‘Show & Tell’ artists turn the Chronicle into couture

Print isn’t useless, it’s a look. 

That was the premise of my fourth “Present & Inform” occasion at 4 One 9, “The Trend Ahead Version,” on Tuesday, April 9, the place three San Francisco artists reworked copies of the Chronicle into “clothes.”

Armed with tape, scissors, glue and 23 newspapers every, it was superb what Quan Nguyen, Ann Duskus and Tyson Lee had been capable of accomplish in simply an hour.

The night was a celebration of San Francisco model the place I introduced collectively a number of the most fascinating folks within the Bay Space style orbit to speak concerning the area’s distinctive model identification. My panelists had been “Fashioning San Francisco” curator Laura Camerlengo; Marin clothier Simon Ungless; Chris and Ben Ospital, sibling homeowners of San Francisco’s MAC boutique (Fashionable Interesting Clothes); and Palo Alto writer Christine Suppes. All are linked to the exhibition “Fashioning San Francisco: A Century of Fashion,” on view on the de Younger Museum by means of Aug. 11. 

Whereas the Bay Space doesn’t have the identical relationship with clothes as style capitals like New York and Paris, we’ve quite a few main firms like Levi’s, the Hole and Birkenstock that affect style on a world scale. We additionally love an opportunity to decorate up, whether or not it’s with robes and black tie for fundraising galas, hippie stylish, drag or attire related to numerous subcultures. In homage to the area, I wore a favourite pair of patchwork Levi’s and a shibori-treated jacket I purchased years in the past at MAC, accessorized with a classic scarf tie-dyed by Ungless.

Nguyen, Duskus and Lee all started tearing by means of their assortment of newspapers for the competitors. Every contestant can be awarded certainly one of three classes: most wearable, finest use of newsprint within the design and finest reference to the “Fashioning San Francisco” exhibition. The artist receiving probably the most applause can be awarded a present certificates to 4 One 9’s neighboring enterprise, that titan of style retail (and bulk paper merchandise): Costco. We hit the stopwatch and off they went, the sounds of paper and tape ripping.

In the course of the dialogue, whereas the designers labored to the facet of the stage in view of the viewers, Camerlengo charted not solely the historical past of high fashion clientele within the Bay Space, but in addition how San Francisco’s location on the Pacific Rim led to a plethora of aesthetic influences.

“Students speak concerning the Bay Space as being culturally fluid as a result of we’re such a melting pot,” mentioned Camerlengo. For “Fashioning San Francisco,” she mentioned, “We labored carefully with our Director of Interpretation Abram Jackson to situate dynamics of energy, what are folks making an attempt to say once they have a look at totally different cultures and borrowing, and provides some historic context for the items you see.”

Ungless, now a marketing consultant for Angelina Jolie’s eco-fashion startup, Atelier Jolie, defended the Bay Space as an essential heart for style innovation. 

“One of many causes I needed to come back right here was due to what had come out of this place by means of the artwear motion and firms constructed out of entrepreneurial ideas of way of life,” mentioned Ungless, “Now, the Bay Space is the start of sustainability in style. There’s eclectic individuals who have their very own model right here, they’re not following tendencies.” 

Suppes, who donated greater than 500 ensembles to the Fantastic Arts Museums of San Francisco Costume Assortment (together with a go well with by Ungless and Alexander McQueen) summed up her idea of Bay Space model in 4 phrases: “Have a great coat.”

The Ospitals are celebrating the forty fifth anniversary of MAC, the Hayes Valley retailer they started with their mom, Jeri. They’re effectively often called purveyors of fashion-forward worldwide designers like Dries Van Noten, the Comme des Garçons traces and native collections like Lemon Twist.

“There’s at all times 13 to twenty people who find themselves whole model movers and form the way in which we predict,” Ben Ospital mentioned of the town.  

One of many cardinal guidelines of retail in San Francisco, they’ve found, is the magic of the “4 o’clock sweater” that stylish out-of-towners usually buy once they’re instantly hit by an onslaught of fog whereas out within the metropolis.

“Now, the Japanese youngsters within the showrooms say to us, ‘Now we have some 4 o’clock sweaters for you,’” Chris Ospital recounted. “A 4 o’clock sweater, then a 5 o’clock glass of wine.” 

When Nguyen, Duskus and Lee had been prepared for the grand reveal, the panelists tasked with the judging had been impressed by how they’d reworked copies of the Chronicle into couture. 

Nguyen, voted most wearable, created a cocktail gown with a sweetheart neckline and ruffled skirt. I might truly see some San Franciscan carrying it — till it ripped aside (an have an effect on that could be an added bonus on the proper avenue truthful.) Duskus received finest reference to the museum exhibition with a sculptural gown with an elaborate fanned shoulder that evoked Kasik Wong’s robe showcased on the de Younger. How she managed to create ruching with paper, I’ll by no means know. Lee, whose look was voted finest use of newspaper print, made a puffer jacket that includes the comics pages sure along with clear packing tape. Given Lee’s adventurous style, I wouldn’t be stunned to see him truly sporting it in town.

The artists cut up the Costco present card grand prize 3 ways. Becoming, as a result of, in San Francisco, model isn’t about competitors, it’s about neighborhood.

Attain Tony Bravo: [email protected]