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OBJECT REVIEW: EARLY 20TH CENTURY ERMINE COLLAR

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The early 20 th century saw a change in the fashion industry. Fashion was becoming more diverse and reformed, hems became shorter and a sense of androgyny was explored in cuts and designs. This ermine collar (pictured below) is from this period, dated between 1900-1930. The collar was manufactured by Brooke Tyrell in Ireland. Made of silk and ermine fur and measuring at 820 mm in length by 115 mm in width, the collar is a delicate and glamorous item. On the exterior, the cream fur has four dark brown tail tips and is soft to touch. The interior is lined with cream silk and has a hook and eye fastening as well as a decorative chain. The garment is in good condition on the outside, but on the inverse there are noticeable signs of wear, such pulled threads and small orange stains. Furs and collars have “always been a sign of opulence in dress” (Bond, 1981, p12) for women. In the 1900s, this garment would have been worn by the rich, especially so as it is made of ermine
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THE HISTORY OF CHINTZ

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Cotton is one of the biggest global commodities, and has been for many centuries. Originating from India and arriving in England in the mid-1600s, it revolutionised the fashion industry as well as changing the economy as it became globalised, connecting the whole of the Western World through exchange of cotton. Chintz, a textile made from cotton, has an importance throughout the history of fashion. Many of us will recall a floral and somewhat outdated fabric when thinking of Chintz. However, it is in fact the term for “a textile tradition of hand block printing with natural dyes” (Lal, 2015) and it is a complex technique. Seemingly British, Chintz also originated from India and is equally popular in other European countries as it is in England. By the mid-1800s, it was produced on a large scale in England and became vastly popular. This is due to the utilitarian qualities of Chintz, according to Crosby Stevens, curator of the exhibition Chintz Yatra (Chintz Journey) at Brodswor
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AN INTERVIEW WITH SAMUEL HARRISON | GROUP BLOG

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“The fashion illustrator’s role is to ‘make(s) commercial visuals to sell the finished product” (Barnes, 1998). A fashion illustrator needs to be just as passionate in the business as any other fashion field job, they need to live and breathe fashion. They need to understand fashion, new-trends, styles, fits, and techniques. Harrison does this through the technique of drapery, thus avoiding gender exposure of his models. Samuel Harrison is a London based Artist and Fashion Illustrator. A recent Fine Art graduate from the Chelsea College of Art, his fashion illustrations focus on “an-other worldly sense of beauty” (Harrison, 2017). He translates his inspiration from the fashion world into his work to create fantastical drawings. Harrison has experienced success, having his art exhibited at SHOWstudio and collaborating with reputable practitioners like Nick Knight.  Harrisons work is also concerned with identity and self-expression. Men look like men and women look like women, t
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OBJECT REVIEW: PAISLEY BLOUSE WITH UTILITY MARK LABEL

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When thinking of the rationed clothing from World War Two, dull colours and basic cuts spring to mind. However, this fun paisley print blouse was made during the War, dated between 1941 and 1952. In Britain, clothes were rationed from June 1941 and continued to be until 1949, four years post war. The War forced fashion retailers to adapt to the difficult circumstances, and so the government introduced the utility clothing scheme in 1941. The utility scheme put in place restrictions on clothing design, for example, the number of pleats in skirts and the number of buttons used. The main reason for this was to save materials and labour, so that these could be diverted to aid the war effort and economy. CC41 utility mark label Wikipedia (2017) CC41 . [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CC$1 [Accessed 18 Oct. 2017] The blouse has a utility mark label called the CC41, that became more well known as the “double cheese”. The blouse is not obviously a piece
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REVIEW: MY VINTAGE MARKS & SPENCER'S CARDIGAN

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One of my favourite pieces of clothing is this vintage Marks and Spencer’s knitted cardigan, bought from a car boot sale, as it is a staple piece to add to any outfit. The cardigan is made from the natural material of lambswool and is in a rib knitted grey. Lambswool is a soft type of wool, therefore comfy to wear. It is also practical in the sense this type of it can breathe, keeping you cool in the warmer months but warm during the colder months. This is because the fibres in the wool have crimps that create pockets of air. The cardigan is also embellished with 5 grey buttons down the left-hand side of the garment, reinforcing that this is made for a women to wear.  The label states the cardigan is from 'St Michael from Marks & Spencer'. 'St Michael' was part of the M&S brand from 1928 till 2000. This suggests the cardigan is from this period, presumably the later end due to the label being similar to other ‘St Michael’ products from aroun
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BALENCIAGA: SHAPING FASHION @ THE V&A

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Cristobal Balenciaga is arguably one of the most inspiring and innovative fashion designers of his time, and continues to influence the fashion industry today.  In 1917, aged just 22, Balenciaga opened his first dressmaking business in his birth place of Spain. In 1937, Balenciaga's first couture house was opened in the fashion forward city of Paris. And today, in 2017, The Victoria and Albert Museum are celebrating these two anniversaries and the entirety of his 50 year career with the exhibition  Balenciaga: Shaping Fashion.    The exhibition explores Balenciaga's revolutionary designs. He experimented with the shape of women's fashion like no designer had before. Some of his most famous pieces are the baby doll, sack and envelope dresses, which created "sculptural forms that stood away from he body, framing the figure rather than restricting it" (Victoria and Albert Museum, 2017) . The envelope dress (pictured below) was a design from the pinnacle of Bale
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