The Rudi Gernreich Book, by Peggy Moffitt

Expand into a multi-sensory mode of awareness by imbibing visions, charts, explosions inexpressible in phrases alone.

Re: The Rudi Gernreich Book, by Peggy Moffitt

Postby admin » Wed Mar 07, 2018 3:23 am

Image

Fall 1967, green and black chiffon "Ophelia" shift.

Image

Fall 1967, Leon Bing as a "Nun" in a white wool-knit shift worn with a black wool-knit jumper.

Leon

Rudi left no taboo unturned. Here is Leon Bing as a nun. The Sister of the Immaculate Mascara (not a silent order), Leon is known for her wise-cracks and immensely enjoyed taking the cloth. The fashion, no matter how initially shocking, is really just two simple, pretty dresses worn together.

Image

Fall 1967, heavily embroidered silver cotton "Pierrot" with Mylar paillettes. The hat is covered with mirrored pieces.

Image

Fall 1967, black and camel window-pane plaid wool jumpsuit and jacket "motoring costume."

Image

Fall 1967, wide-wale black corduroy tunic and skirt with white satin cuffs.

Making Up Is Hard To Do

Rudi's clothes inspired me so much that I designed my makeup to go with them. This was not always easy. The 1965 resort collection contained not only East Indianinspired clothes but also Space age bathing suits, little chiffon dresses, linen dresses, and pantsuits. I solved that problem, by using a removable caste markforthe Indian outfits.

For the 1967 Fall collection, I wanted to create a make-up based on the character "Death" in Ingmar Bergman's film "The Seventh Seal". Rudi had some pieces in his collection with rather sinister looks, and I thought that a sort of "skull" makeup would be effective. The only trouble was that the collection also featured Japanese girl and boy looks, an "Ophelia,", and dainty Chinese opera dresses. So, I bleached my eyebrows and painted enormous eyes in black (the skull), and when I had to be any of the sweet children, I combed my bangs over my eyebrows.

The most amazing example of our being on the same wavelength occurred with the 1968 resort collection. By this time I was living in New York and had no idea what Rudi's collection would look like, Just before he came to town something compelled me to design avery exotic Siamese face. When I sawthe clothes and Rudi saw the makeup, neither of us could believe it. It looked like the same person had designed both. The makeup had red lines that encircled my eyes and went over the nose like a tattoo, Only some of the clothes in the collection were Siamese, however; the rest weren't Oriental at all. This meant I had to draw red lines in the middle of the show. I went to the dime store and bought a black Halloween mask, cut it to the shape that I wanted, and used it as a stencil. That left only one problem. Rudi absolutely insisted that the last piece shown be a little black chiffon bubble-skirted dress with black feather earrings (and it wasn't Siamese). What to do? I put on the mask that I had used as a stencil, and the girl became the most glamorous cat thief in the world.

Rudi's last show in 1981 posed a more unique problem. It was to be given at a nightclub called La Cage aux Folies, and the producers of the fashion show suggested that Rudi use the female impersonators who worked there as his models. Rudi would have non of that idea and hated that his producers insisted on staging the show there. He asked me if I had any ideas. I suggested that Iwear a mustache. He loved itthe very last dress I ever modeled for Rudi was a long, sexy gown worn with a mustache. The audience went wild and the female impersonators (who were in the audience) loved it most of all. I'm glad that our last professional appearance together ended with a wink.

Image

The "Sorceress" -- black embroidered cotton with black paillettes.

Image

Resort 1968, long silk pants and blouse from the "Siamese" group.

Image

Resort 1968, the panel of this silk shantung dress, worn between the legs, snapped onto the waist in back. When it was removed, what remained was a simple dress with no Siamese look whatsoever -- Rudi was brilliant at paring a design down to its essence.

