Voxsartoria's Weekly WAYWRN Subjective and Totally Unfair Digest

[Manton]

There is definitly a lighter than navy dupioni. Have a look at Draper's.

Flusser had this one. He had three shades of dupioni: tan, elephant gray, and a slate/AF blue. I really, really wanted the latter. Alan wore it in the shop the day I tried to order it. He talked me out of it. Said it was impractical. A Palm Beach/man of leisure suit. I never forgot it, and eventually got a similar color in mohair.

 

[Film Noir Buff]

Originally Posted by A Y

Sorry for yet another tangent, but I'm wondering if there is a royal blue dupioni or some kind of blue lighter than navy? I'm not having much luck finding those kinds of colors. --Andre
Before it changed hands, the owner of D. Singer Textiles in NYC got me a chart of high quality duppioni silks to choose from. I chose a medium grey and a silvery grey for a sports jacket. I almost chose a bright blue too but I already have a bright blue jacket. I mention this because there were a lot of nice colors on the card and many shades of blue. It was from Italy. If I get a chance I will inspect the fabrics to see if a maker's tag is stapled to it.

 

[Despos]

Originally Posted by jefferyd

Was that dupioni or shantung?

I don't know for sure

 

[Manton]

Originally Posted by Despos

I don't know for sure

As I recall, it looked a bit too slubby to be Dupioni. I have it on Blueray, I could check.

 

[Film Noir Buff]

Originally Posted by Despos

I hear it is considered a winter cloth in tropical or some Asian climates. The US seems to think silk is for summer.
It seems to work better during the spring here. If the silk is a high quality with a good weave it can be airy

 

[voxsartoria]

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.


- B

 

[james_timothy]

Originally Posted by mafoofan

In other words: when norms are tossed out for new norms, but without good reason, I think the old norms should be restored since they, at least, rest on experience and less risky magnitudes of change. I think, we have come, as a society, to value change in and of itself (thank you, Mr. President)--I view this as a sort of intellectual disease because it is costly (destabilizing norms that don't necessarily need destabilizing), and it distracts us from changing norms for good reasons.

Originally Posted by Fuuma

What you are lamenting isn't the variation in the nature of the changes but the acceleration of hypermodernity. Too much info is making us loose control and some find it a cause of anguish while others think it is exhilarating.

Originally Posted by voxsartoria

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Well, then, back to what I found interesting, back on pages 10 and 13.

It is at least arguable that this idea of accelerating change is wrong. There were far bigger changes in the 50 years from 1900-1950 then from 1950-2000, including the dissolution of a 400 year old world empire and the electrification of cities. The last fifty years have been relatively stable in everything but computers and population.

I'm still trying to get my mind around the idea that somewhere in the 1930's were year 0 in Sartorialist History. Perhaps when the world found its ground shifting under their feet it latched onto the myth of the Upperclass and the images of the AA crystalize this aspirational idea.

I'm also fascinated by the idea that Ralph Lauren capitalized (literally) on this in the Purple Label line.

 

[LabelKing]

Maybe a turquoise Dupioni, or Goering powder-blue.

 

[voxsartoria]

Originally Posted by james_timothy

I'm also fascinated by the idea that Ralph Lauren capitalized (literally) on this in the Purple Label line.

Next week, I might wear a RLPL chalk stripe flannel by Chester Barrie from the first year of the collection...if so, I'll post it in the regular WAYWRN.


- B

 

[voxsartoria]

Originally Posted by james_timothy

The last fifty years have been relatively stable in everything but computers and population.

You neglect the revolution in self-tanning products.


- B

 

[james_timothy]

Mere fluff. As is the space race and polyester.

 

[Film Noir Buff]

Originally Posted by james_timothy

Well, then, back to what I found interesting, back on pages 10 and 13. It is at least arguable that this idea of accelerating change is wrong. There were far bigger changes in the 50 years from 1900-1950 then from 1950-2000, including the dissolution of a 400 year old world empire and the electrification of cities. The last fifty years have been relatively stable in everything but computers and population. I'm still trying to get my mind around the idea that somewhere in the 1930's were year 0 in Sartorialist History. Perhaps when the world found its ground shifting under their feet it latched onto the myth of the Upperclass and the images of the AA crystalize this aspirational idea. I'm also fascinated by the idea that Ralph Lauren capitalized (literally) on this in the Purple Label line.
In recent times, those AA/Esky plates were referred to publicly mainly by FLusser. Of course designers pore over history (all history) for ideas and I am sure they refer to them amongst other things. But they are not year 0, that's an opinion.

 

[james_timothy]

Year 0 also means there is a before as well as an after, and 0 marks are always arbitrary.

But Ann Demeulemeester's historical pickings aren't in the main line of men's clothing, whereas Manton made a strong case that there is nothing really out of the ordinary in many of the AA/Esky drawings. Fuuma had to argue that is was everything is sum that was outlandish, but then, these were fashion shots. It just seems like the main line variations have been Thom Brownesqe re-interpretations of minor details.

 

[eg1]

Originally Posted by voxsartoria

"Dear, is that a Foof?" [hands over binoculars]

"Hmmm...big head...resplendent plumage...I think you've finally spotted one, dear."

"I'll check it off in the book." [takes back binoculars]

"Oh my...what is that big, lanky one doing with the large rabbit?" [hands over binoculars again]

"I don't know, but it looks ugly. The rabbit is also a bit odd...it appears to be wearing a waistcoat with...rabbits on it. Is that in our book?"

"Oh, here they are...they're in the New Yorker chapter, in the section on exotic, infiltrating fauna. Apparently, the tall one's native range is the Pacific coast."

[scans edge of forest] "Oh, there's that Kunkle again. With the sun out, it's head really gleams."

"What's he doing?"

"Need I say?"

[laughs] "He must do that five times a day."

"At least."

"Oh, here comes dopey."

"Come on in, D. Here's an extra set of binocs. One lump or two?"


- B

It's the ones you cannot see that ought to worry yourself and the missus. If you listen closely you might just hear them toiling underground: teeming, misshapen and tireless Morlocks -- mining and sapping in the darkness ...

 

[Film Noir Buff]

Originally Posted by james_timothy

Year 0 also means there is a before as well as an after, and 0 marks are always arbitrary. But Ann Demeulemeester's historical pickings aren't in the main line of men's clothing, whereas Manton made a strong case that there is nothing really out of the ordinary in many of the AA/Esky drawings. Fuuma had to argue that is was everything is sum that was outlandish, but then, these were fashion shots. It just seems like the main line variations have been Thom Brownesqe re-interpretations of minor details.
There isn't anything inherently wrong with the AA/Esky plates, rather it is how they are approached, interpreted and applied. A fundamental element of design and taste is to borrow and refresh. There are literalists, LITERALISTS as well as people who who panic if they have to make a decision. People can often recognize the fruits of taste and successful interpretation even if they cannot achieve it themselves. Doubtless you know people who can appreciate humor or a joke but are not themselves witty. The suit is a young historically. The 1930s were the first time there was a dynamic international exchange of styles, fabrics, colors what have you which in turn served as a bounty for a magazine or catalog to codify. The 1930s are neither evil nor supreme, they possess plenty of things to adopt and just as many to discard. If one has or wants to develop a sense for clothes, they need to figure out which is which. This is a continuing and hopefully stimulating experience.