Subjects: Fashion Studies, Art, History
What the BC Curriculum says about this:
Fashion Studies 12 – History, Culture and Tradition
It is expected that students will:
- Identify changes in fashion silhouettes and figures in various cultures and periods of history
- Describe the influence of fashion on the status and well-being of individuals
- Identify influential designers and their impact on the apparel industry
Where it’s happening: The Museum of Vancouver
Humble your fashion sense at ‘Art Deco Chic: Extravagant Glamour Between The Wars’. Happening now at the Museum of Vancouver, this exhibit is entertaining and educational. The garments and accessories on display are from the private collection of local Ivan Sayers and Claus Jahnke.
The exhibit is delineated into two sections. The first section depicts the high end fashion garments of the mid ’20s. The Art Deco style of this time period focuses on minimizing the accentualtion of the female body while emphasizing fabrics and their designs. The garments are highly geometric in shape which takes away from the natural curvatures of the female body. The hemlines of the garments in the ’20s were shorter because the emphasis was on the simple and geometric shape of the dress rather than the female form itself. This style aligns with the sentiments of the time which emphasized modesty. Fabrics used at this time were intricately designed and oftentimes depicted international patterns which portrays the growing global awareness post World War I.
In the ’30s the style changed to accentuate the form of the body and take focus away from the dress. The fabrics of the ’30s were less intricate but the cuts of the garments were often longer than those of the ’20s which served to balance style while maintaining the modest sentiment of the time.
This exhibit is educational and entertaining for the school-aged student and the life-long learner.
Vancouver’s Art Deco Design Challenge
Get inspired by this exhibit and put your creative talents to the test. Design an Art Deco- inspired garment and submit your drawings and proposed fabric swatches for a chance to win a bursary towards making your own garment. Winners of this contest will be exhibiting their creations at the Museum of Vancouver in the fall of 2012. Click here for more details.
