Feb
13

BIG fashion, BIG names and BIG price tags

Posted by: Maple Leaf

I recently saw this fascinating fashion and textiles exhibit at the Royal Ontario Museum (or ROM) called BIG. As they say on their website "The newest ROM exhibition showcases textiles and costume that, in their own remarkable way, are BIG … BIG in size, BIG in historical importance, BIG news, created by a BIG name, carry a BIG price tag, and so on."

ROM's extensive collection showcases items from Egyptian clothing to 18th- and 19th- century western costumes to 20th-century haute couture.

Red Dior coat-dress by John Galliano was just one of the historical and contemporary objects on display there, and it was simply stunning!

Dior Dress by John Galliano, ROM.
 

It's the last and most technically challenging collection by John Galliano for Christian Dior.  The dress weighs 30 lbs, took 175 metres of fabric and 500 hours to make.  I wonder how poor models were able to model it, considering they also had to wear high heels. That's a BIG job on its own.

Retro luxury meets glamorous 21st century China chic

Another stunning dress was "Water Sleeve" evening gown by Vivienne Tam, Chinese-American designer known for modern fashions based on Chinese imagery and traditions. This digitally printed textile design is specific to this dress and size (8), with each piece of silk individually digitized and printed. No alterations could be done after.
 
Water sleeve evening gown by Vivienne Tam, ROM.
 

Celebrating Paris Dressmaking Skills

Another heavy dress (20 lbs) with 18-19 century Imperial Chinese influences is from Tom Ford's latest collection for Yves Saint Laurent, one of the most celebrated fashion houses of the 20th century. Only 3 were produced.
 
Tom Ford Dress, ROM.
 
 
This exhibit will run until Fall 2013, so if you are interested, I highly recommend visiting it. It's in the Patricia Harris Gallery of Textiles and Costume, Level 4 at the ROM.
 
BIG is generously supported by the Burnham Brett Endowment for Textiles and Costume and The Dorothy Strelsin FoundationThe ROM goes BIG this fall with fashion and textiles
 
Until Fall 2013
Patricia Harris Gallery of Textiles and Costume, Level 4
 
The newest ROM exhibition showcases textiles and costume that, in their own remarkable way, are BIG … BIG in size, BIG in historical importance, BIG news, created by a BIG name, carry a BIG price tag, and so on.
 
Funky and unique, forty objects – both historical and contemporary – gathered from the ROM’s extensive collections showcase BIG from around the world. They range from Egyptian clothing to 18th- and 19th- century western costumes to 20th-century haute couture. Some have never before been on display.
 
BIG is generously supported by the Burnham Brett Endowment for Textiles and Costume and The Dorothy Strelsin FoundationThe ROM goes BIG this fall with fashion and textiles
 
Until Fall 2013
Patricia Harris Gallery of Textiles and Costume, Level 4
 
The newest ROM exhibition showcases textiles and costume that, in their own remarkable way, are BIG … BIG in size, BIG in historical importance, BIG news, created by a BIG name, carry a BIG price tag, and so on.
 
Funky and unique, forty objects – both historical and contemporary – gathered from the ROM’s extensive collections showcase BIG from around the world. They range from Egyptian clothing to 18th- and 19th- century western costumes to 20th-century haute couture. Some have never before been on display.
 
BIG is generously supported by the Burnham Brett Endowment for Textiles and Costume and The Dorothy Strelsin FoundationThe ROM goes BIG this fall with fashion and textiles
 
Until Fall 2013
Patricia Harris Gallery of Textiles and Costume, Level 4
 
The newest ROM exhibition showcases textiles and costume that, in their own remarkable way, are BIG … BIG in size, BIG in historical importance, BIG news, created by a BIG name, carry a BIG price tag, and so on.
 
Funky and unique, forty objects – both historical and contemporary – gathered from the ROM’s extensive collections showcase BIG from around the world. They range from Egyptian clothing to 18th- and 19th- century western costumes to 20th-century haute couture. Some have never before been on display.
 
BIG is generously supported by the Burnham Brett Endowment for Textiles and Costume and The Dorothy Strelsin Foundation
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2 Comments

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Feb 16, 2013 | Maple Leaf

You are right! That big collar on the red dress looks vintage.

Feb 15, 2013 | Red Rock Designs

Very beautiful dresses. I love the detailing of Tom Ford's piece and the big collar on John Galliano's dress is very vintage.


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Maple Leaf
Toronto, ON, Canada


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