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44 attire selvedge.org Battle dress AMATO’S ARMY OF COUTURE-CLAD SOLDIERS The Glory of Spanish Dress JOAQUÍN SOROLLA BASTIDA’S PAINTINGS OF REGIONAL COSTUME Joaquín Sorolla Bastida was one of the most successful painters in Spain in the late 19th century . His style is notable for its mastery of light, from the strong, blinding light of the Mediterranean to the softer, more nebulous light of the beaches of San Sebastian and Asturias, in the north of Spain. He achieved overwhelming success not only within his country but also beyond its borders; in Paris, London, New Y ork, and Chicago, where his exhibitions were well received by critics and the public alike. Among Sorolla’s great patrons was an American Hispanist named Archer Huntington, for whom he agreed to carry out the most important commission of his career, the decoration of the Hispanic Society Library, in New Y ork, with a series of large panels depicting the Regions of Spain. Proceeds from this commission allowed the painter to build himself an elegant studio-home in the heart of Madrid. There he was able to work near his family with all the space and light his painting required. After his death, his widow and the great love of his life, Clotilde García del Castillo, bequeathed the house, with all of its collections, to the Spanish State on the understanding that it would be turned into a museum in memory of her late husband; today it is the Sorolla Museum. Typically for the age he lived in, Sorolla was a great collector; he amassed ceramics, archaeological pieces, regional glassware, and medieval sculptures. Thanks to his close friendships with other artists of the day, such as the sculptors Benlliure and Capúz, the painter Beruete, and the photographers Arturo García (his father-in-law), and Ragel, he also collected contemporary pieces. But among the numerous collections at the Sorolla Museum, there is one that has r emained relatively unknown: the textile collection, made up o f historic textiles and regional outfits. The historic textiles cover a wide period, from small Coptic fragments to fabrics from the 19th and 20th centuries. The regional outfit section is notable for its relationship to Sorolla’s work as a painter since the majority of the pieces were acquired as part of the commission to decorate the Hispanic Society Library. In accordance with contmporary thinking, and the aim of representing the various regions of Spain, Sorolla sought the essence of Spanish culture in traditional rural settings travelling extensively throughout Spain from 1912 to 1919, when he completed the commission. After considering many possible approaches, Sorolla finally decided that the best way to visually represe nt the country was through its regional outfits, and during his trips, he not only painted but also undertook to acquire the outfits that best represented the regions he visited. For this reason, his pictures aptly portray the rich variety of Spanish regional dress, and they constitute one of the most important attempts to codify of this type of outfit, at a time when it was beginning to disappear as an element of everyday life in the Spanish countryside. The outfits that have been preserved in the museum belong primarily to Spain’s northern regions, characterized by thicker materials and older forms; and to the province of Valencia, where outfits of 18th-century inspiration are notable for their rich silks, brocades, and spurs, decorated with flowers and garlands of fruit. This latter group constitutes some of the richest and most colourful costumes in Spain. The relative scarcity of outfits from other regions (which we know Sorolla acquired, thanks to his constant correspondence with his wife), is doubtless due to the fact that these were all delivered to the Hispanic Society, as indicated in Sorolla’s contr act with the Hispanist Huntington, which stipulated that, along wit h his final compositions, the artist would deliver the outfits used for his work but not his preliminary sketches. These outfits, which have never been exhibited until now, may be s een in Joaquín Sorolla and the Glory of Spanish Dress at the Queen Sofia Spanish Institute in New York. Two outfits from the Museum’s collection that will appear as part of the exhibition are from the Valley of Ansó, in the mountains of Huesca. These outfits are characterized by heavy woolen fabrics designed to protect against the intensely cold winters. These were woven, fulled and then dyed green and black, all by hand. They are perhaps the oldest outfits in all of Spain. Their