Manus x Machina - a trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC.

My heart grew about TEN sizes yesterday.  I spent hours at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and have spent all of my time since, deciding how I can possibly present this to you, for all of you who don't plan to see it in person.  To all who can, you MUST, and I simply say "Go!"  Run, don't walk.

I saw the exhibit when the museum opened for the day and the crowds were lighter, then returned after lunch at about 2:30 PM, when it became a true MADHOUSE, and the guards were marveling at the sheer number of visitors.  This is a good sign, I think.  So many wildly interested people flocking to a museum exhibit on a Saturday, and staying so long to enjoy it?

"With more than 170 ensembles dating from the early 20th century to the present, the exhibition will address the founding of the haute couture in the 19th century, when the sewing machine was invented, and the emergence of a distinction between the hand (manus) and the machine (machina) at the onset of mass production. It will explore this ongoing dichotomy, in which hand and machine are presented as discordant tools in the creative process, and question the relationship and distinction between haute couture and ready-to-wear."

-Metropolitan Museum of Art description of the show

The exhibit is huge.  Allow at least 45 minutes to see it all, if the crowd is light, and you care to look at every garment. There is no quick way to see it.  It is free with admission, so you don't have to pay an extra fee to enjoy it.  Thank God for that!

The train of the Lagerfeld dress that graces the entrance of the exhibit

Same dress, front view. Made of scuba knit, this dress is hand molded, machine sen, and hand finished

Do you love scuba knit?  Visit Elliott Berman to get a feel for this fabric.

 I am not the first person to say that this exhibit is not to be missed. 

"You have to run and see this exhibition. It was one of my favorite ever. And you know why? Because it was so much about whispering again ... It was about workmanship, about know-how, about time. And the one thing that impressed me the most was the fact that it was almost silent. I think maybe Anna [Wintour] and Andrew [Bolton] are hearing something that is, maybe, less loud and more silent, and I loved it. We designers are living a very hard calendar: We are changing the show time, we are going through the show-now-wear-now, designers are leaving, designers are coming, a lot of changes. And I'm thinking, What is happening? Someone said, when there is a wind of change, we have two possibilities: whether we build a wall to protect us from the wind, or we build a windmill so we can take advantage of this wind. I think technology embraced those changes, and they used the wind to go forward. Fashion somehow built a wall, a bunker, to protect ourselves and to protect the tradition."

-Alber Ebaz, as quoted in this New York Magazine article

I have so much to say about this exhibit, it will take me some time to write it all down, and I may take some breaks, too, so you can experience it while this post grows, and check in every time you notice a new updated and saved link. It seems I will also need to put my glasses on, and I'm not quite sure where they are at the moment, so yeah... it may take some time.  You may ask questions as I go, I will do my best to answer them if I spot them while I'm working, too.

One thing I noticed immediately, when looking at the presentation of this wedding ensemble and its description (above), is that it truly embodies the purpose of the exhibit.  In the long description accompanying the piece, I could see that the garment's hand work and technology-dependent features were celebrated as equally vital to the construction,  with appropriate respect for each. Credit was given to the historical credentials of the hands, hearts and heads fundamental to its creation. 

Many quotes were posted next to pieces presented in this exhibit.  Many were food for thought, amid those who were clearly PR driven and a bit emptier.  Some resonated strongly with me, and some, I didn't personally accept as gospel, but remain open to others' perspectives.

Quick aside: This exhibit drew fashion experts, lovers, and curious folks alike.  I was absolutely AMAZED at how many people felt they could simply touch and/or fondle pieces in the exhibit.  I saw a service DOG actually nibble and drag the train of a dress before the handler noticed.  I suppose the guards were doing all they could to keep people under control, but I must say, it was definitely a problem.

Mesmerizing in its depth, this dress was 3-D printed. threeASFOUR - interlocking fractal weave that allows for multidirectional movement...

Marinate on the dress above for a moment, if you will. I can't even say I completely understand the "why" behind this dress, but one thing I truly appreciated about this exhibit, is that they completely dispensed with "why", who wore it when, who wore it best, or any event we might be able to associate with such a garment...

This exhibit allows us to divorce ourselves from all of the practical considerations, and focus instead on the pure artistry of it all.

Lagerfeld for Chanel again (2010) - a lovely pink silk rose "dress" that I call a cape.

Pleating - the best subject of the entire exhibit. (Mary McFadden example, above) - by machine

A Fortuny evening dress 1920's - by hand

Love pleating?  Look at what International Pleating can do for your projects!

Balenciaga - machine embroidered lace - 1963

Love lace? Try Sposabella or Fabrics and Fabrics for beautiful laces!

We talk about the hand in the haute couture as if it's an abstract concept, but those hands belong to particular women who have very specific skills, very specific tastes, and very specific personalities, which all come through in their handiwork... It's like writing a song, but the singer changes it through his or her won voice, through his or her interpretation. For us, our Premieres (head seamstresses) are our interpreters.

-Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli

Now, now that's what I call a fantastic thanks for the endless, practically thankless work of the busy hands who make these beautiful works of art! I walked through most of the exhibit, noticing the glamour and praise heaped on the designers, with barely a mention of the individual hands, separate from the historical legacies and corporate identities of any respected design or embellishment "houses".  I was so happy to see it acknowledged in a quote.

