Introduction
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Rudi Gernreich is an Austrian born avant-garde designer who immigrated to the United States to escape Europe’s rising Anti-Semitic violence in the 1930s. He and his mother, from a non-religious middle class family took refuge in Los Angeles, California. The young designer came to America with very little knowlege of the language, he would later learn just enough to land his first job. The Rudi’s first job was at a mortuary washing carcasses in Southern California where he learned about the Human Anatomy. He enrolled to study art but later dropping out to pursue dance and becoming costume designer with Los Angeles Modern Dance Studio of Lester Horton. Gernreich reached his first big break when he worked for the fashion designer Adrian while he developed his first small collection. With the uncertainty of America's economy, he moved to New York’s Seventh Avenue for a short while. He then returned to California and developed a collection for Morris Nagel that included in famous interchangeable pieces.
As a young boy, he was surrounded by French designs. They are of high quality and reputable craftsmanship from expert tailors and dressmakers. His aunt owned a fashion salon in Vienna. She has strong ties with Social democrats in the country. This event is to be Rudi’s first fashion influence. Rudi Gernreich's mother supported the young boy's interest in fashion. She would take him to the salon where he will be around his aunt hearing the ins and out of what business is and should be. His early influences as an adult began during his time with the LA dance company. The young designer sketched dance costumes for the dance company. There he exercised his knowledge in movement of human body fueled by his first fashion influence. His years watching the dancers move and observe every chance he gets, it was then learned, "movement is the basic principal of design". Gernreich began the 1950s with the creation of Mattachine Society an organization he co-founded with his lover Harry Hay. He never declared himself publicly, wanted to raise awareness about homosexuality. The organization, Mattachine Society was created to agitate the community about homosexual rights. Today, such society is comparable to the LGBT Movement, which is a simple initialism that stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual and Transgender community. This early influence would be significant because it is the supporting idealism for the unisex project Gernreich created. |
Critical Analysis
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The 1960s is best known to be the Psychedelic decade of the century. The emergence of Art mixed with drugs resulted in all sorts of creation from society. Equality during the decade was still nonexistence, racial segregation heavily practiced. Early 1960s, Black students in Greensboro North Carolina, staged a sit-in to desegregate a Woolworth’s lunch counter, thus intensifying direct action in the civil rights movement. (Gale) People of black decent, particularly teens were hostile because they were forced to fight a corrupt system for their owned right to be treated equality. Others may have fought, majority stayed behind the scenes, experimented with drugs used to expand one’s mind and perspective. The sudden shift of culture introduced the hippie movement in the mid decade. They were described a beatniks migrating from the North Beach to the Haight Ashbury section of San Francisco. Rudi Gernreich was an innovator of designs, he helped brighten the tension amongst people by providing them designs that would encourage or stimulate passion. During the 1960s, society would also experience the age of space exploration. This a world-wide event was witnesses by all of America, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin become the first human beings to walk on the moon. Since the immeasurable interest in Space, Rudi Gernreich capitalized on the idea, he would be known to make space suits and mocking designs of what futuristic designs may look like popular. He would add graphic prints that are bold a geometric like in his designs.
Model Peggy Moffitt said of the designer, " … He invented a modern way of dressing for the latter part of the twentieth century, just as Chanel had done for the earlier part of the century." (Gale "Cut Out Dress) Rudi Gernreich was raised during a time where people value what literature says. They would read the greatest of books and find their wisdom from there. The Austrian designer enjoyed quoting Shakespeare. He would get his sense of Drama from the great writer and incorporate this to his designs. Gernreich was often inspired by culture, specifically Asian oriented things. He is known to use Japanese kimono fabric and mix them with raw materials like Chinese fireworks. The Japanese would later inspire the Austrian designer of his most memorable, high provocative for its time, the exhibits showcasing the Unisex collection. Often put in his designs is Peggy Moffit, his muse and favorite subject. Peggy’s husband would be the photographer of choice for Gernreich and the three of them would have the greatest creative relationship. The influence of dance, helped Gernreich polish his designs to better cater to movement. When he joined Martha Graham’s Dance Company in 1939, he learned that there was a common denominator with design and dance, which is basic simplicity. “I was never a great dancer, but being with the company impressed me with the importance of the clothes in motion, body freedom, rhythm, attitude… and gave me a chance to design costumes.” – Rudi Gernreich (The retrospective) |
Influence
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Gernreich a designer ahead of his time, is also famously known for his 1960s monokini, a topless bathing suit made internationally famous. The exaggerated high waist bottom was held up by shoulder straps that liberated the bosom from its concealment. Generated popularity among American women who wanted to feel more European. His influence in the avant-garde, unisex project of the 1970s, were nonrestrictive and contemporary clothing which innovative designs were intended as an alternative to the conservative styles of the then-dominant Parisian fashion houses. Rudi Gernreich was the first designer to use industrial materials in his designs such as vinyl. Like Elsa Schiaparelli, he too used zippers, metal fasteners in his work. He took the usage of raw materials to a level higher by incorporating elements of motorcycle clothes and dance leotards. His innovation solidified his stamp in the fashion world but often misunderstood. His designs include detachable pant legs, halter-top, and the popularization of mini skirts. These designs are still incorporated in today’s clothing. The detachable pant leg design is now revamped and used in many outdoor recreation clothing.