Image

Image

Resort 1968, long black matte jersey dress -- when the panel was pulled up and thrown over a shoulder, the dress became short pants. The hat is silk.
admin
Site Admin
 
Posts: 36125
Joined: Thu Aug 01, 2013 5:21 am

Re: The Rudi Gernreich Book, by Peggy Moffitt

Postby admin » Wed Mar 07, 2018 3:24 am

Image

Resort 1968, yellow, blue and white cotton print blouse and pants worn with red, navy, and white cotton print shorts. The hat is silk.

Image

Resort 1968, with Leon Bing wearing silk print "kimono" dresses with metallic brocade "obis" and vinyl sashes.

FUN CITY

In the late 1960's, New York City was going through great turmoil and was becoming a place that people were frightened to visit. The Chamber of Commerce decided to run an ad campaign showing what a delightful place it was, and they used the slogan "Fun City". The ads with this slogan were everywhere, in magazines, on buses and billboards. Everywhere you looked you saw "Fun City".

About this time, Bill and I came back from Europe. We decided to stay in New York and found an apartment on West 57th Street. This had one horrible side-effect for me. Instead of walking home after work with Rudi to the Algonquin Hotel, I had to go it alone through Times Square and the dreaded 42nd Street. Naturally, I would grab a cab if Ifound one, but I almost never did.

On one memorable occasion, I was standing at 42nd and 7th Avenue waiting for the light when I noticed the group of people on the other side of the street that I would have walkthrough. There were midnight cowboys, prostitutes, transvestites, dope dealers, people covered in tatoos, people with bones through their noses and in the center a dwarf with no legs. He was sitting on a small board mounted on roller-skate wheels. Averting my eyes, I started crossing the street, whereupon the dwarf started pointing up at me and yellingtothecrowd, "LOOK AT HER. LOOK AT HER. HOW FREAKY!"

Just another glamorous day in the life of a fashion model in "Fun City".

Image

Resort 1968, the "Zouaves": upper left, beige linen tunic with white cotton pique bubble skirt; upper right, beige linen suit with taupe belt.

Image

Resort 1968, the "Zouaves": beige and off-white windowpane plaid linen tunic and bloomers with white cotton blouse.

Image

Resort 1968, from a wool-knit group with transparent vinyl inserts. This dress appeared with Rudi on the cover of TIME magazine.

Seventh Avenue

Tw3o tackily dressed buyers from a small-town store wandered into the showroom in New York the week that Rudi was on the cover of Time. They went up to Rudi, who happened to be standing there, and demanded, "Show us what ya got in jeweled sweaters." Ah, fame.

Image

Resort 1968, from a wool-knit group with transparent vinyl inserts. This dress appeared with Rudi on the cover of TIME magazine.

Image

Resort 1968, black wool-knit bikini with transparent vinyl straps.

Haute Comfort

Some of Rudi's critics accused him of producing poorly made clothes. They weren't poorly made. They were beautifully made. But they weren't made like couture. Rudi didn't cover a snap in organza if it didn't need to be covered. The difference in the two schools of thought was brought home to me when I was being photographed for the Paris collections and I wore a caftan from one of the great Parisian houses. It was quite beautiful on the hanger, but when I put it on, I discovered that inside this loose shape was a corseted sheath dress with lead weights hanging from the inner dress. The weights slapped my ankles when I walked, and the inner dress was so constricted that I couldn't walk-only mince.

To me the whole point of a caftan is freedom. Men have been striding across the desert for thousands of years in them looking marvelous and being comfortable. There is beauty and sensuality in comfort; that is the caftan's appeal. I'm sure many a seduction has taken place while wearing a caftan. The advocates of couture-style dressmaking (almost always men) have said to me for years that such and such a dress is wonderful because it is so stiff and constructed that it can stand up on the floor all by itself. My reply has always been, "Let it. It doesn't need me to hold it up, and I don't need the torture it will give me."

Here is one of Rudi's caftans. It was made of silk and lined in China silk. That's all. It slipped and slid around the naked body and felt like a thousand baby's hands caressing me.

Image

Resort 1968, black-and-white silk checkerboard caftan with yellow dots.

Image

Resort 1968, black chiffon cocktail dress with bubble skirt worn with feathered earrings.

