The Sewing Cafe: Pattern Drafting: Part 2
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Tim Walker: Wonderful Things at the V&A
I recently visited the Victoria and Albert Museum to see the Tim Walker exhibition: Wonderful Things. I have been an admirer of Walker's work since my days as fashion student (a while ago now!) and was looking forward to seeing the work on display.
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I originally thought the exhibition was more of a retrospective of his work and was expecting to see some of his iconic images such as the image of Lily Cole in Vogue in 2012. However, the exhibition focuses on Walkers relationship with the archives of the V&A and how they have inspired him and his work. I didn't see this as a problem as Walkers body of work is huge, although it would be extremely difficult to fit all of his work (a career spanning nearly 25 years) into the space.
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I personally loved all the large imagery and the props from the shoots. The large animals used in the wonderful things promotional imagery shoot are great to look at and a lot of the sets bring a whimsical quality to the exhibition. It's possibly one of the things i love most about Walker's work; the fantasy and 'unreal' elements bring a sense of escapism that can't always be found in other photographs. Walking through the various areas is like passing into different worlds; something that works more in some areas than others.
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Although i enjoyed this exhibition, i found the curation quite confusing at times. Elements of the archive have been placed alongside photoshoot images and their links explained but in other cases, the inspiration is around the corner from what it inspired, losing the cohesion that's present in other areas, or random pieces are included and the links to his work aren't fully explained. I would also have liked the exhibition to have been bigger; although i took my time walking through the various areas and reading the descriptions, it didn't take very long, which for the ticket price was a little disappointing. However, i did enjoy it, so don't let me put you off! If fashion photography is your thing, you do need to see this. The exhibition runs until 8th March 2020.
You can read more about the exhibition and book tickets on the V&A website.
Throwback Thursday: Archives at Kew Palace
#tbt . #fabric #samples of #dresses worn by Queen Charlotte and her daughters . Part of the #royal #collection #archive at #kewpalace circa 1794-95 . #throwbackthursday #historicroyalpalaces #kew #london #sew #cut #make #clothes #throwback #textiles #textile
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Finding Inspiration
Christian Dior Afternoon Tea at The Berkeley Hotel, London
A recent trip to London gave me the opportunity to head to The Berkeley for their Pret-A-Portea; currently inspired by the work of Christian Dior. Running alongside the exhibition at Victoria and Albert Exhibition, the tea features a wonderful array of sandwiches and cakes; the latter are all inspired by individual looks from the Dior collections.
Although i did feel bad eating such wonderfully decorated cakes, everything tasted amazing and the visit on the whole was a great experience. I understand that the Christian Dior tea is finishing soon but will be replaced by Autumn/ Winter 2019 fashion collections instead. Some that have been announced are Molly Goddard, Moschino, Richard Quinn, Jacquemus, Emilia Wickstead and Fendi, with more to be revealed soon!
Head over to their website to book your afternoon tea (its worth it i promise!) and you can see some of the pictures below.
Although i did feel bad eating such wonderfully decorated cakes, everything tasted amazing and the visit on the whole was a great experience. I understand that the Christian Dior tea is finishing soon but will be replaced by Autumn/ Winter 2019 fashion collections instead. Some that have been announced are Molly Goddard, Moschino, Richard Quinn, Jacquemus, Emilia Wickstead and Fendi, with more to be revealed soon!
Head over to their website to book your afternoon tea (its worth it i promise!) and you can see some of the pictures below.
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Dale Chihuly: Reflections on Nature at Kew Gardens
Dale Chihuly, the iconic glass artist, has been working in this medium since the 1960s. Inspired by the flowers that grew in his families garden, he has created a number of pieces that draw direct inspiration from the plants he saw. Although i didn't realise until after this exhibition, i have seen a number of his works before. The floral installation on the ceiling in the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas (created in 1998) boasts over 2000 glass-blown flowers, and the chandelier that hangs in the Victoria and Albert Museum (2001) is something i have admired on my numerous visits but never made the connection.
This exhibition features 22 of Chihuly's glass-blown pieces that are embedded, quite beautifully, amongst the landscape and flora and fauna of the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew. It takes a while to find them all and some of the greenhouses hold more than the one piece indicated on the map (the Temperate House alone holds 11 different pieces, some of which are quite well hidden).
The exhibition is on until October 26th and well worth the visit. They also run a night tour where you can see the exhibits lit up at night. A book is available to buy that accompanies the exhibition and you can read more on the Kew Gardens website. Take a look below at some of the pictures.
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