{Art/Fashion Highlight}: Valentino Retrospective

Looking at couture gowns is both a fascinating (wow, how can a dress so amazingly capture the 1980s), informative (did you know Jackie O. wore a simple Valentino tunic for her second wedding), to sad (oh my to think how many paychecks it would take to actually purchase a gown).

A few girlfriends and I attended the Valentino retrospective and it was nice to have my own fashion fix since I am currently 9000 miles away from NYFW!  I definitely recommend checking out this collection if it comes into your area.

Here are a few highlights of the exhibit:
Valentino red and rosettes (2003)..

...unbelievable workmanship with tulle petals (2009)

...unexpected volume and lacquered lace (2009)

...Julia Roberts' Oscar gown (1992)

...Jackie O's wedding gown (1968)

There are a few more pictures of gowns worn by Audrey Hepburn and some other favorites on Flickr here if you're interested in checking it out!

Fun Finds/{Art Highlight} Exhibit: Chairvolution (300 years of chair design)

This is one of the coolest pieces of furniture I have seen in a while.

Armchair, Gerald Summers, 1934

The humble, functional, and sometimes statement making chair gets its own show, "Chairvolution" from now  until Nov. 28 at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts.  I would definitely attend this exhibit if I were in the area.

I never thought of a chair as being iconic and a piece of art in and of itself.  But as we continue to build up our home and invest in interesting pieces, I realize a chair can really set the mood of a room and make it pop.  Here are some really cool designs:

Cross check armchair, Frank Gehry, 1992

Pallone Chair, Leolux, 1989

 

Womb Chair, Aero Saarinen (totally on our wish list though I don't know if it's in the show!)

Image sources: 1, 2, 3, 4

If you go to the show, tell us how it is!  Do you have any chairs on your wish list?

Photo Love: Jump with no reservations

The artist Philippe Halsman said that when you ask someone to jump for the camera "the mask falls, so the real person appears."

I love the girly and playful jump by the always lovely Audrey Hepburn above.  The lady is still there, but she is leaping without a care in the world - no poses, no thoughts about the perfect angle. 

Life isn't always picture perfect, but it can still be beautiful.  Here's to celebrating those candid and true moments...

Lucky New Yorkers, there is an exhibit of famous figures jumping photographed by Philippe Halsman.  “Philippe Halsman: Jump” continues through Friday, May 28th at the Laurence Miller Gallery, 20 West 57th Street, Manhattan; , laurencemillergallery.com.