roots stretch back to outfits from the Renaissance, and, as is typical in traditional societies, they combine aesthetic motifs with others rooted in local religious traditions, such as silk cockades or pendants to which crucifixes or medallions of Our Lady of the Pillar were attached. Close to the V alley of Ansó is the V alley of El Roncal, in Navarre, not far from the French-Spanish border. The woman’s outfit from this valley is notable for its overlapping blue skirts, with the outer skirt gathered up in back by means of a b rooch in order to reveal its red interior lining, creating a striking visual effect. These fabrics, though lighter, are also made of wool to protect against the cold, in both the skirts and the black jerkin that was worn over the blouse. Completing the outfit was a mantilla, also made of wool, but adorned with more luxurious ribbons, usually made of silk. Finally, the man’s outfit from Salamanca, which was probably given to Sorolla by the f amily of the Marquis of Bazanella, is of an exceptional quality , especially the jacket and the breeches. Both are made of bluish-green velvet of a rich quality, which must style, with the breeches extending to just below the knee, the stockings, and the short jacket, show the 4 Welsh knitting assembly PROFESSOR MOIRA VINCENTELLI EXAMINES AN INTEGRAL PART OF WELSH CULTURE Welsh landscape with two women knitting, William Dyce, 1860 5 7 les ofWa lMuseum TheNationa In the summer of 2010, the National Museum of Wales acquired the ultimate romantic evocation of Welsh knitting. Dating from 1860, William Dyce’s painting shows two women knitting out on the mountains of Snowdonia; the standing figure is dressed in the iconic Welsh costume with red shawl and tall black hat. Both are knitting stockings. What kind of reality does Dyce’s image represent? In the 1860s such a costume had gained currency through the efforts of Lady Llanover who wanted to encourage the wear ing of Welsh flannel and to create a distinct identity for her adopted country (she was English). She succeeded. The costume remains to this day the ultimate signifier of W elsh identity. The knitting is an additional part of the iconography. The image was widely spread most notably by the Welsh photographer, John Thomas, who photographed women dressed up in Welsh costume (from a supply kept in the photographer’s studio) and they were frequently shown with their knitting to hand. The icon was quickly translated into the burgeoning postcard market of the late 19th and early 20th century. In spite of the apparent geographical connotations of ‘raglan’ sleeves and ‘cardigan’, both names are derived from aristocratic generals of the Crimean War (1854-6) and have no real connection with Wales. Nor has Wales given its name to any sweaters associated with the fishing industry , such as Aran or Guernsey, but Wales has some particular associations with knitting. As early as the 16th century the Monmouth cap or Welsh wig was a type of male knitted headwear gathered at the crown and sometimes with flaps over the ears. Between 1700-1900, however, Wales became known for its hand-knitted stockings, at a time whe n frame knitting was increasingly replacing hand knitting in many parts of the UK. During the same period Wales was a fashionable destination for intrepid travellers in search of dramatic mountain landscape, picturesque scenes and good fresh air. In 1860 William Dyce came on a family holiday and was deeply impressed by the wildness of the mountains in North Wales. The painting was made in London some time after his return. In the Dyce image the isolated and rugged setting for this domestic craft might seem surprising but in the 18th and 19th century knitting was often seen outdoors. The eminent portability of the craft meant it could be done while minding animals or walking to market. Furthermore, while knitting is firmly established in the popular imagination as a female activity , men also knitted, especially where there was an economic b enefit. As the Revere nd John Evans recorded of Bala, “knitting being the common employment of the neighbourhood, for both sexes of all ages, even the men frequently take up the needles and assist the female, in labour, where the chief support of the family is derived.” The sock knitting business represented a useful additional income to rural people in upland mid and north Wales. It was hard work and long hours and there are a number of records that suggest that it often provided the money that saw people out of starvation in difficult times. Some visitors were shocked by the poverty and