FIT SHOWCASES ISABEL TOLEDO
June 17, 2009
By now, everyone should be familiar with the lemongrass shift and matching coat that Michelle Obama wore on Inauguration Day. The outfit received more press than the new White House puppy and has been analyzed and scrutinized more than healthcare, Iraq or the recession! Finally, Isabel Toledo is getting some recognition! The Museum at FIT is showcasing the exquisite ensemble (behind bullet proof glass, I think), as well as 70 other pieces in a mid-career retrospective titled, ISABEL TOLEDO: FASHION FROM THE INSIDE OUT, which will be on display through September 26. I attended the opening cocktail party on Tuesday evening, and aside from the bar running out of wine, the event was a huge success. After saying “Hello” to the museum’s director and chief curator, Dr. Valerie Steele, I spotted Andre Leon Tally perched on a bench, wearing a silk kaftan and a hefty, gold “charm” necklace with an Obama pin attached to one of the links. He generously granted me a photo-op and complimented my handbag! The affair attracted an eclectic group including; Matthew Modine (who happened to be chatting with a woman… ooops, make that a man, wearing nothing but a black body suit), Lynn Yaeger, Simon Doonan, Narciso Rodriguez, Francisco Costa, Ted Allen (Food Network, Queer Eye), Bill Cunningham (who slinked in and out of guests snapping candid shots) and FGI’s own, Margaret Hayes. Isabel and her husband, Ruben, looked chic as ever as they made their way through the room graciously chatting with press, admirers and friends.
June 17, 2009
By now, everyone should be familiar with the lemongrass shift and matching coat that Michelle Obama wore on Inauguration Day. The outfit received more press than the new White House puppy and has been analyzed and scrutinized more than healthcare, Iraq or the recession! Finally, Isabel Toledo is getting some recognition! The Museum at FIT is showcasing the exquisite ensemble (behind bullet proof glass, I think), as well as 70 other pieces in a mid-career retrospective titled, ISABEL TOLEDO: FASHION FROM THE INSIDE OUT, which will be on display through September 26. I attended the opening cocktail party on Tuesday evening, and aside from the bar running out of wine, the event was a huge success. After saying “Hello” to the museum’s director and chief curator, Dr. Valerie Steele, I spotted Andre Leon Tally perched on a bench, wearing a silk kaftan and a hefty, gold “charm” necklace with an Obama pin attached to one of the links. He generously granted me a photo-op and complimented my handbag! The affair attracted an eclectic group including; Matthew Modine (who happened to be chatting with a woman… ooops, make that a man, wearing nothing but a black body suit), Lynn Yaeger, Simon Doonan, Narciso Rodriguez, Francisco Costa, Ted Allen (Food Network, Queer Eye), Bill Cunningham (who slinked in and out of guests snapping candid shots) and FGI’s own, Margaret Hayes. Isabel and her husband, Ruben, looked chic as ever as they made their way through the room graciously chatting with press, admirers and friends.
As always, FIT did a stellar job thanks to Dr. Valerie Steele, Patricia Mears (deputy director) and exhibition designer Charles Froom. Ruben’s sketches decorated the venue hanging high on the walls and criss-crossing the ceiling. Isabel’s pieces were sectioned off into several categories including; Origami, Suspension, Liquid Architecture, Shadow, Shape, Organic Geometry and Manipulated Surfaces. Ms. Toledo suggests that she is not a fashion designer, but rather a seamstress because she uses construction as the point of view for her designs. She thinks of fashion from the inside out, describing ideas to Ruben so that he can sketch them. Her focus on dimensionality and technique reflect her fine arts background and each piece is an intricate work of art. Due this approach, her creations are timeless and so many of the items on display looked completely contemporary.
Since the debut of her collection in 1985, Isabel Toledo has received several honors and awards, and has garnered accolades and praise from her peers. In the fashion world, Isabel stands alone unconcerned with trend and disinterested with fame. Although the “Obama” dress has recently catapulted her into the mainstream, she and Ruben tend to “fly under the radar.” They just do what they love and the fact that they are hugely respected and successful is just a bonus. The exhibit at FIT is truly inspirational. I would urge anyone with a love of art, not just fashion, to visit the creative mind of Isabel Toledo.
-Stacy Lomman
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