Magnifying Culture

German artist Ursus Werhli, ‘The Art of Clean Up’, a book stuffed with neatly organized objects and situations. (via bumbumbum.me)

IKEA Cookbook, Homemade is Best. Photographed by Carl Kleiner

Ad for Axor Bouroullec Bathroom Furniture, “Feel Free to Compose”

Jens Mortensen for the NYTimes, Danny Meyer Empire

brittany powell

True Prep, Tommy Hilfiger

Textile Designer, Nadine Goepfert UTOPITON Collection

http://www.thomforsyth.com/post/8618243652

Josef Sudek (Czech, 1896-1976). Advertising photograph for Ladislav Sutnar porcelain set (with black rim), 1932.

http://comingcleaninthedirtysouth.tumblr.com/

http://tenmtom.blogspot.com

A moving exhibit of the company’s signature garment, entitled: COATS!, is making their last stop in Moscow. And what better way to pay tribute to the hosting country then by featuring ballerinas of the Bolshoi Ballet and limited edition designs of Russian dolls (aka Matryoshka’s). That’s right, Russian dolls and Ballerinas…all they’re missing is a branded Russian vodka and espionage.

As banal and obvious as these concepts are (just slightly bias as a kid raised by Russian immigrants), MaxMara executes the over-popularized trend of highlighting heritage with progressive grace. While the branded exhibit is based on trite Russian symbols, the execution including featured artists and the branding of the actual exhibit, is an accurate reflection of modern day Moscow; bringing old Russian traditions into a sleek and elite future.

The moving exhibit, which included previous stops at Berlin, Tokyo and Beijing, stationed 70 rare pieces dated from 1950’s as well as, you guessed it, sketches and photographs “dug up” from the archive. The formula that’s becoming ubiquitous is just another example I came across after noticing fashion’s obsession for retrospective exhibits as a way to claim cultural capital.

In addition to archiving, the last show in Moscow will feature commissioned photographs by Valery Katsuba among other artists.

To claim brand heritage, Katsuba, a Saint Petersburg native, represents classical elegance through his muse, Anna Nakhapetova, and nostalgia through the backdrop of Spiridonov’s Palace, a nineteenth century stone building.

Nazdrovia

In an earlier post I discussed David Lauren striding down the digital path of storytelling anchoring Ralph Lauren into the next generation. I’m noticing more and more that digital storytelling, with fashion brands in particular, are gaining heavy traction. The most popular of mediums - archival exhibits. On a recent trip to Montreal I came across an incredible retrospective of Jean-Paul Gaultier at the Museum of Fine Arts and started to wonder: what is it about fashion exhibits and why is showcasing archives so popular?

Aside from being a system of records, archives are also a place for memory. A time capsule. It’s a laboratory gathering together a company’s creativity, inspiring future hybrids of visual brand assets and showcases evidence of past production. Internally, an archive can inspire an entire creative team while externally an archive on display provides a point of distinction and most importantly, democratizes access. Here we have high and low culture, “masstigue” as some call it, at its peek as they blur together in cultural significance.

We’ve witnessed record-breaking figures for entrance into fashion retrospectives (one word: McQueen) and now fashion powerhouse Gucci is building their very own Museum in collaboration with Christie’s auction house in Florence set to open this Fall. Giancarlo Giammetti of Valentino on the other hand, is creating a comprehensive online-only archive of Valentino’s work set to launch in October. It will contain a whole host of images, sketches, creations and fashion show videos, which will sit alongside specially commissioned short films and more…everything in one huge imaginary place, arranged in a series of Modernist Italian ‘galleries’. The recent issue of Wallpaper mag gives an in-depth look at this launch while also highlighting archiving as a trend for brands to gain cultural capital and distinction in the marketplace. 

Ipad teaser of digital archive displayed at the designer’s Chateau last year.

Stephan Hugh of the Telegraph stated: “If fashion at its best is as much about the past as it is about the future, so, strangely, is the internet. One of the most valuable uses of the digital world is an amazing ability to archive, to hold without decay or damage our precious history.”  While other great fashion houses showcase their treasure troves of the past in museums, Giancarlo Giammetti is clearly understanding how to gain back Valentino’s traction (since the retirement of Valentino Garavani) as they’ve raced ahead of the pact leading the way of fashion’s future.