Fashion Icons of the 20th & 21st Century
The five designers I have chosen to research are Halston, Alexander McQueen, Isaac Mizrahi, Marc Jacobs and Rudi Gerneich. All of the designers above possess a unique quality and share a distinct aesthetic in design. Their stories vary from drug abuse to flamboyant lifestyles and immeasurable knowledge of the industry. I admire each person’s heart and soul and would love to discover amazing stories of their journey to stardom.
My first designer is the amazing, Roy Halston Frowick, formally known as Halston. I became intrigued by his life instantaneously after watching the documentary about Diane Vreeland called “The eye has to travel”. The fashion film, shared insider stories about Halston’s humble beginnings and tragic demise. During the short film, I was able to learn how his mind works and his perspective on the business in fashion. Above all the party and drama, he pushed the envelope every chance he had.
My second designer is a more rebellious figure, Alexander McQueen. I personally have a never-ending relationship with designers that love to break the rules. This best describes Alexander because of his “shocking” style of design. I, sharing the same passion for high-end men’s tailoring, and theatrical dress pieces, it almost seems Alexander and I was made for each other. I adored him during my teen years mostly because he is one of designers in the 90s that helped elevate British fashion. During that time period, I was drowning in platform shoes, pig –tails and heavily worshipped the Spice Girls; Alexander McQueen represented how I felt perfectly. His death filled with drug abuse and depression, was another reason why I loved him as a designer, his passing was just as dramatic as his life.
My third designer is the creative genius, Isaac Mizrahi. I believe Isaac Mizrahi is Halston reincarnated because he was able to achieve what Halston did not, which was create a fashion line both pleasing to the eye for both a target consumer and a couture client. I adore Isaac Mizrahi because of his eccentric and eclectic way of creating dresses. Though he lacks sleep, he solemnly dreams of his inspirations and color schemes. This is one quality I can relate to, by simply dreaming of an idea that I see to be anxiously waiting to create. I also admire his unorthodox ways of finding beauty in products of mistakes. He tends to put a twist on designs that was formally a mistake, but revamped to couture, I believe is pure talent.
My fourth designer is the sexiest designer of all, Marc Jacobs. Another rebel to his own right featured a grunge collection that continues to inspire street looks today. The plaid prints with boots to match and topped with beanie hats are common wardrobe staples of my generation. I chose to research Marc Jacobs because he has an unusual talent for the almost chic designs incorporated in his collection. The aesthetic of his work is relatable to all walks of life, a hard thing to do for designers fearing in loosing their particular style.
And last but not least the understated designer Rudi Gerneich. He was a designer in the 1950s that designed clothing without any distinguished gender role. I first discovered Rudi Gerneich when I visited the Metropolitan Museum in New York. The portrait of a model in a topless bathing suit, dated in 1964. My fascination with the human body started as a little girl. I found the human anatomy wonderful and somewhat like a blank canvas. This probably explains why I find Gerneich designs aesthetically pleasing. He loved designing clothing in dark color schemes. I enjoyed that about his designs because they looked drastically influenced by European lifestyles.
This concludes my five research designers; I have chosen them because of my fascination with the beauty of the body, and the business behind fashion. I hope to learn more interesting fact about these great individuals and follow the good examples they provided.
My first designer is the amazing, Roy Halston Frowick, formally known as Halston. I became intrigued by his life instantaneously after watching the documentary about Diane Vreeland called “The eye has to travel”. The fashion film, shared insider stories about Halston’s humble beginnings and tragic demise. During the short film, I was able to learn how his mind works and his perspective on the business in fashion. Above all the party and drama, he pushed the envelope every chance he had.
My second designer is a more rebellious figure, Alexander McQueen. I personally have a never-ending relationship with designers that love to break the rules. This best describes Alexander because of his “shocking” style of design. I, sharing the same passion for high-end men’s tailoring, and theatrical dress pieces, it almost seems Alexander and I was made for each other. I adored him during my teen years mostly because he is one of designers in the 90s that helped elevate British fashion. During that time period, I was drowning in platform shoes, pig –tails and heavily worshipped the Spice Girls; Alexander McQueen represented how I felt perfectly. His death filled with drug abuse and depression, was another reason why I loved him as a designer, his passing was just as dramatic as his life.
My third designer is the creative genius, Isaac Mizrahi. I believe Isaac Mizrahi is Halston reincarnated because he was able to achieve what Halston did not, which was create a fashion line both pleasing to the eye for both a target consumer and a couture client. I adore Isaac Mizrahi because of his eccentric and eclectic way of creating dresses. Though he lacks sleep, he solemnly dreams of his inspirations and color schemes. This is one quality I can relate to, by simply dreaming of an idea that I see to be anxiously waiting to create. I also admire his unorthodox ways of finding beauty in products of mistakes. He tends to put a twist on designs that was formally a mistake, but revamped to couture, I believe is pure talent.
My fourth designer is the sexiest designer of all, Marc Jacobs. Another rebel to his own right featured a grunge collection that continues to inspire street looks today. The plaid prints with boots to match and topped with beanie hats are common wardrobe staples of my generation. I chose to research Marc Jacobs because he has an unusual talent for the almost chic designs incorporated in his collection. The aesthetic of his work is relatable to all walks of life, a hard thing to do for designers fearing in loosing their particular style.
And last but not least the understated designer Rudi Gerneich. He was a designer in the 1950s that designed clothing without any distinguished gender role. I first discovered Rudi Gerneich when I visited the Metropolitan Museum in New York. The portrait of a model in a topless bathing suit, dated in 1964. My fascination with the human body started as a little girl. I found the human anatomy wonderful and somewhat like a blank canvas. This probably explains why I find Gerneich designs aesthetically pleasing. He loved designing clothing in dark color schemes. I enjoyed that about his designs because they looked drastically influenced by European lifestyles.
This concludes my five research designers; I have chosen them because of my fascination with the beauty of the body, and the business behind fashion. I hope to learn more interesting fact about these great individuals and follow the good examples they provided.