The Fashion and Textiles Museum

If you are lucky enough to be in London this holiday you might like to visit The Fashion and Textiles Museum . Their current exhibition is Horrockses off the peg fashion of the 1940' and 50's. Even if you don't make it this holiday bare it in mind for any future London visits and explore their website.

Louise Bourgeois Textiles

Wonderful textiles from the amazing artist Louise Bourgeois (1911-2010) will be exhibited at Hauser and Wirth Gallery, London from 15th October-18th December 2010.

In the examples above, you can see how Louise Bourgeois has quilted patterns together to create bold designs, she has combined patterned fabrics with plain, embellished and weaved scraps together.

Louise Bourgeois was a sculptor and artist who moved between mediums of wood, rubber, bronze, and stone. However her favourite medium was textiles, it was in her blood her mother was an expert weaver and seamstress, the family business had been the restoration of tapestries.

Louise Bourgeois's works are often sexually explicit, witty and emotionally charged, she was an artist who constantly created and recreated herself as an artist throughout her 98 years. Louise Bourgeois was always surrounded by other artists and her influence on fellow practitioners in her adopted home New York was great, her opinion and expertise kept her current and at the forefront of the artistic life of the city. (thanks)

International Fashion Capitals

Above: Angela Logan in new New York wardrobe, you could try this technique with cut out fashion illustrations (it's great fun!)

Above: New York Dress with unknown (lovely) model Above and below, Paris Map Clothes (made by Hazel Terry)

Below: London (origami clothes made from maps)

A 'fashion week' is a fashion industry event lasting approximately one week that enables designers, fashion houses and brands to display their latest creations. The most prominent fashion weeks are held in the fashion capitals of : New York, London, Milan and Paris. The annual events kick off in New York with the other cities hosting their events in the order given. Fashion weeks are semiannual events, January through to April the designers release their autumn / winter collections. September through to November they show their spring/summer collections. There are other fashion weeks in other cities where designers showcase specific garment collections such as swimwear. Also designers put on independent events outside of the traditional seasons.

Paula Sanz Caballero

Paula Sanz Caballero is an Italian fashion illustrator and artist who uses applique (scraps of fabric) and embroidery to create her distinctive fashion illustrations. Paula likes to challenge the idea that embroidered needlework cannot transmit a sense of sophistication.

Quilts from the Victoria and Albert Museum's 2010 Exhibition

Above: Table Cover 1900-1940

Above and Below: Detail from Ann West Quilt 1820

Above: detail including text from pomegranate quilt 1705

Above Patchwork detail from 1800-1850's Quilt.

Above and Below: Details from 1851 Applique Quilt

Here are some examples of 'Quilts 1700-2010' the Victoria and Albert Museum's first ever exhibition of British Quilts.

Sashiko

Below: Circular sashiko design on indigo fabric, Above: Sashiko stitches on patterned and plain fabric by fairybread.

Below: Kimono's from the Sashiko Exhibition at the Collins Gallery Glasgow 27th Feb- 10th April 2009

Sashiko is a traditional form of Japanese textiles. Sashiko textiles are made by layering fabrics and securing and decorating them using simple running stitch to build up pattern, texture, strength and weight to domestic textiles and clothing.

Traditionally sashiko was practiced by peasant workers who were only allowed , by law, to wear clothing that was indigo and they were limited to very simple stitched designs. As a result of this strict regulation on their clothing the people became very skilled at using the limited resources available to them to make clothing and quilts of incredible complexity, individuality and beauty whilst adhering to the limitation's placed on them.

The simple running stitch is called rice stitch as it resembles grains of rice, the designs created by this simple stitch become amazingly intricate and decorative.

Katherine Hamnett

Fashion designer Katherine Hamnett is famous for making text a fashion accessory. Katherine used slogans to increase public awareness of many issues, taking her lead from badges and buttons, fashionable and political slogans were emblazoned across every ones chest in 1980's Britain.