hardship they encountered as they travelled around. In North Wales it was common to make footless stockings with a thong that went 4 a n e c d o t e s e l v e d g e . o r g 01 02 BLOCK PARTY CORINNE JULIUS PIECES TOGETHER LUCY ORTA’S IDEAS ABOUT PATTERN 6 7 c o n c e p t Pattern cutting is the building block of most se rious fashion, and now in a new Crafts Council touring exhibition it is the springboard for some cutting edge (excuse the pun) contemporary craft. Block Party is curated by Lucy Orta, artist and Professor of Art, Fashion and the Environment at the London College of Fashion, whose o wn practice fuses fashion, art and architecture with a strong social conscience. Orta was invited by the Crafts Council to curate the show and with them selected not only artists with a textile background, but artists, makers and designers working in other areas who apply the tec hniques and aesthetics of pattern cutting i n innovative and unexpected ways. Orta herself is no pattern cutting slouch. As a child she made dolls clothes and by her mid teens was an intern with a bespoke tailor in Birmingham. “I learnt a tremendous amount that has stayed with me,” she says “and I still love the c raft of tailori ng.” A fashion-k nitwear sandwich course at Nottingham Poly (as it was then) followed. She moved to France researching for the Wool Secretariat, before working for a French design house. “The Gulf W ar and the economic recession made lif e rather difficult,” explains Orta. “However by then I had met my husband the artist Jorge Orta. For a while I was working both as an artist and in the fashion industry . I kept them separate. I didn’t dare explain about my art to the fashion people, although in Paris t here were designers li ke Viktor and Rolf wh o did understand both.” Her first body of work Refuge Wear, 1992-8, was a response both to appeals for shelter and clothing for Kurd refugees and awareness of the increasing 03 number of homeless people on the streets. Her first sculpture Habitent, 1992, was a one person portable habitat – an aluminium tent with a telescopic armature that transformed into a wind and waterproof poncho in seconds. “I have a de ep admiration for the tradition and craftsmanship of pattern drafting.” Her interest and knowledge has been enhanced by her professorship at LCF, where she has seen the fruits of research into both traditional couture and digital de velopments, such as Gerber and Po lyNest specialist CADS/CAM computerised systems and virtual contour visualisat ions, 3D body-mapping and 3D printing. Given her background, the choice of artists was u nlikely to be conventiona l. “Everyone in the show is an exp lorer who wishes to experiment and invent new ways to assemble pattern shapes, not to create garments but to manipulate shape to create new forms,” explains Orta. Block Party foc uses on 3 themes, Storytelling, the Motif and Manipulation and Embracing the Future through the work of 16 artists, although many straddle more than one category. Storytelling examines patter n cutting as a means of e xpression. Yinka Shonibare exhibits Girl on Flying Machine , a headless child in a Victorian dress made of traditional West African prints. It is a commentary on the desire to achieve and the breaking down of colonial barriers. More radical are contributions by Rohan Chhabra, Claudia Losi and Rhian Solomon. In Bodycloth, the latter s e l v e d g e . o r g 4 5 3 c o h a bit In plain sight PRISCILLA CARLUCCIO’S RURAL BOLTHOLE IN DEEPEST HAMPSHIRE Priscilla Carluccio is one of the most influential figures in British design. Formerly the watchful eye behind Habitat, Heals and The Conran Shop, she is now the owner of Few and Far on London’s Brompton Road. ‘The Bothy’, Priscilla’s rural bolthole, is the perfect embodiment of the handmade home ethos, with its paredback interior full of objects amassed over years of searching out the best artisan makers. The Bothy, bought over 20 years ago, was once two cottages dating from the 17th century that have now been brought together as one. What was once the back wall of the cottages is now enclosed by a long corridor that runs across the width of the house, creating a thermos-flask-like double wall that ensures the house is kept cosy or cool, depending on the weather. The larder was once an outside shed, but it has since been incorporated into the house and is now home to piles of jelly moulds, fluted cake tins an d copper pans, all of which make an impressive display on simple wooden shelves. The unfitted cupboards house stacks of handmade ceramic bowls and kitchenware such as Moroccan