FASHION BY THE RULES – Fashionable Reading

Christian Lacroix and the Tale of Sleeping Beauty

If one truly desires to be thoroughly fashionable, there is a necessary component that does not involve the purchasing or assembling of your wardrobe. This being said, there is no greater asset to being tasteful and stylish than to be well versed in the vocabulary and history of fashion.

The once fabulous boundless career of Christian Lacroix who at one point had a stunning little shop on 5th Avenue and later, a superb boutique on 57th Street and was the toast of Paris as well as the world of Haute Couture. Alas, they are gone, but in their wake is the story of Sleeping Beauty and her Prince Charming, Monsieur Lacroix.

The press release for this book reads “fairy tale and haute couture mix charmingly in this re-imagined story.” Believe it or not, there is not one word of hyperbole in that description. And evidently there is an entire series of these books featuring fashion designers and various other re-envisioned “once upon a time” stories.

Ms. Morton has successfully taken the details of Mr. Lacroix’s life and has woven them into the fabric of the fairy tale, pun intended. With accompanying images, the story and art are combined in a most engaging technique—odd and surprising and fresh in a way one rarely experiences in fashion memoirs.

One of the most wonderful moments in Christian Lacroix and the Tale of Sleeping Beauty occurs very early on when one discovers that the princess’s name is Beauty. Yes, we all know that the fairy tale has starred said “Beauty” from its inception, from Perrault to Disney. But here, in the context of high fashion, where beauty is paramount, this nomenclature feels like a simple and yet disarming gesture—here presented with not one iota of irony, as if Beauty were the right of every princess. This is as it should be.

That said, this is not really a fairy tale for the kids—even though it contains all the familiar elements of the tale—for it is the juxtaposition of the art and the tale that lands this squarely into adult material. The illustrations by Mr. Lacroix are not as lighthearted as the story itself. The drawings are slightly dark—a tad disturbing, considering the ingenuous subject matter—the primary reason why this high-fashion version of Sleeping Beauty is hardly the fairy tale of your childhood memory.

The moral to this tale is that even designers can be Prince Charming

FASHION BY THE RULES: The Art of the Glove

One can find art in many areas of fashion, but it is rare than one can find a master of his art in any industry. I have been lucky enough to find such a master and he is in the unlikely business of GLOVES!! Gloves have long been regarded as either utilitarian, theatrical and even possibly a prop which when added to achieve a more compelling image of glamour or aristocracy.

I can think of very few in the fashion business who were considered to be masters of their art. Charles James for the elaborately constructed gowns, Geoffrey Beene for his deceptively simple designs, and possibly Christian Lacroix who elevated the art of the Haute Couture to dizzying heights of perfection. What is curious about these men is their single-minded vision to take their creations to new standards of perfection. Each of the designers lacked a desire to bend to the dictates of any commercial enterprise – each product was conceived from passion and not commercial marketability.

Enter Daniel Storto who took the knowledge bestowed upon him by his Grandfather and turned it into an art form and a passion, the vehicle he uses to convey his art is THE GLOVE. What one can find truly ironic is that the master glove maker resides in Gloversville New York, once the epicenter for glove making in the country.

Mr. Storto has been called in to confer on exhibitions for The Metropolitan Museum of Art, create for the late Alexander McQueen, use his craft to enhance the already theatrical creations of Bob Mackie but he saves his love of his art for his private treasure, the “Hand Bag.” The is an ode to his art…..a one of a kind,totally handmade, hand stitched creation which is constructed from the finest Italian leather and will be sold with one leather glove to match. There is no greater luxe than an item such as this; it is an ultimate expression from an artist who has perfected his craft beyond any expectation.

As further proof of his devotion to his craft, he is working on restoring a space in Gloversville that he will turn into the only museum in the world that will be devoted to the art of the glove.

You need to expand your knowledge by visiting his web site http://www.danielstorto.com/ . Feel free to click on any of the images in this posting for an enlarged view…… The photos are courtesy of Stephen Piersanti and Mr. Storto.

Don’t forget to look for me at http://jeffybruce.blogspot.com/ or on Facebook

Headlines This Week 5/29

• Lambert has pranced around on American Idol in tight pants ranging in materials from acid wash to distressed leather, embellished to plain. He pairs these with equally tight tops and eye-catching extras like handcuffs on his belt loops, cages on his shoulders, and platform boots. He is the male version of Lady Gaga. NYMag.com
• Three Things I Learned About Rachel Zoe by Twitter Stalking Her Skinny Ass: 1) She has plenty o shoes. 2) She hangs out with old gay men… FashionIndie.com

• Annoying Louis Vuitton’s logo inspires artist Richard Prince. I love this art, it’s actually beautiful. Wish the bags were this fun. Popgloss.com
• New York Times article on the art of photoshop. Duh, it happens. Why are you just now writing about it? And using cute cute Reese Witherspoon as an example? Bleh. NYTimes.com

• Christian Lacroix has filed for the American equivalent of Chapter 11 to protect itself against creditors owed an estimated $14 million. Surely loyal Lacroix fans can pick up a few couture frocks to help defray costs. Style.com