University of Fashion Blog

Category "Field Trip"

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UoF Holiday Sale

UoF’s once-yearly Holiday Sale is here in time for celebrating Bergdorf Goodman’s 2022 holiday dressmaking window (Photo credit: Carol Bernheim)

Bergdorf Goodman’s holiday 2022 store window theme is a Celebration of Crafts! And, we love it!

What better way to kick off UoF’s once-yearly limited time subscription offer than to get an assist from Bergdorf Goodman? If you happen to find yourself in NYC, then you must visit the windows of Bergdorf Goodman whose theme this year is in celebration of crafts: scrapbooking, paper sculpture, metal craft, paper mache, dressmaking, wood craft and mosaic-making.

We especially love the window that is dedicated to art & craft of dressmaking. This window is filled with tape measures, buttons, irons, pincushions, mannequins and blinged-out sewing machines and scissors. It reinforces what we already know…that fashion is still made with ‘hands’.

Bergdorf’s holiday windows premiered on Nov 17th at 6pm. They are the most anticipated windows of the 5th avenue retailers. Hollywood and Broadway set designers, together with Bergdorf’s own visual merchandisers, plan the windows a full year in advance. For those of you who love the art of visual merchandising, check out this behind the scenes video of how these windows were assembled.

And, to explore how you can become a visual merchandiser yourself – subscribe to UoF and learn from our expert instructor Marcie Cooperman in her 9-part visual merchandising series.

Bergdorf Goodman 2022 Holiday windows behind the scenes video (Video credit: You Tube )

 

All of the Bergdorf Goodman 2022 Holiday Windows (Video credit: You Tube The Megan Daily)

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Rare Kicks Auctioned to Kick Slave Labor in the Fashion Industry

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Pictured above: Kith X Nike LeBron James XV, Long Live the King Part II, 2018

This summer, the rarest, most coveted sneaker collaborations were on view on Park Avenue at the Tongue + Chic, Sneakers  X Artists exhibition. The exhibition ran for only about a month and a half, and we were lucky to make it in before the closing date of August 31. Sneakerheads came from near and far (and formed lines around the block) just to get a glimpse of famous collaborations between Nike, Converse, Puma, Reebok and various artists and influencers. Read More

Making the Mundane Meaningful at MoMA

T-shirts. Jeans. A little black dress. Underwear.

Not exactly garments you might think worthy of the MoMA’s first fashion exhibit in 73 years, and only second fashion exhibit—ever.

However, items many of us have had as staples in our own closets over the years are exactly the garments sparking current conversation in the fashion and art world since this collection of seemingly mundane clothes and accessories opened to the public on October 1, 2018. Read More

Field Trip: Irving Penn at the Met

- - Field Trip

When you think of iconic fashion magazine images, which favorite shots come to mind?

Ethereal, natural, almost dream-like images shot by Annie Leibovitz? Maybe bold, bright shots by Mario Testino? Perhaps the tongue-in-cheek, sexy, playful images by Cass Bird?

These prolific photogs share something in common. No matter the celebrity, product or scene they are shooting, they do so through their own recognizable lens.

Irving Penn is one such master at putting his spin on a photograph regardless of the subject—and is a recent subject himself of an exhibit at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. The exhibit marks the centennial celebration of Penn’s birth, and we were lucky to get a few of our own photos of this artist’s expansive body of work over a career spanning almost 70 years. Read More

Field trip: Sydney and Melbourne

- - Field Trip

Escape the bone-chilling temps and the uneasy political climate in the U.S. for a ten day sunny stay in Australia? Count. Me. In.

Sunny Australian summer laneway

Sunny Australian summer laneway

Although it took me a bit to wrap my head around the time difference (subtract 7ish hours from the current time in the states, go back one day and you have a successful switch to Australian time), Sydney and Melbourne have always been on my list of cities to experience. What I found in the land down under was an eclectic design culture where local designers are thriving. I visited outdoor markets and perused laneways and arcades (gorgeous hidden strips of shops, each with their own personality and vibe) and marveled at the ease with which local artisans described doing business in Australia. What I did not find in terms of fashion was a signature Australian style – unless of course I count the easy, colorful beachwear and bikinis necessary for time spent on Australia’s beautiful beaches.

