Our Very Own Fashion Dolls

As part of our studies we researched  the "Theatre De La Mode" and also "How Film and Fashion go Hand in Hand'. We then had great fun combining the two to create our own fashion dolls. As a great fan of the 50's and 60's fashion I created an evening dress  of dupion silk based on the Mad Men Series, the grey wool suit from the same era was designed by Sue Gadsby.  

The History of Paper Dolls

Life-size dolls were used by French couture Houses until the later part of the 18th Century when they were replaced by "Pandoras". these were smaller models that often ended up in nurseries when their outfits were outdated. However it was the English who created the English Doll in 1790.

This Doll was 8 inches tall and made from card of thick paper, each fashion doll had 6 outfits with corsets, underclothes and headwear plus an envelope for storage.

             

                                                         19th Century paper doll

They became very popular and frequently appeared in ladies, journals as a more dynamic alternative to fashion plates.

The first paper doll specifically aimed at children was "Little Fanny", created in 1810 by S&J Fuller of London.

Tabs were used from 1828 to attach clothing, then in 1894 figures were melded into backgrounds and outfits were changed by threading the tabs through slits at the shoulders. In 1907 "tabard" style costumes were introduced, providing a front and back views. The "Magic Stay-on Doll" was launched in 1963 and used static electricity to keep the outfits on but the tabs prevailed.

Paper dolls were rapidly gaining popularity and in 1951 McCall's magazine introduced the fashion forward Betsy McCall who was perfect to promote their dress patterns. She became so popular that she was also made in 3D plastic form with a new series of doll sized patterns.

Over the years many celebrity dolls appeared, from Marie Antoinette, The Pope to Marilyn Monroe. and Elizabeth Taylor.

200 years on and paper dolls still enjoy huge popularity. Not limited to paper, magnetic dolls adorn fridges and websites present dolls with drag and drop outfits. 

How Film and Fashion go Hand in Hand

Film and Fashion are so very closely linked that we almost don’t notice their trendy sway. Movies have contributed to major trends and standards in hair, makeup and clothes since they began. So here are our personal favorite Top Fashion Moments in Film.

Sex in the City has indeed made Manolo Blahnik shoes a household name but Blahnik opened his first shop in 1973. Woman drool over the expensive and exquisitely designed shoes as worn by Carrie and the girls in Sex in the City

Designers like Sass and Bide have even features in Sex in the City. This propelled their brand internationally.

                                                                       

Desperately Seeking Susan: This 1985 Hit starring Madonna created a trend with many look alikes appearing on the streets.

She wore black dresses paired with leggings to men’s pants with exposed lacy bras to rolled-down rhinestone boots. She also wore chains with dangling crosses (which had the churches horrified), , beads and of course bleached blond permed hair.

                                                  

Saturday Night Fever the 1977 hit sensation starring John Travolta.

John Travolta’s blow-dryed hair, tight, shiny polyester pants and that famous white suit. He gave men the courage to dress flamboyantly during the disco era. Men wanted to look and dress like him.

                                 

God Created Woman (1957) Bridgett Bardot was a style innovator (two of her most famous imitators are supermodel Claudia Schiffer and Pamela Anderson). In God created woman Brigitte sported long, unkept hair during an era of perfectly coiffed hair. She also wore a very tight skirt (girdle free) for her bongo gyrations, making woman and mens mouth drop. It was actually BB, who caused the demand for the two piece swimsuit. Swimwear manufacturers began to market bikinis because of the film’s popularity.

Pretty amazing because bikinis were banned 6 years earlier for the Miss World Contest.

                

The Wild One 1954 (Marlon Brando)

Marlon Brando invades a small town with his biker gang “Black Rebels Motorcycle Club” His iconic look of cuffed jeans, leather cap and tough black motorcycle jacket created the new cool look. This look, along with the fame of Elvis,  had a huge influence on fashion trends around the world, and is a continuous timeless trend even today.

                                 

Mad Men Television Series

Mad Men is set in the 1960’s on Madison Avenue, New York. It has received critical acclaim, particularly  for its historical authenticity and visual style. It has influenced designer such as Marc Jacobs (creative director for Louis Vuitton) with corsets, cleavage and cocktails. We are talking full skirts 50’s style, sweetheart necklines and cat’s eye sunglasses. We are even seeing a change in models on the catwalk, steeering away from the Waif look to a more volumptuous look of Joan Holloway. Arguably this series has caused a Bubble Up effect.