Things I noticed during the exhibit:

HEAVY emphasis on Japanese designers. Iris Van Herpen is a designer so heavily featured here, that I wonder if the subtitle of this exhibit should include her NAME!  It is clear that she has quite a body of work of exceptional quality and artistry, but I really felt the number of pieces in this exhibit bearing her name were excessive. 

However, to be fair, I can NEVER get enough Issey Miyake, and he had a very healthy representation of his pieces in the exhibit as well.

For better and more photos, visit the New York Social Diary, where you will find much more detail on pieces shown.  

Below, I offer more of my own photographs and observations from the exhibit.  The big takeaway?  It was inspiring, to say the least, and to quote Giorgio Armani long ago (when I worked for Armani in NYC). 

"In the end, fashion is not such a silly thing..."

Is this actually a dress?  Well. I guess... How would you put it on?  Closures?

Leather flowers... I couldn't convey the beauty of it all here... The photograph doesn't quite capture...

Inspired by this flower waterfall?  Check out M&S Schmalberg 

I will say, without hesitation, that this show ranks as one of the best I've seen in my life so far.  It is well worth your time, attention, and a Pinterest page!

Also note, the gift shop has lots of merch associated with this exhibit, and you will DIE laughing at the prices.  Absolutely die! Seriously, it is hilarious.

Note: 

Now there is a new map: New York Fashion and Design Exhibits You Must See (listing current and future exhibits and shows on my radar, and worthy of your time/money.  This map will be available for view on Monday, May 23, 2016.

I feel very strongly that this exhibit successfully removed the aspirational emphasis of finely made garments from the conversation, took a step back, and fully, honestly appreciated the ART of these beautiful pieces.  Bravo to the curators and staff of the MET for making this happen!

Why fine fabrics are worth it...

I wrote this post years ago, and maintain that it is still as relevant today.  I have since changed the buttons (last year) on this coat to a far more interesting, bold, and stylish choice, and routinely receive great unsolicited compliments while strolling through the city.  Feels great.  And cozy. And like ME.  No one else.

All told, this exact coat probably cost is about $350 in materials to make, and, what I would estimate was $800 in labor or so.  And that was in 2009. So, no, not a coat I would choose to/could afford if it were even available for purchase.

Originally posted 10/16/09


Feeling like Kathleen Turner's character at the beginning of "Romancing the Stone", I just completed such a big, long-awaited, satisfying project, that, if I were a drinker, I would pour a glass of celebratory champagne. I never meant to be sewing this coat during the winter weather, but it isn't my fault. Seriously. I am actually right on time, and it is winter that has come early. 

In this mid-October "coldwave", I am now peacefully transferring my long-awaited coat from the sewing table to the closet. I promised myself that I would not post this until everything about this coat was complete, and now, with buttons on, hem done, final pressing finished, and stray threads clipped... it is ready to wear.




Completion date (10/16/09) Vogue Pattern 2038, issued in 1997, which marks exactly how long I have owned it.

Eventual HUGE (2 1/2" diameter) buttons I chose after writing the related posts.
Closure is false (no buttonholes) - closes instead with heavy snaps inside.

From original post: 

I put this plan into action several (make that many...) weeks ago.

Yes, I'm telling the story backwards. This post is what allows me to release the rest of the posts written earlier in the process. (See my old blog to read the rest of the tale.) Why? Because it is painful to try to live up to my own timeframe of how long I think each project should take, and trying to resist the urge to work hastily just to proudly post results on the blog. With a finished project, I can confidently and peacefully share the process, with complete knowledge of how things turned out, with a bigger picture appreciation of how it all came together, rather than dwelling on any obstacles I encountered, or minor changes I made... you get the idea. (Written 9/23, with a half-constructed coat)


Okay, so I can't throw it on to go to the supermarket or to run my daughter to dance class, although the shape and fit are casual. Why not? Because, worn with sweatpants or similar garb, this coat can easily go in the "Bag Lady" direction, despite the quality of the expensive (but totally worth it!) fabric used to make it.

This coat took me 3 months to complete. Not because it was so time consuming, but that's how much time it took me to find the free moments where I had enough energy, attention and passion to sew it. I made use of every little inch of creative personal time I could squeeze, and now I'm glad I started in the hottest blast of summer.

What I love about it most, though, is that during this process, I must have put this coat on at least 20 times, and now, with it completed, it really feels like a coat! I have full confidence that this coat will be as warm as any store-bought coat I own, and the weight of the fabric is just right for me.

Fabric source: Cashmere/wool blend from Rosen and Chadick

Buttons: M&J Trimming

Lining and binding: NY Elegant Fabrics

If you want to read the rest, start here, and click "newer post" at the end of the first post. And then, if you come back to this page again, click here for another.

That's a lot of back and forth, huh?  Maybe I'll pull some old posts over, with current commentary.

Oh, and I forgot to comment on why the title of this post is "Why Fine Fabrics are Worth It"  Did I mention that this coat looks like BRAND SPANKIN' NEW every time i put it on?  That it hangs like a dream?  That it feels like the coziest, most luxurious blanket you could ever imagine?  That the color is outta this world magical?  So... that's it.