Sydney Opera House

I started my stay in Sydney where I quickly got the impression Sydney is to Manhattan as Melbourne may be to Brooklyn? Much like Manhattan’s Empire State Building, there’s no mistaking the Sydney Opera House skyline silhouette. I took the opportunity to see the opera house up close and was surprised by the textile inspiration I found in the tiled patterns that simply cannot be conveyed from far away. As for shopping, Sydney is home to all of the usual suspects in terms of Topshop, Uniqlo and H&M in addition to luxury designer boutiques. However, I was on the hunt for the local scene.

Bondi Beach Market

Beachwear at Bondi Market

Convinced that I would discover a signature Australian design aesthetic, I headed to one of the Paddington Markets as well as Bondi Market located just off the beautiful Bondi Beach. In addition to the many sections of beachwear and jewelry, I was surprised to find influences from the world over – particularly Scandinavia and Japan. In talking with vendors, it seemed local production was very manageable and that taking one’s business from local markets to an independent boutique was not an uncommon route for designers. Yoshi Jones is an Australian designer that encompasses all that I observed. A well-known Sydney designer, she is heavily influenced by Japanese design and fabrics and has made her way from the Paddington and Bondi markets to an independent boutique.

Summertime at Bondi Market

Summertime at Bondi Market

For me, the fresh flowers, the colorful hand printed souvenirs and gorgeous food were standouts in Sydney. Edible flowers seemed to accompany every dish, and if ever I were to find design inspiration in food, Sydney and Melbourne would be front runners in terms of places to visit. Speaking of Melbourne, my initial analogy proved to be true. Just as Brooklyn is packed with emerging artists and creative inspiration, Melbourne boasts a similar feel. A visit to the suburb of Fitzroy will have you roaming in and out of shops for days.

Inside E.S.S.

Inside ESS. Laboratory

Again, no aesthetic specific to Melbourne or even Australia, but you will find a wealth of locally made goods influenced by worldwide design. One of my favorite shops was ESS. Laboratory – started by a Japanese designer who now makes Melbourne her home, studio and place of production.

Overall Wall at American Vintage

Overall Wall at American Vintage

Another shock to my retail system was the amount of vintage I found in Melbourne. Take a look at the WALL of overalls I found at aptly named American Vintage Clothing Company on Brunswick Street in Fitzroy. This hidden goldmine was packed wall to wall with denim and classic Americana staples from American flags to Future Farmers of America jackets from each of the Midwestern states.

As a blogger for the University of Fashion, I understand you are looking for fashion-related tips (and field trips), however, I have to mention once again Australian food and drink – the coffee was the best I’ve sipped and just take a look at this Vegemite avocado toast, complete with edible flowers from Fika.

Vegemite avocado toast at Fika

Vegemite avocado toast at Fika

This slice of heaven was located an hour train ride outside of Melbourne in Ballarat. Should you make the long trek to Melbourne, tack a quick trip on to Ballarat for not only the food and coffee at Fika, but the stylie baristas who will serve you. Questions/comments about the land down under? Feel free to leave them in the the comments below. Cheers, mate!

X marks the spot at Fika

X marks the spot at Fika

Can you name 5 influential fashion illustrators?

- - Field Trip, Illustration

If you were asked to name 5 influential fashion designers, chances are you would be able list them faster than I could say McQueen, Kawakubo, Yamamoto, Chanel and Vionnet. If you were asked to do the same for fashion illustrators, who would top your list? After our most recent field trip to El Museo del Barrio here in NYC, we are thrilled to introduce you to the work of Antonio Lopez. Read More

A Danish designer you should know: Henrik Vibskov

- - Field Trip

Within the first few days of arriving in magical Copenhagen, I found myself out in the waters of beautiful Christanshavn on a private boat with the owner of Red Roses, my now favorite coffee shop (and daily ritual) in Copenhagen. Earlier in the day, I struck up a conversation with Tue, the man behind this gem of a cafe. I talked about missing the Lower East Side in NYC and Tue mentioned that he and his family had just been there. Before I knew it, Tue was giving me a tour of the gorgeous waters of Copenhagen, and I quickly forgot my homesickness. Read More