glasses and Greek trays. The house itself feels handmade, with much of the structure proudly on display and the beams and supports left exposed. The wooden stickback chairs, three-legged stools and spindly tables echo these graphic lines. A group of mismatched classic wooden chairs gather around a round wooden table with sturdy looking legs, designed by Priscilla herself. The walls have been pared back to the original wattle and daub, repaired and patched where necessary by a local plasterer. The house has a beautiful functionality – built using hazel from a nearby wood, clay from a local pond and flint found in neighbouring fields. A vast brick inglenook fire place dominates the living room. It would once have served as the heat source for the entire cottage. A sleek modern woodburning stove is in graphic contrast with the rest of the room, yet the spindly three-legged stools somehow help it fit in. The combination of colours, textiles and exposed wood, along with a minimal approach to furnishings, allows the house to suggest a sens e of history wi thout being twee, which can be the downfall of many a thatched cottage. There is the occasional splash of colour from a cushion or a jug of country flowers but on the whole the colours are pale and interesting tones of white, which, along with Priscilla’s favourite natural fabrics – wool, cotton and l inen – create a calming, restful atmosphere that’s just the thing when an escape from the busy-ness and noise of London is required. The artful and considered styling of Pr iscilla’s shop, Few and Far , which pr ovides a collection of internationally sourced clothes along with interesting jewellery, vintage and contemporary furniture, tabletop items and handmade toys to discerning visitors, is also evident in this rural retreat. Priscilla’s eye for detail is apparent throughout. There is absolutely nothing extraneous or out of place, but the look is not off-puttingly neat or austere either; rather it is simple and well considered, a gathering of cleanliness and good taste. 4 s e l v e d g e . o r g 5 COHABIT stunning interiors beautifully photographed 52 COVER STORY In plain sight Priscilla Carluccio’s rural bolthole in deepest Hampshire Wepeek insidethese17thcenturycottagesandfindarestrainedandrestfulplacetoretreatfromcitylife ATTIRE critical reporting of fashion trends 26 COVER STORY Ice maiden Echo the frost and snow in layers of silk and lace Winterweddingideas beautifullyphotographedbyCarlBengtsson 44 COVER STORY Battle dress Amato’s army of couture-clad soldiers were inspired by warrior queen Elizabeth I and are just as lavishly dressed PhotographedbyTinaPatni EVENTS 6 The Selvedge Christmas Fair A festive affair for one and all... Add 10th December to your diaries and we’ll look forward to seeing you there WIN 80 Prizes this issue include; Five pairs of tickets to the Country Living Fairs in both London and Glasgow, three bottles of Mayer ’s ‘Bliss’ perfume, vintage linen tablecloth from Few and Far and two places on a course at the Toft Alpaca farm and three copies of their latest book... Good luck! in f o r m INFORM the latest news, reviews and exhibition listings 03 bias /contributors A letter from the editor in chief and comments from our contributors 07 news Jess Brown W oman and Home, Spider silk at the V&A, Daphne Guinness at FIT in New Y ork, Hannoh, Louise Cottey, The Royal Albert Memorial Museum and Art Gallery reopens, Lesley Jackson’s 20th Century Pattern Design, Fashion Designers at the Opera 09 need to know The Lewis Forman Day lace collar 11 how to Wrap well this Christmas, Sarah Moore makes the gifts under the tree pretty with antique papers, labels and vintage ribbon 80 subscription offers This issue every new subscriber and renewal will receive a cosy pair of lisa b cashmere blend reindeer socks for Christmas 84 listings Exhibitions, fairs, and events taking place around the world in December 2011 and January 2012 86 Books Textiles: The whole story, Turkmen Carpets 88 view The Art of the Anatolian Kilim, Cutting her own Path: Nikki McClure, Paper Doll, What will she wear? The enduring romance of the wedding dress 93 resources Websites, reading lists and sources for those who want to find out more about the Peace Issue 95 coming next The Legacy Issue: Taking the best from the past for the future: Textile companies through the generations, renowned textile tutors, fashion for all the ages, religious dress codes and more ... SELVEDGE ('selnid 3 ) n. 1. finished di fferently 2. the non-fraying edge of a length of woven fabric. [: from SELF + EDGE] s e l v e d g e . o r g

