My newest book:
Poiret's dresses in Paris and now at the Met Museum
Happy Mother's Day! This morning my daughter made me delicious blueberry pancakes with a raspberry compote and sliced apricots for breakfast. She then suggested we go to the Metropolitan Museum together!
We saw a fabulous show of Paul Poiret in the costume galleries. This picture is from the NYTimes, from their review. The dresses were so beautiful, with luxurious, exotic fabrics and colors. Plus, the displays were marvelous, with murals painted by a French set designer Jean-Hugues de Chatillon. I just felt immersed in the world of Paris and Poiret.
Poiret founded his maison de couture in Paris in 1903 and for about 20 years was "The King of Fashion". His dresses were simple, loose, draping constructions, very different from the tight, constricting dresses customary at the time. He did not have training in tailoring or dressmaking, and admitted that he couldn't actually sew all that well. In the exhibition there is a very cool digital animation, showing how out of one single length of silk, without any cutting and only a little bit of sewing, a kimono-like dress is made. He dressed many famous performers of the day, including Sarah Bernhardt and Isadora Duncan. He collaborated with Raoul Dufy to create beautiful textiles for his fashion designs. Poiret was part of the theatrical world so popular in Paris, feeding off of all kinds of influences including Diaghilev's Ballets Russes. He threw huge costume parties in the center of an exciting and creative Paris. But in the end his theatrical and decorative style became outdated. He closed his business in 1929 and Chanel took over the fashion spotlight with her little black dress.
I definitely recommend this show, on through August 5th 2007. Here's the Metropolitan Museum website
On our way home we went to my favorite neighborhood bakery, Patisserie Margot, to get delicious cakes. Very nice Mother's Day!