Vivienne Westwood at the opening party at the de Young
Courtesy of YouTube and Eric Smith of World Love Productions, here's a video from the opening party for the exhibition Vivienne Westwood: 36 Years in Fashion. It was a colorful event, graced by the presence of Dame Vivienne herself, with amazing fashions on view not only in the exhibition but on partygoers as well.
Bouquets to Art, the Museums' most popular and successful fund-raising event, has taken over the de Young. For those not familiar with Bouquets to Art (or BTA for short) is an annual event that every spring invites some of most talented and sough-after floral designers from California and beyond to create elaborate floral arrangements that complement the works of art on display in the museum.
The crowds that we usually see in the first couple days of BTA are diminishing a bit, so if you're interested to see what all the fuss is about, the next few days are a good time to check things out. We've taken a few special measures this year to make sure that everyone gets a chance to see the spectacle: the de Young will stay open late on Friday, March 23, until 8:45 pm, and BTA will be on view through Saturday, March 24 (in previous years the event has run TuesdayFriday only). After that, you'll have to wait until next spring.
The Modern Corset: A Conversation with Autumn Adamme, corsetiere and owner of Dark Garden
Wedding corset, ca. 1898
Q: When people visit the de Young Museum for the March 30 Friday night program, what will they experience?
A: The majority of people have never had an opportunity to wear a true corset, so we are going to give them the chance. We will have over 50 corsets that people can try on over t-shirts or in a screened dressing area.
Q: You own Dark Garden, what kind of store is that?
A: Dark Garden is an atelier that specializes in Victorian- and Edwardian-inspired corsets for modern bodies. It opened in 1989.
Q: What does it feel like to wear a corset like that?
A: Many women say that it gives them a feeling of empowerment. Because it is such a hard, rigid garment, it feels like you are wearing an exoskeleton. Some people say they find it comforting.
Q: Earlier, you mentioned that there are a lot of myths about corsets. What did you mean?
A: One of the big myths was that a woman wearing a corset couldn't breathe. Another is that women who wore them fainted all the time. It's also not true that women had ribs removed so they could wear corsets.
Q: How did you come to be a corset-maker?
A: I'm self-taught. I went to the old school of trial and error. But, my love for corsets springs from a love of historic costumes.
Dark Garden is located at 321 Linden Street in San Francisco. Their web site is www.darkgarden.com.
Additionally, a selection of corsets from the Museums' permanent.. [more]