44

attire selvedge.org

Battle dress AMATO’S ARMY OF COUTURE-CLAD SOLDIERS

The Glory of Spanish Dress

JOAQUÍN SOROLLA BASTIDA’S PAINTINGS OF REGIONAL COSTUME

Joaquín Sorolla Bastida was one of the most successful painters in Spain in the late 19th century . His style is notable for its mastery of light, from the strong, blinding light of the Mediterranean to the softer, more nebulous light of the beaches of San Sebastian and Asturias, in the north of Spain. He achieved overwhelming success not only within his country but also beyond its borders; in Paris, London, New Y ork, and Chicago, where his exhibitions were well received by critics and the public alike.

Among Sorolla’s great patrons was an American Hispanist named Archer Huntington, for whom he agreed to carry out the most important commission of his career, the decoration of the Hispanic Society Library, in New Y ork, with a series of large panels depicting the Regions of Spain.

Proceeds from this commission allowed the painter to build himself an elegant studio-home in the heart of Madrid. There he was able to work near his family with all the space and light his painting required. After his death, his widow and the great love of his life, Clotilde García del Castillo, bequeathed the house, with all of its collections, to the Spanish State on the understanding that it would be turned into a museum in memory of her late husband; today it is the Sorolla Museum.

Typically for the age he lived in, Sorolla was a great collector; he amassed ceramics, archaeological pieces, regional glassware, and medieval sculptures. Thanks to his close friendships with other artists of the day, such as the sculptors Benlliure and Capúz, the painter Beruete, and the photographers Arturo García (his father-in-law), and Ragel, he also collected contemporary pieces.

But among the numerous collections at the Sorolla Museum, there is one that has r emained relatively unknown: the textile collection, made up o f historic textiles and regional outfits. The historic textiles cover a wide period, from small Coptic fragments to fabrics from the 19th and 20th centuries. The regional outfit section is notable for its relationship to Sorolla’s work as a painter since the majority of the pieces were acquired as part of the commission to decorate the Hispanic Society Library.

In accordance with contmporary thinking, and the aim of representing the various regions of Spain, Sorolla sought the essence of Spanish culture in traditional rural settings travelling extensively throughout Spain from 1912 to 1919, when he completed the commission. After considering many possible approaches, Sorolla finally decided that the best way to visually represe nt the country was through its regional outfits, and during his trips, he not only painted but also undertook to acquire the outfits that best represented the regions he visited. For this reason, his pictures aptly portray the rich variety of Spanish regional dress, and they constitute one of the most important attempts to codify of this type of outfit, at a time when it was beginning to disappear as an element of everyday life in the Spanish countryside.

The outfits that have been preserved in the museum belong primarily to Spain’s northern regions, characterized by thicker materials and older forms; and to the province of Valencia, where outfits of 18th-century inspiration are notable for their rich silks, brocades, and spurs, decorated with flowers and garlands of fruit. This latter group constitutes some of the richest and most colourful costumes in Spain.

The relative scarcity of outfits from other regions (which we know Sorolla acquired, thanks to his constant correspondence with his wife), is doubtless due to the fact that these were all delivered to the Hispanic Society, as indicated in Sorolla’s contr act with the Hispanist Huntington, which stipulated that, along wit h his final compositions, the artist would deliver the outfits used for his work but not his preliminary sketches.

These outfits, which have never been exhibited until now, may be s een in Joaquín Sorolla and the Glory of Spanish Dress at the Queen Sofia Spanish Institute in New York. Two outfits from the Museum’s collection that will appear as part of the exhibition are from the Valley of Ansó, in the mountains of Huesca. These outfits are characterized by heavy woolen fabrics designed to protect against the intensely cold winters. These were woven, fulled and then dyed green and black, all by hand. They are perhaps the oldest outfits in all of Spain. Their roots stretch back to outfits from the Renaissance, and, as is typical in traditional societies, they combine aesthetic motifs with others rooted in local religious traditions, such as silk cockades or pendants to which crucifixes or medallions of Our Lady of the Pillar were attached.

