DRESS CODE: LEAVE YOUR MARK!
Who doesn't love a rebel? Kevin Fernando shares his FAVE FIVE designers who each left their mark in the fashion world, creating iconic pieces along the way.
John Galliano was perhaps the most controversial designer to reign at the house of Dior. For the house's S/S 2000 collection, his use of denim, asymmetry, leather, and silk prints brought couture-oriented techniques to the most unassuming of materials. In spite of this collection being against the grain of Dior's codes, Galliano had his finger on fashion's pulse- let's not forget Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears' denim situation at the AMAs!
Rudi Gernreich. He was a creator who broke down the boundaries of his industry but has received little recognition. The Cross My Heart dress was worn by his muse, renowned model Peggy Mofitt, during her delicate stage of pregnancy. The empire waist detail combined with his signature piqué knits developed by Harmon Inc provided both structure and ease to women in any condition. He broke social norms with his designs and left the mark of a true innovator.
The work of Yves Saint Laurent is so extensive and profound that one must look at it by the individual piece or ensemble, such as this jacket. From his fall/winter 1987 collection, you can see his tendency to bring details from current inspirations to fit the ongoing evolution of fashion. The silk tassel cord from his North African upbringing in combination with a jeweled element in the style of Robert Goosens is a dance between the fantasy of Marrakech with the opulence of Paris, and of its time. Having previously turned the Parisian couture world on its head by prioritizing high street demands and dressing women in masculine styles, by the 1980’s, Saint Laurent sought to perfect his style as opposed to innovate- and in this piece we see his ongoing strive for perfection.
Patrick Kelly is a name that always creates both extreme excitement and sadness synonymously. He was a true talent who left us at the peak of his career during the AIDS epidemic. This dress was created for his spring summer 1989 collection, in which he represented his woman of the moment on the prowl, most likely inspired by the whimsical exoticism of the 1920’s when notable figures like his idol, Josephine Baker would take her pet cheetah “Chiquita” out on strolls along the Champs d’Elysées on a leash attached to a diamond collar by Cartier. As the first American designer to be admitted into the French Chambre syndicale du prêt-à-porter des couturiers et des créateurs de mode, Patrick Kelly brought out the best details of a distant Parisian past that I still miss to this day.
It is an absolute honor to have the pleasure of handling not one, but TWO of these gorgeous gowns from Tom Ford’s most iconic collection for Gucci: Fall/Winter 1996. This pivotal collection brought Gucci back into the spotlight and symbolized both birth and resurrection: the birth of Tom Ford’s exquisite talent and the resurrection of the house of Gucci. These two pieces symbolize the lasting impact a garment can make on our cultural history.
by Kevin Fernando
