Friday, March 4, 2011

to snip or not to snip: vintage dresses

Just as I am poised to enter the mainstream fashion market, a ripple of drama ensues over designers who hack up perfectly good vintage gowns to upcycle into new pieces. As it turns out, we're supposed to keep dresses from the 20's and 30's around in trunks and closets with mothballs until....until..... um, until they disintegrate and are then worthy of being made into new garments? 

Marisa Tomei, Anne Hathaway and Livia Firth in upcycled vintage at the Academy awards
I disagree. Though I do think that there ought to be a Smithsonian-type museum for apparel, to preserve iconic fashion and display it in a way that will inspire the most people. I personally have no issues with hacking up a vintage piece (obviously, see my photos) and in fact, I consider it therapeutic because it forces us to challenge our attachments to sentimental things. The reality is, stuff is stuff. Fabric is fabric. Ashes to ashes, you know the deal. Fashion is temporal, and this controversy will fade away like Imitation of Christ and be long forgotten, while designers will move onto the next big thing. I will continue to destroy beautiful things, laughing with every snip and shred.


very, very vintage gown upcycled by Gypsy Palace


I welcome comments on this topic and value everyone's opinion. I am also discussing this on my Facebook page, so please join us there if you prefer.

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