Close to the V alley of Ansó is the V alley of El Roncal, in Navarre, not far from the French-Spanish border. The woman’s outfit from this valley is notable for its overlapping blue skirts, with the outer skirt gathered up in back by means of a b rooch in order to reveal its red interior lining, creating a striking visual effect. These fabrics, though lighter, are also made of wool to protect against the cold, in both the skirts and the black jerkin that was worn over the blouse. Completing the outfit was a mantilla, also made of wool, but adorned with more luxurious ribbons, usually made of silk.

Finally, the man’s outfit from Salamanca, which was probably given to Sorolla by the f amily of the Marquis of Bazanella, is of an exceptional quality , especially the jacket and the breeches. Both are made of bluish-green velvet of a rich quality, which must style, with the breeches extending to just below the knee, the stockings, and the short jacket, show the 4

Welsh knitting assembly

PROFESSOR MOIRA VINCENTELLI EXAMINES AN INTEGRAL PART OF WELSH CULTURE

Welsh landscape with two women knitting, William Dyce, 1860

5 7

les ofWa lMuseum

TheNationa

In the summer of 2010, the National Museum of Wales acquired the ultimate romantic evocation of Welsh knitting. Dating from 1860, William Dyce’s painting shows two women knitting out on the mountains of Snowdonia; the standing figure is dressed in the iconic Welsh costume with red shawl and tall black hat. Both are knitting stockings. What kind of reality does Dyce’s image represent?

In the 1860s such a costume had gained currency through the efforts of Lady Llanover who wanted to encourage the wear ing of Welsh flannel and to create a distinct identity for her adopted country (she was English). She succeeded. The costume remains to this day the ultimate signifier of W elsh identity. The knitting is an additional part of the iconography. The image was widely spread most notably by the Welsh photographer, John Thomas, who photographed women dressed up in Welsh costume (from a supply kept in the photographer’s studio) and they were frequently shown with their knitting to hand. The icon was quickly translated into the burgeoning postcard market of the late 19th and early 20th century.

In spite of the apparent geographical connotations of ‘raglan’ sleeves and ‘cardigan’, both names are derived from aristocratic generals of the Crimean War (1854-6) and have no real connection with Wales. Nor has Wales given its name to any sweaters associated with the fishing industry , such as Aran or Guernsey, but Wales has some particular associations with knitting. As early as the 16th century the Monmouth cap or Welsh wig was a type of male knitted headwear gathered at the crown and sometimes with flaps over the ears. Between 1700-1900, however, Wales became known for its hand-knitted stockings, at a time whe n frame knitting was increasingly replacing hand knitting in many parts of the UK.

During the same period Wales was a fashionable destination for intrepid travellers in search of dramatic mountain landscape, picturesque scenes and good fresh air. In 1860 William Dyce came on a family holiday and was deeply impressed by the wildness of the mountains in North Wales. The painting was made in London some time after his return.

In the Dyce image the isolated and rugged setting for this domestic craft might seem surprising but in the 18th and 19th century knitting was often seen outdoors. The eminent portability of the craft meant it could be done while minding animals or walking to market. Furthermore, while knitting is firmly established in the popular imagination as a female activity , men also knitted, especially where there was an economic b enefit. As the Revere nd John Evans recorded of Bala, “knitting being the common employment of the neighbourhood, for both sexes of all ages, even the men frequently take up the needles and assist the female, in labour, where the chief support of the family is derived.”

The sock knitting business represented a useful additional income to rural people in upland mid and north Wales. It was hard work and long hours and there are a number of records that suggest that it often provided the money that saw people out of starvation in difficult times. Some visitors were shocked by the poverty and hardship they encountered as they travelled around. In North Wales it was common to make footless stockings with a thong that went 4

a n e c d o t e s e l v e d g e . o r g

01

02

BLOCK PARTY CORINNE JULIUS PIECES TOGETHER LUCY ORTA’S IDEAS ABOUT PATTERN

6 7

c o n c e p t

Pattern cutting is the building block of most se rious fashion, and now in a new Crafts Council touring exhibition it is the springboard for some cutting edge (excuse the pun) contemporary craft. Block Party is curated by Lucy Orta, artist and Professor of Art, Fashion and the Environment at the London College of Fashion, whose o wn practice fuses fashion, art and architecture with a strong social conscience. Orta was invited by the Crafts Council to curate the show and with them selected not only artists with a textile background, but artists, makers and designers working in other areas who apply the tec hniques and aesthetics of pattern cutting i n innovative and unexpected ways.

