Photo By Gail
When I was a kid, we definitely did not have cool backpacks like this one: all hot pink and black with a Pink Glitter Batman emblem on the front. So stylish! I spotted this at the Lot-Less Closeout Store, located at 17 West 14th Street in Manhattan.
Morgan Maher, Nice Posture (January 2021) Polaroid Photo and Collection of Childhood Earrings (All Images Courtesy of Photential)
Photential is a bold global art platform whose DNA is to create an alternative and exciting way for photographers and multimedia artists to present their work to audiences worldwide. Starting February 4th, Photential is pleased to present The Nineties Project, a three-part presentation featuring photographic work inspired by the culture-defining era of the ‘90s. The foundation for what we know as ‘cool’ today, this was the decade that gave us the rave scene, Chloë Sevigny, super models and Meisel covers for Vogue Italia. The 90’s were also the birthplace of the digital age, paving way for the technological revolution and giving rise to the modern day social media influencer.
Image by Louis Chevalier
The Nineties Project will explore the history and nostalgia of this iconic decade and its impact on art, culture and fashion in three parts. The headlining exhibition will feature original photographs by thirteen ‘90s kids’ whose work will be accompanied by six curated features by Photential’s advisory board as well as a fashion collaboration. Beginning on February 4, 2021, Photential will release one aspect of the initiative every week until March 2021 on the platform, www.photential.art.
Image By Lindsay Ellary
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All Photos By Gail
New York’s Museum of Natural History always has one or two special exhibits that require purchase of an extra ticket above the standard price of admission, but that’s because they are worth it. One of the museum’s current special exhibits is called The Nature of Color, and it is just fantastic. The exhibit is immersive and contains many different galleries and rooms. For example, the Red Room highlights how the color red can mean status, power, and fertility while simultaneously representing sports teams, political parties, and religions. The centerpiece of this room is a flowing Red Silk Chiffon and Organza Gown created especially for the The Nature of Color by fashion designer Brandon Maxwell.
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All Photos By Gail
The Holiday Season is upon us and, as predicted, we’re still wearing face masks to keep ourselves and others safe from the spread of the Covid-19 virus. Masks are now a part of everyday life, so it makes sense that consumer mask design continuously evolves to create products that are more comfortable, effective, and — very important — stylish. Previously here on The ‘Gig, we reviewed a line of fashion and lifestyle accessories from Pomchies, a certified woman-owned company with an interesting back-story.
Pomchies Hair Scrunchies 3-Pack in Holiday Colors
Heather Logan Clark created Pomchies in 2002 out of a desire to utilize swimsuit material remnants from her previous swimwear company. All Pomchies products are created using the highest quality swimwear fabric that is durable, waterproof, washable, reasonably priced and also eco-friendly. Earlier in 2020, Pomchies launched its Pom Mask line in quick response to the need for comfortable, breathable facial masks at the onset of Covid-19, and the company is now celebrating the sale of two million masks in just seven months!
Pomchies Pom Mask 2-Pack in Seasonal Holly Berry Print and Coordinating Gold Fabric
Thanks to popular demand for these easy-wearing masks, Pomchies has released a line of fun and cheerful seasonal holiday masks for all ages. Worleygig received a few sets of these masks for review on the blog and we are loving them!
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Photos By Gail
This Red Bead Necklace was crafted from Bakelite (beads and chain links) cellulose acetate, with a metal clasp, and attributed to an unknown American designer. In the twentieth century, plastic manufacturing transformed the American jewelry industry and allowed for the production of fashionable yet affordable pieces. This chain link and cube necklace represents a style that was especially popular during the Depression era and the early 1940s.
Photographed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC.
Photos By Gail
In mid-century America, molded Box Handbags like this one (circa 1955) were fabricated by the New York City accessory firm Wilardy aka Wilardy Originals, which embraced the increasingly experimental postwar design trend towards ‘scientific’ materials such as Lucite.
Wilardy Originals began in 1946 as Handbag Specialties, a collaboration between father and son team, Charles William Hardy and William Hammond Hardy. The original offices and factory were in New York, and moved to Union City, New Jersey in 1953. Charles, who was called Bill, was a wizard with mathematics and a serious business man. William, known as Will, was the artist, designer, a great motivator and a man who possessed unusual social grace. Will Hardy took over the business in the 1960s, and continued designing and manufacturing into the early 1980s.
In addition to lucite handbags, Will designed lighting fixtures for Dinico, lucite bathroom fixtures, elegant containers for Atlantic Can, a chest of drawers for Jacqueline Kennedy, chandeliers for the White House, jewelry, tableware for the Grainware Company, and even clothing. He passed away on May 24th, 2018. Find out more about Wilardy Originals at This Link!
Photographed in the Museum of the City of New York in Manhattan.
Fashion In The Space Age (All Photos By Gail)
Over the course of a seven-decade career in design, Pierre Cardin has released collections that have rocketed so far into the future they were once emblematic of the Space Age. For an example of Cardin’s influence in popular culture, look no further than the 1960s cartoon The Jetsons, where Jane Jetson’s styles look as though they could have been lifted from the designer’s showroom.
Installation View Alongside the Porthole Dress (1968), Made from Wool Crepe and Silver Leather
But perhaps it is the Jetson’s teenage daughter Judy who would have been more inclined to fancy this vibrant and fun two-piece red suit consisting of a Bandeau Top and Miniskirt made of vinyl and plastic. The top’s circular breast rings remind me very fondly of costumes worn by Jane Fonda in the 1968 film Barbarella.
Mannequin Also Wears the Wool Envelope Hat (1979)
This Out-Of-This World Design was Photographed in the Brooklyn Museum as Part of the 2019 – 2020 Exhibit, Pierre Cardin: Future Fashion.