Image

Resort 1968, wool-knit swimsuit and leg coverings inspired by surfwear.
admin
Site Admin
 
Posts: 36125
Joined: Thu Aug 01, 2013 5:21 am

Re: The Rudi Gernreich Book, by Peggy Moffitt

Postby admin » Wed Mar 07, 2018 3:25 am

Image

Resort 1968, black wool-knit swimsuit with transparent vinyl racing stripes.

On the Beach

On a trip to Mexico, Rudi couldn't resist going to the local nude beach. While he was there, a beautiful naked girl came up to him and exclaimed, "Oh, Mr. Gernreich, I just love your swimsuits."

Image

Resort 1968, black wool-knit sundress with transparent vinyl collar and bikini with vinyl inserts.

Image

Resort 1968, black wool-knit "below-the-navel" swimsuit with patent leather belt.

Image

Fall 1968, natural coq-feathered hat and boa.

Layne

When I returned from Europe in 1966, I was amazed at the development of the work of Rudi's assistant, Layne Nielson. The accessories he was making were just incrediblefrom the feathered hats worn in Basic Black to dress-length earrings made of starched and pressed organza flowers. He made finger guards out of lacquered paper for the Siamese group and all the inventive jewelry that went with it. There was a hat we never photographed that I will always remember. It was a tiny black beanie with one limp black feather com ing straight out of the top. The feather was eighteen feet long. When the model who was wearing it left the room, It took the feather another minute and a half to leave. On the opposite page is one of Layne's feathered hats. He spent hours gluing the feathers on the matching boots (seen on page 162). Layne produced the delicious icing on Rudi's cake. This collection contained some of his most spectacular work.

Image

Fall 1968, with Rudi in black wool leg o'mutton-sleeved tunic with feathered hat, boa (from preceding pages), and boots.

Image

Fall 1968, plaid wool jacket, bloomer jumpsuit, and hat in various shades of gray.

Image

Fall 1968, a "Beardsley" group: plaid wool outfit shown on preceding page with jacket open to reveal black chiffon top of bloomer jumpsuit.

Image

Fall 1968, a "Beardsley" group: with jacket removed.

Image

Fall 1968, a "Beardsley" group: tweed bloomers with chiffon and tweed blouse.

Image

Fall 1968, a "Beardsley" group: tweed bloomers with chiffon and tweed blouse.
admin
Site Admin
 
Posts: 36125
Joined: Thu Aug 01, 2013 5:21 am

Re: The Rudi Gernreich Book, by Peggy Moffitt

Postby admin » Wed Mar 07, 2018 3:25 am

Image

Fall 1968, green and beige tweed "Duke of Windsor" pantsuit with reversible jacket.

Image

Fall 1968, short gray flannel "Genghis Kahn" jodhpur jumpsuit with black vinyl and velvet spencer jacket under vinyl and canvas jacket.

Image

Fall 1968, the "Snow Queen" -- white imitation mink, chiffon, and embroidered velveteen jacket.

Image

Fall 1968, embroidered white fleece coat with black satin bloomers and blouse.

Image

Fall 1968, black-and-white "typeface" dress and matching tights with silk signature scarf.

Image

Fall 1968, gray-green and charcoal patterned wool-knit Renaissance tunic with off-white knit inserts and matching knit tights.

Image

Fall 1968, black chiffon tiered "baby" dress.

Image

Fall 1968, black satin trench coat over black crepe pants.

Image

At home in New York, in 1970, with Bill, wearing Rudi's caftans.

Image

Wearing a black-and-white wool-knit jumpsuit.
admin
Site Admin
 
Posts: 36125
Joined: Thu Aug 01, 2013 5:21 am

Re: The Rudi Gernreich Book, by Peggy Moffitt

Postby admin » Wed Mar 07, 2018 3:26 am

Image

Rudi at work in Los Angeles in 1966.

Image

Rudi at work in Los Angeles in 1966.

Image

Rudi at work in Los Angeles in 1966.

Image

Rudi at work in Los Angeles in 1966.

