Word: vionnet
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: during 1980-1989
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...author gushes a bit over Karl Lagerfeld, a cheeky, fluent idea man, and finds nearly invisible depth in the creations of Hardy Amies, a reliable but stodgy British tailor. The book is hobbled by rather arbitrary categories she imposes to organize her designers: artists (Fortuny, Mary McFadden), purists (Chanel, Vionnet), architects (Balenciaga, Charles James), realists (Norman Norell and Miyake, of all people). Also, although it may be patrician not to talk about money, the vast fortunes made by the likes of Saint Laurent and Lauren go unrecorded, making the tone sound occasionally naive...
Milbank has a fine eye for social comment. Her heart may belong to purists like Madeleine Vionnet or wits like Lagerfeld, but who are the most influential designers? High on her list would be Molyneux, Adrian, Givenchy and Lauren--because of the way they dressed show-biz stars. Molyneux popularized the slinky chic of the '30s with his costumes for Gertrude Lawrence in Private Lives. Adrian, a West Coast designer snubbed by the fashion establishment, camouflaged Joan Crawford's broad shoulders by exaggerating them and produced the dominant look of the '40s. When Jacqueline Kennedy brought elegant dressing...