Orta herself is no pattern cutting slouch. As a child she made dolls clothes and by her mid teens was an intern with a bespoke tailor in Birmingham. “I learnt a tremendous amount that has stayed with me,” she says “and I still love the c raft of tailori ng.” A fashion-k nitwear sandwich course at Nottingham Poly (as it was then) followed. She moved to France researching for the Wool Secretariat, before working for a French design house. “The Gulf W ar and the economic recession made lif e rather difficult,” explains Orta. “However by then I had met my husband the artist Jorge Orta. For a while I was working both as an artist and in the fashion industry . I kept them separate. I didn’t dare explain about my art to the fashion people, although in Paris t here were designers li ke Viktor and Rolf wh o did understand both.”

Her first body of work Refuge Wear, 1992-8, was a response both to appeals for shelter and clothing for Kurd refugees and awareness of the increasing

03

number of homeless people on the streets. Her first sculpture Habitent, 1992, was a one person portable habitat – an aluminium tent with a telescopic armature that transformed into a wind and waterproof poncho in seconds.

“I have a de ep admiration for the tradition and craftsmanship of pattern drafting.” Her interest and knowledge has been enhanced by her professorship at

LCF, where she has seen the fruits of research into both traditional couture and digital de velopments, such as

Gerber and Po lyNest specialist CADS/CAM computerised systems and virtual contour visualisat ions, 3D body-mapping and 3D printing.

Given her background, the choice of artists was u nlikely to be conventiona l. “Everyone in the show is an exp lorer who wishes to experiment and invent new ways to assemble pattern shapes, not to create garments but to manipulate shape to create new forms,” explains Orta.

Block Party foc uses on 3 themes, Storytelling, the Motif and Manipulation and Embracing the Future through the work of 16 artists, although many straddle more than one category.

Storytelling examines patter n cutting as a means of e xpression. Yinka Shonibare exhibits Girl on Flying Machine , a headless child in a Victorian dress made of traditional West African prints. It is a commentary on the desire to achieve and the breaking down of colonial barriers. More radical are contributions by Rohan Chhabra, Claudia Losi and Rhian Solomon. In Bodycloth, the latter s e l v e d g e . o r g 4

5 3

c o h a bit

In plain sight PRISCILLA CARLUCCIO’S RURAL BOLTHOLE IN DEEPEST HAMPSHIRE

Priscilla Carluccio is one of the most influential figures in British design. Formerly the watchful eye behind Habitat, Heals and The Conran Shop, she is now the owner of Few and Far on London’s Brompton Road. ‘The Bothy’, Priscilla’s rural bolthole, is the perfect embodiment of the handmade home ethos, with its paredback interior full of objects amassed over years of searching out the best artisan makers.

The Bothy, bought over 20 years ago, was once two cottages dating from the 17th century that have now been brought together as one. What was once the back wall of the cottages is now enclosed by a long corridor that runs across the width of the house, creating a thermos-flask-like double wall that ensures the house is kept cosy or cool, depending on the weather. The larder was once an outside shed, but it has since been incorporated into the house and is now home to piles of jelly moulds, fluted cake tins an d copper pans, all of which make an impressive display on simple wooden shelves. The unfitted cupboards house stacks of handmade ceramic bowls and kitchenware such as Moroccan glasses and Greek trays.