Image

Rudi at work in Los Angeles in 1966.

Image

Rudi at work in Los Angeles in 1966.

Image

Fall 1968, wool-knit tunic with ties and matching tights.

Image

Fall 1968, tweed tutu and tweed and chiffon shirt with elastic-tied tights.

Image

Fall 1968, Renaissance minidress with off-white inserts and matching tights.

Image

Fall 1968, wool-knit tunic and matching tights.
admin
Site Admin
 
Posts: 36125
Joined: Thu Aug 01, 2013 5:21 am

Re: The Rudi Gernreich Book, by Peggy Moffitt

Postby admin » Wed Mar 07, 2018 3:27 am

Image

Fall 1968, sweater-knit top and pants with ruffled collar and cuffs.

Image

Fall 1970, knits, model Diana Newman in a topless long black matte jersey dress and decals. (Photograph © Patricia Faure)

Image

Fall 1970, black wool-knit jumpsuit worn with individual removable pant legs and skirt with one shoulder strap. (Photograph © Patricia Faure)

Image

Fall 1970, long black wool-knit halter dress with red and white belts. (Photograph © Patricia Faure)

Image

Fall 1970, gray plaid wool-knit jumpsuit and skirt. (Photograph © Patricia Faure)

Image

Fall 1970, gray plaid wool-knit jumpsuit and skirt. (Photograph © Patricia Faure)

Image

1969, nude chiffon jumpsuit paved in mirrors with mirrored skullcap and boots. The costume was designed and photographed for McCALL's magazine Christmas issue, but it never ran.

Image

1969, nude chiffon jumpsuit paved in mirrors with mirrored skullcap and boots. The costume was designed and photographed for McCALL's magazine Christmas issue, but it never ran.

Image

1970, unisex: forecasting the future, Rudi predicted that "clothing will not be identified as either male or female ... women and men will wear skirts interchangeably ... the aesthetics of fashion are going to involve the body itself," Renee Holt and Tom Broome are the models here and on pages 184-187. (Photographs © Patricia Faure)

Image
admin
Site Admin
 
Posts: 36125
Joined: Thu Aug 01, 2013 5:21 am

Re: The Rudi Gernreich Book, by Peggy Moffitt

Postby admin » Wed Mar 07, 2018 3:28 am

Image

1970, unisex, unisex tops and pants. (Photographs © Hideki Fujii)

Image

1970, unisex, unisex swimsuits. (Photograph © Hideki Fujii)

Image

1970, unisex, unisex caftans. (Photograph © Hideki Fujii)

Image

1970, unisex, skirts for men and women (decals for women's breasts). (Photograph © Patricia Faure).

Image

1970, wool-knit unisex jumpsuits. (Photograph © Patricia Faure)

Image

1970, wool-knit unisex jumpsuits, worn with wigs, watches, and boots. (Photograph © Patricia Faure)

Image

Resort 1971, one-piece wool-knit "Rouault" swimsuit.

Image

Resort 1971, knits -- the "military" look. Rudi actually designed and showed this collection in the fall of 1970 at the time of the Kent State shootings. Leon Bing called it Rudi's "back-to-school" collection.

Image

Resort 1971, knits -- the "military" look. Rudi actually designed and showed this collection in the fall of 1970 at the time of the Kent State shootings. Leon Bing called it Rudi's "back-to-school" collection.

Image

Resort 1971, knits -- the "military" look. Rudi actually designed and showed this collection in the fall of 1970 at the time of the Kent State shootings. Leon Bing called it Rudi's "back-to-school" collection.
admin
Site Admin
 
Posts: 36125
Joined: Thu Aug 01, 2013 5:21 am

Re: The Rudi Gernreich Book, by Peggy Moffitt

Postby admin » Wed Mar 07, 2018 3:28 am

Image

Resort 1971, knits -- the "military" look. Rudi actually designed and showed this collection in the fall of 1970 at the time of the Kent State shootings. Leon Bing called it Rudi's "back-to-school" collection.

