In the last few posts we tried to spot the art and fashion links behind some of the A/W 18 collections.
While in some cases the art connections were maybe related more to a mood or a theme, Kenzo La Collection Memento No. 3 revolved around one painting.
Humberto Leon and Carol Lim celebrated with a lavish dinner party at La Monnaie de Paris Kenzo Takada's passion for "Le Douanier" Henri Rousseau. The event also featured a tableau vivant, with a model recreating the painting Le Rêve (The Dream; also known as Le Songe or Rêve exotique).
Takada's first store in Paris was actually decorated with a replica of Rousseau's painting, that also inspired the name of the shop - Jungle Jap.
Though Rousseau had never travelled outside France he painted more than twenty-five artworks inspired by exotic themes. To create his paintings the artist would go to visit the city's natural history museum and the Jardin des plantes (a zoo and botanical garden). Enchanted about them he would state: "When I am in these hothouses and see the strange plants from exotic lands, it seems to me that I am entering a dream."
The entire collection of this special line featured garments inspired by Rousseau's Le Rêve, including jacquard trousers decorated with jungle foliage, cable knit jumpers with sections of the painting and even a tapestry poncho that incorporated the entire surreal scene complete with Yadwigha, Rousseau's Polish mistress lying naked on a divan surrounded by animals, including birds, monkeys, an elephant, a lion and lioness, and a snake.
Though too literal, the intrerpretation was perfectly legal - Leon and Lim consulted indeed with the Rousseau Foundation to rework the painting into their clothes.
They also found out that Rousseau would have liked to see his paintings turned into fabrics and clothes, and that his daughter was a tapestry maker, an idea that inspired the jacquard eveningwear.
Fashion-wise some of the more literal intrepretations of the paintings may prove a bit too much, but the cable knit sweaters matched with knitted striped skirts decorated with ruffles will definitely be more commercial and appeal to a younger consumer who may not have so much knowledge about art, but who may have an eye for bright colours and vivid patterns.
If, rather that jumping on Rousseau's bandwagon, you want to learn more instead about recreating domestic, exotic or fantastic scenes featuring animals, you should maybe take a note in your diary about the "Animals in Embroidery" exhibition at Hampton Court Palace (opening on 18th April and running until December).
Organised by the Royal School of Needlework it will feature over 80 different hand embroidered animals, among them wild tigers, flamingoes, dogs and chipmunks, all made with techniques ranging from Silk Shading and Blackwork to Goldwork and Jacobean Crewelwork.
All the work on display will be from the RSN’s students, including current and past students on the RSN's Certificate & Diploma, Degree Course and Future Tutors programme and the event will also feature pieces from the RSN's Archive Collection. The exhibition is in RSN's Embroidery Studio at Hampton Court Palace and only opens on set days, so pre-booking is essential (you can have further information on how to do it at this link).
While Kenzo's collection was more about tapestry, this exhibition may help visitors (and in particular students and fashion designers) expanding their knowledge of different embroidery styles and techniques that can be used to create unique scenes in a more original and maybe less literal way.
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