                            

Theatre de la Mode

228 mannequins made at the end of the second world war and dressed by Parisian Couturiers, this was the world of Theatre de la Mode.

                                                                                Maryhill Museum of Art

The Germans retreated from Paris in 1944 and the new government was keen to promote the artistry and vigour of the surviving fashion industry and support the country's reconstruction. And so the concept of an exhibition of dolls dressed by couture houses in sets designed by French artists was launched.

Maryhill Museum of Art

They stood 27 inches high, bird cage bodies, white mask-like faces with beautifully coiffured hair.

The clothes were perfect miniatures of original designs and specialist manufacturers suppliers small scale hand worked lace, silk flowers, buttons, hats, shoes, gloves and bags.

Meanwhile, artists were busy creating elaborate backdrops such as theatres, grottos and war torn buildings.

The exhibition opened on 27 March 1945 and Paris was delighted, the dolls went on to tour London, Stockholm, Vienna and the USA. Then despite the success the figures were forgotten until some were found in a small museum in Washington. They were bought back to Paris, restored and exhibited again in 1990 at the Musee de la Mode.

FROM FASHION PLATES TO MAGAZINES of TODAY

Costume and fashion plates came long before fashion magazines as we know them today.

Below are some facts on the history of plates and magazines which i hope you enjoy.

·         Costume plates, showing how a costume was worn in the past, were first made in 1494 showing the National and Regional dress of Vienna.

Early Fashion Plate from 1494 

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·         Fashion  plates reached their peak in the 19th century when they were hand coloured engravings showing possible future fashions of the time.

·         Early Magazines containing fashion plates included the following:

·         Cabinet des Modes-1785

·         Journal de la Mode et du Gout-1790

·         La Belle Assemblee-1806

·         The Lady's Magazine-1770

·         Two of the most important Victorian British magazines were Mrs Beeton's and The Queen.

Fashion Plate from 1787- love the bustle

·         The Queen, The Ladies Newspaper, 1861 was the longest running English magazine until 1968 when it was bought out by Harpers Bazaar.

·         The name was changed to "Harpers & Queen" until March 2006 when "Queen was dropped as it was thought to be too Debutante in a modern world. It was changed to "Harpers Bazaar" and became Vogue's strongest challenger.

·     

















    Vogue was first published in 1892. In 1973 it became a monthly publication and underwent extensive editorial and stylistic changes to respond to changes in lifestyles.




1911918 vintage Vogue magazine

·          Vogue is now published in 18 Countries around the world.

ZINE,ZINE,ZINES

WHAT'S  A ZINE

I have only recently heard about Zines and love the concept of these unique and sometimes quirky but always interesting publications. I have noted below a few interesting facts about these little treasurers.

·         A  Zine is usually a self-published, limited circulation magazine.

·         It generally contains original images and texts of minority interest.

·         It is an abbreviation of "magazine" or "fanzine".

·         The word "zine" was widely used in the early 1970' but its exact origins uncertain.

·         The significant majority are produced in editions of less than 100 and profit is not the primary intent.

·         Popular zines include:

         ·         Giant Robot

         ·         Dazed & Confused

         ·         Bust

         ·         Bitch (magazine) and

         ·         Maximum RocknRoll

Barnard Library's Zine Collection, NY, USA

GOING GREEN

ENVIROMENTALLY CONSCIENCE DESIGNERS

DEBORAH LINDQUIST

It’s not always easy being green. but environmentally  conscience designers are having an increasingly important role in today's fashion scene. We have been researching designers with an eco edge and loved the work of Los Angeles Designer, Deborah Lindquist.


Deborah creates exquisite apparel out of a mix of “reincarnated” and new Earth-friendly fabrics. Lindquist's mission is to create breathtaking eco friendly design that will deliver style and status to her clients while using the finest quality fabrics.


For her latest collection “Rocker girl meets the Gypsy” she has used recycled, pre-loved materials vintage such as cashmere, wool, leather, beaded wool, and vintage buttons. She has also included eco fabrics for e.g. hemp blends, organic wool, peace silk, micro modal blends, organic cotton, and alpaca.
Deborah is now one of the most recognised eco-designers in the world, and has Sharon Stone, Jessica Alba, Christina Aguilera, Rhianna and many more celebs as current clients.