Image

Fall 1971, long black-and-white wool-knit trompe l'oeil dress.

Image

Fall 1971, long gray-and-white wool-knit trompe l'oeil dress.

Image

Fall 1971, moss-green jacket and suspender pants trimmed in natural leather, with a moss-green matte jersey blouse. Worn with dog leash belt.

Image

Fall 1971, taupe and black trompe l'oeil wool-knit jumpsuit. Worn with dog leash belt.

Image

Fall 1971, three-piece black-and-white wool-knit multicheckered pants outfit. Worn with dog leash belt.

Image

Fall 1971, black-and-white wool-knit shorts, overblouse, and cropped tank top. Worn with dog leash belt.

Image

Fall 1971, wool-knit tunic over shorts.

Image

Fall 1971, long matte jersey dress with doorspring hardware on a plunging neckline bound with leather.

Image

Spring/Summer 1972, white matte jersey jumpsuit with "set-in" black wool-knit topless swimsuit and red band on sleeve (I called it The Red Badge of Courage).
admin
Site Admin
 
Posts: 36125
Joined: Thu Aug 01, 2013 5:21 am

Re: The Rudi Gernreich Book, by Peggy Moffitt

Postby admin » Wed Mar 07, 2018 3:29 am

Image

Spring/Summer 1972, one-piece red and black wool-knit trompe l'oeil swimsuit.

Image

Spring/Summer 1972, black wool-knit swimsuit on its way to the pubikini (designed so that the bra top and bottom could not be buttoned).

Image

Spring/Summer 1972, long black matte jersey T-shirt with white inserts mimicking fabric folds.

Image

Spring/Summer 1972, abstracted "message" T-shirt in black, white, and poison green matte jersey with black matte jersey shorts.

Image

Spring/Summer 1972, long poison green matte jersey T-shirt with one multicolor and one green sleeve.

Image

Spring/Summer 1972, black matte jersey jeans with cropped red T-shirt with hot pink inserts.

Image

Spring/Summer 1972, hot pink long matte jersey T-shirt with orange inserts.

Image

Spring/Summer 1972, red, purple, and black trompe l'oeil wool-knit swimsuit.

Image

Spring/Summer 1972, black-and-white matte jersey trompe l'oeil jumpsuit with wool-knit inserts.

Image

Spring/Summer 1972, long orange matte jersey T-shirt with hot pink insert on one sleeve.
admin
Site Admin
 
Posts: 36125
Joined: Thu Aug 01, 2013 5:21 am

Re: The Rudi Gernreich Book, by Peggy Moffitt

Postby admin » Wed Mar 07, 2018 3:30 am

Image

Fall 1972, quilted wool-knit motorcycle jacket in black lined in red.

Image

Fall 1972, quilted black wool-knit midi coat lined in mulberry with mulberry wool-knit pants.

Image

Fall 1972, long black wool-knit dress with black chiffon back and sleeves.

Image

Fall 1972, in every collection there were always beautiful, easy-to-wear clothes. These weren't generally photographed because they weren't news. They were never dowdy or boring and could be worn by people who didn't look like fashion models. Here is one such dress from Fall 1972.

Image

Fall 1972, in every collection there were always beautiful, easy-to-wear clothes. These weren't generally photographed because they weren't news. They were never dowdy or boring and could be worn by people who didn't look like fashion models. Here is one such dress from Fall 1972.

Image

Fall 1972, in every collection there were always beautiful, easy-to-wear clothes. These weren't generally photographed because they weren't news. They were never dowdy or boring and could be worn by people who didn't look like fashion models. Here is one such dress from Fall 1972.

Image

Spring/Summer 1973, wool knits. Rudi's spoof of Halston: a mock cardigan sewn into a blouse.

Image

Spring/Summer 1973, wool knits.

Image

Spring/Summer 1973, wool knits.

Image

Spring/Summer 1973, wool knits.
admin
Site Admin
 
Posts: 36125
Joined: Thu Aug 01, 2013 5:21 am

PreviousNext

Return to Art & Intellect

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests