So profound was the effect of Japanese designers showing in Paris in the 1980s and ’90s that reverberations are still being felt in the fashion world today.
A number of designer lines carried by Vanessa Barcus at her Denver store Goldyn are in the minimalist, draped vibe that shook up the fashion establishment several decades ago in Europe — which makes her store the perfect partner for a special fashion experience that will be held March 9 at the Denver Art Museum. Hosted by the DAM Contemporaries group, the event will feature a non-traditional fashion show that includes dance and an art installation.
Barcus said the event came about after she met with DAM fashion curator Florence Muller and talked about reaching a broader, younger audience than typical museum parties. The retailer says the “Shock Wave” exhibit, which opened in September and features 70 looks by such designers as Issey Miyake, Kenzo Takada and Yohji Yamamoto, “shows how the designers at the time were setting trends, going beyond the norms and experimenting with silhouettes and textiles that were considered unflattering. I personally love the fact that they were trying to question the status quo.”
Muller has added 10 new pieces to the show, included a few loaned by local fashion collectors Cathey Finlon, Joyce Pashel and Lisa Ross. They will give museum-goers a fresh excuse to attend for a second time. She’ll be talking about those pieces when she does guided tours of the exhibit for the March 9 event.
Then, the fashion show will feature spring styles from such lines as Black Crane, created in Los Angeles by two Japanese designers, as well as looks from Pas de Calais, Horses Atelier, Shaina Mote and Simon Miller, among others.
Having a dance performance by Avatar Movement and a technology-oriented art installation are other ways to bring in a Japanese influence, Barcus says. “What defines Japanese culture today? Technology. And Justin Gitlin (aka Cacheflowe), who has done other collaborations with the museum, was the perfect person to incorporate into the evening.”
A further element will be floral arrangements from Sacred Thistle, a mother-daughter team who use the concept of wabi-sabi, or imperfection, into their creations.
Aftershock
Denver Art Museum’s Contemporaries group will host a multi-sensory fashion show and reception highlighting new additions to the “Shock Wave” exhibition of revolutionary Japanese designs from the 1980s-90s on March 9, from 5:30-9:30 p.m. Goldyn will present Japanese and Japanese-inspired fashions for spring. A dance performance and interactive art installation are part of the evening. VIP tickets are $150 and include a private tour of the exhibit with curator Florence M—ller, as well as cocktails, Japanese-inspired bites and luxury gift bags. General admission is $45, or $35 for DAM Contemporaries members. —Doors open at—5:30 p.m. for VIPS, 6:30 p.m. for general admission; and the fashion presentation is at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available by calling 720-913-0130 or denverartmuseum.org/calendar/aftershock
(The exhibit continues on the 6th floor of the North Building through May 28 and is included in regular museum admission.)