. Color is based regional and local. Color will
sell and sales will happen because of beautiful pallets. Every major corporate company
has a forecasting department. Right now she has 2007-2008 colors forecasted.
Change is built into forecasting fashion and in merchandising. Fashion thrives on
change. Interiors have anywhere between a 7-12 year cycle. Fashion is around a 2 1/2-5
year cycle. Men and women have 24 colors each for a season forecasted. Interiors have
54 colors. They have more because they last longer and need a broader spectrum. They
are inspired my many things such as nature or vintage. Standardized color is so popular
so used and revered. It is important for retailers to be on the same page for a season with
a color story.
Pink and Green are still going strong with an unusual 6 years for being popular.
Margret says that, “soon Red and Blue will take their place”. Black is this undying
achromatic color that has been classic for years. It was once only worn for a special
occasion such as mourning or as a uniform if you were a waiter. She said that umbrellas
were all black in New York until just recently. They switched to all sorts of different
colors. Personally, I do not see this, but Margret noted that orange has also been strong for the last 15 years.
Texture important is women’s clothing. Women are experiencing the return of
the dress. It is new feminity see women’s legs again. Women are dressing up more.
Men are embracing more color onto their wardrobe. It is showing with men’s dress
shirts, ties, sportswear, and gulf wear.
New York Study Tour: Macy's Critique
This stop was to be amazing. I thought that we would get an entire being the scenes look at everything from the visual aspects, to how the buyers decide what goes into stores, and maybe meet a few important managers to make a few connections for networking. Unfortunately, something happened to the tour manager not too long before our scheduled time. We did end up going but the replacement was a actor/musician who works there part time. Still, he put on a good show. I remembered what the young product developer said about turning things in to a positive experience. I did not get the super cool tour but I did learn a lot of other unexpected things.
Mainly our new guide talked about history how the Macy's in New York was the largest store defining America for generations. He talked about Macy's struggles from his first store to the one that still stands now. I like the fact that if he failed he would learn from his mistakes. Take them into consideration. Re-thinking his idea to do something better and more likely to succeed. It was a good history lesson on how they got the red star from Macy's military tattoo. Today if someone were to do something like that, in my opinion these days it would be considered unclassy and taboo. Most of the United States seems to be a little more conservative.
They employ 5,000 people on average on any given time. During the holiday's they add about 3,500 more. They see around 30,000+ guests a day. When it comes to tourism, they rank third on the list for places to see. The store is so huge I can see why. Floors upon floors of clothing and shoes for men, women, children, accessories, home accessories, brand after brand, line after line. The store needs renovation but it does have so much history in those old walls.
He did go into one of the private labels called INC. Along the lines of what a Gap would be. They wanted something easy and simple that would make money. They wanted to be more competitive in the market and a private label does that with making the store more money since they own that line.
We did not leave empty handed. We were given a 11% off coupon since were from out of state visitors. I think all Federated stores do that if you can prove you live someplace else. I thought that was important because you can track the people using it, as in how much they spend or what they are buying, and it makes people happy. Reinforcing their brand loyalty, making them more likely to come back and shop again.
