Posterity Chic

23/02/2018

The second photo-blog post (of 3) about the "Fashion for the people!" exhibition in Moscow which covered 1920s radical design. This one's about an extraordinary woman, Nadezhda Lamanova, who went from designing dresses for the the Imperial Court to designing for ordinary working women after the revolution.

Nadezhda Lamanova went (via prison) from dress designer to the Imperial Russian Court, to designing austerity chic for the Soviet proletariat.

16/02/2018

This blue 1940s 'fit 'n' flare' coat is on the cover of my rather battered 'Kendals News Booklet' from early in 1941 (same booklet as yesterday's suits). It was also available in red and various tweeds. This model predates the introduction of clothes rationing, probably only by a few weeks. Kendals was a landmark department store in Manchester. Note the reference to increased use of mail order since WWII began.

16/02/2018

Two more coats from 1945. This advertisement was on the back cover of the October issue of Good Housekeeping magazine. Notice the caveat at the bottom of the page: 'As conditions improve, so will supplies of Marlbeck models'. With these coats in short supply, the advert is primarily aspirational. Marlbeck Ltd. were a tailoring firm in Leeds, Yorkshire.

16/02/2018

These 1940s coat advertisements from Harella look a little eccentric at first glance...

After the nightmare of war, time to start dreaming about buying a new coat…

16/02/2018

Varvara Stepanova and Lyubov Popova, two accomplished artists who turned their attention to fabric and clothing design in the early years after the Russian Revolution.

Varvara Stepanova and Lyubov Popova - 1924
photographed by Rodchenko

15/02/2018

Here's a video tour of the exhibition, "Fashion for the people! From constructivism to design", that was held in Moscow's GUM department store/mall in October 2017. It features replicas of 1920s Soviet designs, plus copies of the original drawings, all of which are interesting to see. You don't need to speak Russian to enjoy the pictures!

Современные дизайнеры создали одежду по эскизам почти вековой давности. Это словно попасть на модный показ в 20-е годы прошлого века: легко можно представить, в чем ....

15/02/2018

Back in October 2017, a number of people were posting wonderful photos from a Moscow exhibition of 1920s Soviet fashion. I couldn't resist matching some of the best photos of the replica dresses with the original 1920s designs, and giving a little historical context along the way. With special thanks to Angelina Sizova and Corinne Seminoff who took the original photographs and who kindly shared them publicly, and to Soviet Visuals who then shared Angelina's original post, so bringing it to my attention. This first post (of 3) looks at the designs of Varvara Stepanova and Lyubov Popova. Варвара Степанова и Любовь Попова.

In the very early years after the Russian Revolution, artists like Varvara Stepanova and Lyubov Popova tried to create a new Soviet style for the new era.

15/02/2018

In the 1920s, the equestrienne that rode astride was seen as very fashionable and a little bit racy too. Pretty young women in fashionable outfits (not necessarily for riding) accompanied by a horse, graced many a postcard. This one is by Italian artist Giovanni Nanni (1888 - 1969), who was a master of the genre, and this young woman does appear to be wearing a fashionable checked riding habit (for riding astride).

14/02/2018

This fashion illustration from La Vie Parisienne in 1922, depicts a hundred years of ever changing riding habit fashion. For the first 90 years they are all side saddle habits. Only the last outfit (from the 1920s), is for riding astride. Whilst the jacket is still quite long by today’s standards, the legs and breeches of the ’20s equestrienne are on show, which back then was still quite risque. Previously, they would have been covered with a skirt or 'apron' in order to preserve a lady's modesty.

14/02/2018

The 1920s saw a sea change in women's riding and riding wear. The traditional side saddle habit with its tiny corseted waist began to be eclipsed by the new (and skirtless) jacket and breeches combinations designed for riding astride.

Back in the 1920s, the life of the equestrienne was still seen as fashionable, sexy and exclusive (to the wealthy), so riding outfits featured on the covers of even the most fashionable magazines.