The house itself feels handmade, with much of the structure proudly on display and the beams and supports left exposed. The wooden stickback chairs, three-legged stools and spindly tables echo these graphic lines. A group of mismatched classic wooden chairs gather around a round wooden table with sturdy looking legs, designed by Priscilla herself. The walls have been pared back to the original wattle and daub, repaired and patched where necessary by a local plasterer. The house has a beautiful functionality – built using hazel from a nearby wood, clay from a local pond and flint found in neighbouring fields. A vast brick inglenook fire place dominates the living room. It would once have served as the heat source for the entire cottage. A sleek modern woodburning stove is in graphic contrast with the rest of the room, yet the spindly three-legged stools somehow help it fit in.

The combination of colours, textiles and exposed wood, along with a minimal approach to furnishings, allows the house to suggest a sens e of history wi thout being twee, which can be the downfall of many a thatched cottage. There is the occasional splash of colour from a cushion or a jug of country flowers but on the whole the colours are pale and interesting tones of white, which, along with Priscilla’s favourite natural fabrics – wool, cotton and l inen – create a calming, restful atmosphere that’s just the thing when an escape from the busy-ness and noise of London is required.

The artful and considered styling of Pr iscilla’s shop, Few and Far , which pr ovides a collection of internationally sourced clothes along with interesting jewellery, vintage and contemporary furniture, tabletop items and handmade toys to discerning visitors, is also evident in this rural retreat. Priscilla’s eye for detail is apparent throughout. There is absolutely nothing extraneous or out of place, but the look is not off-puttingly neat or austere either; rather it is simple and well considered, a gathering of cleanliness and good taste.

4

s e l v e d g e . o r g

5

COHABIT stunning interiors beautifully photographed 52 COVER STORY In plain sight Priscilla Carluccio’s rural bolthole in deepest Hampshire Wepeek insidethese17thcenturycottagesandfindarestrainedandrestfulplacetoretreatfromcitylife

ATTIRE critical reporting of fashion trends 26 COVER STORY Ice maiden Echo the frost and snow in layers of silk and lace Winterweddingideas beautifullyphotographedbyCarlBengtsson 44 COVER STORY Battle dress Amato’s army of couture-clad soldiers were inspired by warrior queen Elizabeth I and are just as lavishly dressed PhotographedbyTinaPatni

EVENTS 6 The Selvedge Christmas Fair A festive affair for one and all... Add 10th December to your diaries and we’ll look forward to seeing you there

WIN 80 Prizes this issue include; Five pairs of tickets to the Country Living Fairs in both London and Glasgow, three bottles of Mayer ’s ‘Bliss’ perfume, vintage linen tablecloth from Few and Far and two places on a course at the Toft Alpaca farm and three copies of their latest book... Good luck!

in f o r m

INFORM the latest news, reviews and exhibition listings

03 bias /contributors A letter from the editor in chief and comments from our contributors 07 news Jess Brown W oman and Home, Spider silk at the V&A, Daphne Guinness at FIT in New Y ork, Hannoh, Louise Cottey, The Royal Albert Memorial Museum and Art Gallery reopens, Lesley Jackson’s 20th Century Pattern Design, Fashion Designers at the Opera 09 need to know The Lewis Forman Day lace collar

11 how to Wrap well this Christmas, Sarah Moore makes the gifts under the tree pretty with antique papers, labels and vintage ribbon 80 subscription offers This issue every new subscriber and renewal will receive a cosy pair of lisa b cashmere blend reindeer socks for Christmas 84 listings Exhibitions, fairs, and events taking place around the world in December 2011 and January 2012 86 Books Textiles: The whole story, Turkmen Carpets

88 view The Art of the Anatolian Kilim, Cutting her own Path: Nikki McClure, Paper Doll, What will she wear? The enduring romance of the wedding dress 93 resources Websites, reading lists and sources for those who want to find out more about the Peace Issue 95 coming next The Legacy Issue: Taking the best from the past for the future: Textile companies through the generations, renowned textile tutors, fashion for all the ages, religious dress codes and more ...

SELVEDGE ('selnid 3 ) n. 1. finished di fferently 2. the non-fraying edge of a length of woven fabric. [: from SELF + EDGE]

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