LETS TALK ABOUT ART BABY: VANITY FAIR, PROUVE AND OTHER LONDON EXHIBITS

london - as i insist on labeling this a global style and "culture" blog, i decided to talk a bit about some of my artistic pursuits. one of the unexpected fruits of my labor in london is a deepening passion for the arts. i've taken to attending more and more museum exhibits, ballet programs, movies, operas, etc. i think initially it was the novelty of immersing myself in things i'd only read about before. as i've grown in my study and appreciation of fashion (i look at the field as an art form), i find myself wanting to walk the path of inspiration that designers do. as you know couture and high street collections can find their genesis in everything from the flowers in a monet painting to the keys of a sonata. i want to understand that journey from inspiration to concept to catwalk...it all sounds very intellectual doesn't it? i'm not posing or pretending blaynistas, just sharing my thoughts! that said see below for my reactions on a few exhibits currently going on in london.....

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PEACOCKS & PINSTRIPES EXHIBIT AT THE FASHION AND TEXTILE MUSEUM

the exterior of the museum is brilliant. but the exhibition inside is anything but...

i really hate to take the piss out of another person's hard work, but that's just the thing - i don't think much hard work or imagination went into this exhibit. the concept was brilliant: highlights exceptionally chic and stylish men and the exhibit hit on all the obvious candidates: cary grant, sean connery, elton john. it covered several categories of male style well enough including tailoring, flamboyant, and smart casual. however well enough just became absolutely awful in the contemporary category which took up the whole top floor of the museum. it was a weak selection of editorial shoots featuring anonymous models in even more anonymous message. it was definitely not a reflection of anything contemporary in male fashion, and made an already floundering exhibit a total let down. it's worth seeing for how bad it is. sorry to be so harsh. but this cost me $8 U.S.D and it wasn't worth it.

VANITY FAIR EXHIBIT AT THE NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

mick jagger, madonna and tony curtis captured in the pages of vanity fair. this is one of several photos on display at the national portrait gallery.

amazing. that's all i can say. not that with a magazine like vanity fair you would expect less. yet i was still blown away by the depth of the portraits that were on view at this exhibit. the magazine dates back to the 1800s and sine that time (despite a 30+ year hiatus in the 1900s) has been able to capture just about every major political, academic, and social icon of our time. everyone from a young albert einstein to an old robert deniro have been captured on v.f's pages and were displayed. if you come to london, make sure you stop to see this.

JEAN PROUVE EXHIBIT AT THE DESIGN MUSEUM

the cite armchair relaxer designed by jean prouve. the designer died in the eighties but his designs are still being manufactured and this will run you a cool $3,265.

ever heard of jean prouve? you get a gold star and a date with me if you have! (just kidding, but i'll email you the gold star.) i'd actually never heard of the legendary furniture designer and manufacturer until visiting the design museum this past weekend. he started off as an apprentice in france and worked his way up to become one of the centuries most noted innovator in furniture design. it was awesome - in the true sense of the word - to see his pieces because they ranged from school chairs, to beds, to full on buildings. i was impressed by the inclusion of actual pieces from his archives which date back fifty years or more. it's a testament to his skill that none of the work i saw looked dated or odd. prouve was a true master at his craft.