Arts and Design
July 2nd, 2010 at 12:23pm
Under Arts and Design
Christian Dior’s beautiful, ultra-feminine ‘New Look’ followed the pragmatic, masculinised style that had dominated the war years and is now being incorporated into some of the leading big and tall mens clothing lines. He cleverly assessed the psychological mood of this post-war period, and his 1947 collection epitomized elegance, glamour and sophistication; women around the world embraced the hourglass silhouette once more.
Dior apprenticed with Piguet, Leiong and Balmain before opening his own big mens clothing salon in 1945. His design career was cut short when, after 13 years, he died suddenly, leaving a legacy with which few others could compete.
His sculptural creations, like those of Cristobal Balenciaga, were fashioned using firm, synthetic materials including stiffened nylon, rayon and composite fabrics, which were ‘heat set’ to hold their shape.
He contended that when designing his big and tall shirts, shape guided him first, then fabric, then color. His work was characterized by a use of elaborate construction techniques that had historical precedents in the nineteenth-century Victorian and Edwardian eras. These included built-in petticoats and mini-waisted corsets, hip padding, bodice and skirt lining, reinforcements of seams and pleats, and the weighting of jacket and skirt hems. He said, ‘Without foundations, there can be no fashions’.
Dior reinstated the feminine silhouette after the style of the war years which had been influenced by the rations on fabric. Small waists, off the shoulder necklines and billowing skirts captured the hearts of the fashionable elite and Dior reinstated Paris as the centre of haute couture. From an economic point of view, it was crucial for France to retain her position, not only to support fashion, but the textile industry as well. For his achievements, Dior was awarded the prestigious Medaille d’Honneur by the French government.
Dior’s evening gowns often used exorbitant quantities of fabric, ranging from 15 to 80 meters (50 to 260 feet). His elegant, strapless gowns had boned corsets built into closely fitted bodices. In the late 1950s, Dior introduced very stylized silhouettes, which he called his A line and H line (1955), Y line (1956) and Freeline (1957). By this time, with international sales of couture, pret-a-porter, hats, shoes, furs and perfumes, his fashion empire earned the description, ‘General Motors of Haute Couture’ in the New York Times. His New York branch alone employed 1,200 people spread over 28 workrooms and included a private police force to prevent pirating.
When Dior died, his apprentice, Yves St Laurent became the head designer and continued the long era of loose shapes, clearly evident in his first Dior collection called the ‘Trapeze’ line of 1958. These unwaisted garments, which hung from the shoulders, opened couture to the larger figure amd ‘mothers-in-waiting’. The Dior label now trades under the Moet Hennessy- Louis Vuitton (LVMH) syndicate and John
Galliano has been its recent head designer. Galliano has managed to recreate the image of quality, exclusivity and good taste.
By Kym
March 9th, 2010 at 02:02pm
Under Arts and Design
While most people would agree that most meditation techniques are a mental practice, the objectives of different people and different religions vary. Each religion has different approaches of how to meditate, but the end result is pretty much the same.
In this article, we will discuss the differences among major religions on how they view the practice of
meditation.
1. Hinduism
- this religion probably has the oldest texts that deal with meditation. While there are several types of
meditation in Hinduism, they generally focus on achieving a calm state of mind.
This is one of the more popular perceptions of meditation.
2. Buddhism
- founded by Buddha in 500 BC, this religion’s take on meditation is that which aims to attain enlightenment just like its founder.
3. Christianity
- this religion treats meditation as a prayer. Thus practices such as praying the rosary can be considered as
meditation in the Christian world.
Another form of meditation practiced by Christians is by pondering upon a certain religious passage. It has a
striking difference against
Eastern religions since Christian meditation involves an active mind while the opposite is true for Eastern
practices.
4. Judaism
- what is referred to as Jewish meditation is in fact a collection of practices that revolve around practices such as contemplation, visualization, analysis and gaining intuitive insights.
5. Taoism
- while most religions practice meditation while remaining still, Taoism takes a physically active take on this. It is evident in the practice of Tai Chi wherein practitioners do what is called ‘meditation in motion’.
As you see, there are basic differences among religions on how they approach meditation. However, a common thread that keeps them together is that they treat meditation as a mental practice.
By Kym
July 18th, 2009 at 04:00pm
Under Arts and Design
It can be hard to find art to decorate your house or give as a gift. You don’t want to but some generic, artless painting that is sold in hundreds of stores across the country. You want something that will pop. Luckily, there are ways to find unique art in your own proximity. If you want to fill your house with lovely watercolor art, all you have to do is take some time to discover a watercolor artist in your area. You can do this in a number of ways. The best way to attend craft fairs and artisan showings. These are places you will find lots of small, home-run artists. Another way is to visit the closest town with art studios near you. If you can find these, you may be surprised at what you find.
Going to be craft fares can be overwhelming, but only if you let it be. You just have to get you bearings straight and you will be just fine. There is a lot of art and artists around, so it is easy to fall victim to indulge. If you are a person who tends to buy things on a whim, you may want to take only a limited amount of money with you. If you don’t do this, you may accidentally go home with a big hole in your pocket.
Also, keep in mind when going to craft fairs that it isn’t uncommon for them to not accept credit cards. You may have to pay with a cash or credit. Art can be fairly expensive at times as well, so make sure to plan accordingly. If you only take small bills, you might not be able to afford the piece you like. However, that is one great way to keep your spending in line.
You cant let the first two booths you visit take all your money. This art is how most of these artists pay their bills, so they are quick to try and get you to buy their work. However, even if it is beautiful, you cannot buy the pieces at the first booths. You don’t want to spend a lot of money, and then find something even better later on, but not be able to purchase it. The worst feeling is regretting buying a piece for artyou bought. The great thing about craft fairs is that you can go back to a booth after looking over all of them.
Craft fairs are so fun and funky! It is a really fun way to spend a day. What is better than spending the day in the sun with lots of crafts around. They are the perfect place to find your home decorations or Christmas gifts. Giving art as a gift is such a great idea too. People really appreciate it, because you had to put thought into it and into the people. If you haven’t been to a craft fair before, its time you go!
By joanne
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