Gray M.C.A To Celebrate the Legacy of Schiaparelli and Chanel In New Exhibition
40 bronze sculptures by award-winning artist Robyn Neild will play tribute to two of the 20th century's most prolific designers to form Gray M.C.A's latest exhibition, The Italian and the Milliner: the Couture of Schiaparelli and Chanel in Bronze.
40 bronze sculptures by award-winning artist Robyn Neild will play tribute to two of the 20th century's most prolific designers to form Gray M.C.A's latest exhibition, The Italian and the Milliner: the Couture of Schiaparelli and Chanel in Bronze.
If there ever was a feud to end all feuds in fashion, it started - and ended - with Coco Chanel and Elsa Schiaparelli, whom the former only referred to as 'the Italian artist who makes clothes'. Schiaparelli's nickname for Chanel as 'the milliner' wasn't much more charming either, proving a long-simmering hatred for each other that soared around both of the designers for the majority of their careers.
Celebrating the dominance of these two icons from their early rivalry to their legacy, Gray M.C.A's latest exhibition The Italian and the Milliner: the Couture of Schiaparelli and Chanel in Bronze will feature a selection of work from the talented and award-winning sculptor Robyn Neild, who has reimagined both archive and contemporary designs by the maisons in miniatures.
Speaking of what makes both designers' work so captivating to sculpt, Neild said in a statement:
'Chanel’s commitment to fluid lines, often generously embellished, showcases the brand’s commitment to craftsmanship. On the garment, different techniques would be used to disguise certain parts of the figure and enhance other areas, and I want to try and capture some of these fine textural qualities in my bronze castings. Schiaparelli’s dramatic vision uses the body as a motif to create exaggerated silhouettes featuring sculptural and architectural elements, making use of trompe-l’oeil and giving garments unconventional twists that provide an exciting provocation to my sculptural work.'
Although Neild has won awards for her sculptural work, she began her career as a fashion illustrator after a degree in fashion design, where she learned about the 'invisible secrets' of darts, hemlines and seams used by fashion masters to transform sketches into garments. For this show, Neild has taken this approach towards the making of her sculptures, where wax figures replicate runway designs using organic materials to create intricate embellishments synonymous with that of haute couture. 'The figure that emerges is rich in texture, capturing the craft and complexity of the original garment', commented gallery director Ashley Gray. 'And yet, with these sculptures, Neild does not solely pay tribute to the craft within her fashion inspirations but shares her imaginative flair and fearless attitude.'
