How To Be Brave (like Zandra Rhodes)
WHAT: “Textile, Print, and Form: A Lifetime of Magical Experimentation”
WHERE: Contemporary Art Museum of Raleigh
aka CAM Raleigh
WHEN: Saturday February 3, 2018
Magical it was! I got Tinkerbell vibes from the brightly colored hairpieces each model wore. This preview of the Sandra Rhodes’ memoir collection awakened the Carrie Bradshaw in me. The pieces…
They were chic, they were soft, they were versatile! From reimagined vintage dresses to retro reflective pants, each and every piece was a complete meal. The experience filled me with the dreamy intrigue of a first year textiles pupil.
Attendees experienced an interactive show which allowed us to touch the fabrics and question the models. “How does it feel?” “Comfortable!”
CAM Director Gab Smith lead an interview with the hot pink-haired diva as guests admired her work.
The “Wiggle” print featured on this skirt is one of Zandra’s first, and most popular.
In the early 1960’s, Zandra was a girl much like myself- college educated and broke. Upon graduation, she could not find steady work. Critics said that her pieces were too extreme. The “Cactus Print” dress (pictured below) is a recreated version of her 1961 piece. For inspiration, Ms. Rhodes visited California and drew cactuses. She sketched. She discarded. She sketched again.
When satisfied with her work, she printed it onto fabric and sewed it into the mold of the feminine form.
The “Lipstick Print” (debuted 1965) also earned a place in this collection. A hand-printed ode to cosmetics, a jacket (paired with a handcrafted broach) and silk jumpsuit were displayed.
In 1969, Rhodes began to build her company by designing and collaborating with other artists. As Zandra’s work gained more recognition, her partnerships included Valentino Garavani and the late Princess Diana.
“For sure when I get out of the car, there will be a photographer waiting to say how indecent the dress is!” Zandra recalls the conversation she and Princess Diana had about a dress being too sheer. The deeply hued satin lining was added to protect the Princess’s modesty. Here, a copy of the piece:
While several of her original pieces were inspired by nature, these days Ms. Rhodes stays magical by refraining from viewing other artists’ work. “The minute you start doing something like somebody else’s, you lose your individuality”, she offers. Zandra also disclosed that her personal interests are daily sketching and traveling. She cannot take trips longer than two weeks, though. “I have a company to run!” (Guests chuckle). #GirlBossOG
The show concluded with a sprinkling of rose petals along the runway.
MOCHA SAYS:
Ms. Rhodes is very human. I especially enjoyed the display of dedication she still has for her work. Prior to the show’s closing, Sandra scurried to the back room to prep the models.
During the interview, she stated that she designs to celebrate women’s beauty. “I still hide certain features (of my figure)”, she disclosed. “Fashion isn’t about looking perfect”. The art of dressing, Zandra says, is to have things that you like. That you want to wear. And treasure so that you could hang the piece on the wall and think it’s beautiful.
In response to Gab asking how we can be as brave as her, she gracefully responded “I don’t think you have to be brave. You just have to do it and see if you can get away with it.”
The exhibition will be on display until June 10, 2018. Even better, all pieces are for sale!
Exhibitions Reception will be March 1, 2018 from 6 pm-8 pm. Drinks will be provided by The Wine Feed and small bites by HL Catering.
Visit CAM Raleigh’s website for a peek inside the collection and MatchesFashion.Com for more of Zandra’s work.