Displaying items by tag: accessories

From lavish gowns to little black dresses to practical sportswear to a creepy-crawly necklace, fashion is the subject of a comprehensive art show and chic adventure at the Legion of Honor.

“High Style” covers the evolution of modern women’s clothing design through displays of 65 dressed mannequins and 35 accessories from the Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Dating from 1910 to 1980, these pieces include seminal designs by luminaries from the French couture houses and by celebrated and lesser-known American artists. Special presentations salute Britain-born American designer Charles James and some of American fashion design’s leading women.

"That coat has been round the world. That's when I actually started to make some money!" Pierre Cardin says, stopping in front of a flared, red design among the first exhibits at his new museum in Paris. 

One of the last survivors of the great post-war French fashion houses, Cardin, at 92, still heads a sprawling business empire.

"Back then I hadn't yet become Pierre Cardin. I hadn't found my voice," he says, in uncharacteristically reflective mood.

The avant-garde designer, known for his geometric shapes, dresses decorated with circular and rectangular motifs and  astronaut's headgear, has always tended to look forward rather than backward. But he is making an exception today.

While the Minneapolis Institute of Arts might not be the first place you'd expect to get your style fix, that may change with the opening of its exhibit devoted to Italian fashion.

"Italian Style: Fashion Since 1945" is a look at how Italy grew to be a fashion powerhouse, tracing its path starting at the end of World War II to the present. With a story told through 100 ensembles and accessories, with works from major fashion houses including Gucci, Prada, Versace, Valentino, Armani, Fendi, Pucci, Missoni and Dolce & Gabbana, "Italian Style" is a history lesson with stunning looks and a dash of Hollywood glamour.

In 2013, New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art sold 3,290 objects worth a total of $5.4 million -- the institution’s highest revenue from such sales in eight years. So far, $3 million worth of paintings have been sold in 2014.

The works, which were offered at auction, previously resided in the museum’s storage facility. In 2013, the Met reported a $4.4 million operating deficit, which was said to be caused by Hurricane Sandy and other factors. The institution stated that the proceeds from the sales did not go toward its debt. Rather, the museum sold the works to refine its collection and to make room for future acquisitions. Museums are forbidden by the state Board of Regents from selling artworks in order to fund operating costs.

The Met sold Old Master paintings, Renaissance works, and clothing and accessories from its Costume Institute. The museum currently owns upward of 1.5 million objects.