Gernreich influence was so great that American designer Elizabeth Hawes, claimed her association with Rudi was most rewarding during the 1950s. The designer calls Gernreich a kindred spirit. In 1967, a retrospective of their work was mounted at the Fashion Institute of Technology. Rudi Gernreich left a lasting impression in the industry because of his innovative and futuristic designs of clothing. Another designer to take in his advice is Donna Karan. "Gernreich had a few things to say to Donna Karan; he critiqued her when she was a student at Parson's School of Design. Karan says she identified with Gernreich's approach, especially "the comfort of this clothing and the functionality." (Vogue's view) Many designers high-end and amateurs imitate his designs of cut outs, halter-top design, bikini and thong influence. These were also considered to be trend in design that continues to inspire new generations 50 years since invented. In the year 2000, the city of New York would honour the American fashion designer by placing bronze plaque of his name, along 7th Avenue, the great street of fashion in New York. This has been called the “FASHION WALK OF FAME.” |
Photo Gallery
Work Cited
Felderer, Brigitte. "Gernreich, Rudi." Encyclopedia of Clothing and Fashion. Ed. Valerie Steele. Vol. 2. Detroit: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2005.
134-137. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 1 Sept. 2014.
"Rudi Gernreich". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2014. Web. 01 Sep. 2014
Watt, Melinda. "Hawes, Elizabeth." Encyclopedia of Clothing and Fashion. Ed. Valerie Steele. Vol. 2. Detroit: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2005.
190-191. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 1 Sept. 2014.
"Cutout Dresses." American Decades Primary Sources. Ed. Cynthia Rose. Vol. 7: 1960-1969. Detroit: Gale, 2004. 198-200. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 9 Sept. 2014.
Shields, Jody. "Vogue's View: Rudi Gernreich." Vogue Dec 01 1991: 98,98, 104. ProQuest. Web. 9 Sep. 2014
Images
Moffitt, Peggy, William Claxton, Marylou Luther, and Rudi Gernreich. The Rudi Gernreich Book. Köln: Taschen, 1999. Print.
Steele, Valerie, and Robert Nippoldt. Fashion Designers A-Z: The Collection of the Museum at FIT: Prada Edition. Köln: Taschen, 2012. Print.
134-137. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 1 Sept. 2014.
"Rudi Gernreich". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2014. Web. 01 Sep. 2014
Watt, Melinda. "Hawes, Elizabeth." Encyclopedia of Clothing and Fashion. Ed. Valerie Steele. Vol. 2. Detroit: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2005.
190-191. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 1 Sept. 2014.
"Cutout Dresses." American Decades Primary Sources. Ed. Cynthia Rose. Vol. 7: 1960-1969. Detroit: Gale, 2004. 198-200. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 9 Sept. 2014.
Shields, Jody. "Vogue's View: Rudi Gernreich." Vogue Dec 01 1991: 98,98, 104. ProQuest. Web. 9 Sep. 2014
Images
Moffitt, Peggy, William Claxton, Marylou Luther, and Rudi Gernreich. The Rudi Gernreich Book. Köln: Taschen, 1999. Print.
Steele, Valerie, and Robert Nippoldt. Fashion Designers A-Z: The Collection of the Museum at FIT: Prada Edition. Köln: Taschen, 2012. Print.