Balenciaga @ The Queen Sophia Spanish Institute

Before last week, when I thought of 'Balenciaga' the first thing that popped into my mind was Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton, and the "Classic" motorcycle bag that was all the rage in 2005.  I knew the house of Balenciaga had much more depth than the "Bimbo Summit" as the NY Post so proudly proclaimed, but I had no clue as to the history or how the founder, Cristobal Balenciaga, drew inspiration from his Spanish seaside upbringing and translated it to Paris haute couture.  Being the fashion nerd that I am, I went to the Hamish Bowles lecture at FIT on his curated exhibit, Balenciaga: Spanish Master, at the Queen Sophia Spanish Institute in NYC to get the scoop from the expert.  I totally adore Mr. Bowles' writing in Vogue, and I am constantly amused by the complete out-of-his-element assignments he receives, most likely from La Wintour herself, being that he is a total dandy.  My personal faves include surf school with Blake Lively and living with an urban gardener slash dumpster-diver type.  

Back to Balenciaga--during the hour of going through one amazingly famous photograph after another with one amazingly gag-worthy garment after another, Hamish narrated the connection between the designs and how they related directly to Balenciaga's Spanish upbringing (along with plenty of lol and quote-worthy anecdotes).  The Cathlolic Church, Spanish regional dress, flamenco dancing costumes, bullfighting, and Spanish artists from Velasquez to Miro have all influenced his designs in such a direct way it is like a slap in the face and Ah-Ha moment in one.  To fuel the fire of my newfound obsession, I headed to the exhibit at the Spanish Institute the following day.  There was no time to be wasted while the info was fresh in my mind.  Up close and personal, the clothing is even more breathtaking, and the attention to detail and finishing made my own ensemble look like a home-ec project.  Below are some of my favorite pieces that are featured in the exhibit.  If you are a fashion-phile or a lover of luxe you will enjoy this collection.  I have been truly inspired, and who wouldn't love a designer who told his protege, Hubert de Givenchy, "A ruffle must be intelligent." 

Balenciaga: Spanish Master

curated by Hamish Bowles

through Saturday, November 19th 2011

Queen Sophia Spanish Institute New York

Park Ave. between 68th and 69th

Cost: $15

Or, catch it in San Francisco at the de Young Museum from March, 26 through July, 4 2011.

 

Busted Behaving Badly? Own it.

Let me preface this post with saying that I absolutely adore Tim Gunn.  So, he is under some fire right now for outing Anna Wintour's diva-like behavior in his new book, Gunn's Golden Rules: Life's Little Lessons for Making It Work, and I just love what he says on Regis & Kelly.  Tim Gunn: 1, La Wintour: 0. 

This is a golden rule for any classy lady: If you are going to 'go there' and behave badly at least own it when people call you out on whatever you did.  

- Got three sheets the night before and sucked face with a total Barney?  Own it.

- Put your frienemy's contact info and "looking for (insert kinky fetish here)" in the personals section of Craigs List? Not that I know of anyone this has happened to (wink, wink).  Own it.

- Pulled a Showgirls-style stair push to get in the Warehouse sale before the girl in front of you who you believe to be the exact same size?  Own it.  

- Had your bodyguard carry you down five flights of stairs after a fashion show in front of a myriad of witnesses?  Own it.

PS - Being classy is completely free, and the best investment you can make in your future.

My Favorite Fashion Docs

My friend Sara and I have been going back and forth over the past few months on the subject of fashion documentaries. I always find it completely mesmerizing to see the behind the scenes conceptualization of a sketch of a garment and how it turns into something that is hanging in your closet. The hard work, long hours, and hundreds of people with needles and thread is hardly glamorous, but it is on par with creating a masterpiece...especially the couture collections. And, I just gag over watching Anna ask "Where's the glamor...this is Vogue", Karl fuddling around with his rings, and Valentino with all those damn dogs. So, since it is February, I heart fashion, and it is the perfect season for some couch/blanket/tea time here is a quick list of my favorite docs. Please feel free to let me know if I have missed any or what your favs are.

Marc Jacobs & Louis Vuitton - Great to see Marc flip flopping between LV and his own label. He is so hands on and amazingly quirky. This was filmed when he was transforming from totally endearing nerd to stud magnet with Lorenzo.

The September Issue - Anna, Grace, Andre, Virginia, Tonne....my idols at work. This is truly my favorite. And, now I know that Anna lives one block over from me which has completely changed the way I get places (why not stroll past the Wintour residence). The DVD comes out this month with another hour and a half of unused footage. This is a must buy!

Lagerfeld Confidential - What a freak! The ipods, the rings, the ponytail. So great.

Valentino: The Last Emperor - This is complete fashion porn. Just watching the little ladies stitch on bead by bead and paillette by paillette is fascinating. And, Valentino looks like a classier version of the Jersey Shore cast with that carrot hued skin.

Unzipped - I have never been a huge fan of Isaac Mizrahi, but this is during the early 90's hey day of the supermodel: a true time capsule of a bygone era.

Seamless - Follow Doo.Ri, the boys from Proenza Schouler, and other now mainstream fashion designers compete to win the first Vogue/CFDA Fashion Fund award. Forget Project Runway, this is how stars are made.

PS - Grace Coddington was absolutely amazing last night at the Q&A for The September Issue at IFC.