"Wearable" And "Art" Don't Usually Go Together
People pretend they do, and you always see "wearable art" advertised in one of those glossy mags you get in a hotel, but the truth is, clothing is usually either wearable or sculptural/artistic, and not both. And if it is truly sculptural, that usually means it makes you look like you're wearing a big, expensive garbage bag.
This dress -- and other designs -- by LA-based Sarajevan emigré, Naida Begeta, are exceptions. From her line Kao Pao Shu: 
I haven't been shopping lately at all thanks to the economy, but when I do, I buy stuff on eBay, cheap; at designer resale stores on the 75 percent off rack, or at thrift stores.
There are only really three designers I've bought new clothes or things from, or wanted to, and the thing they have in common is that they do create actually wearable art.
The first was in New York, hat designer Amy Downs. Here I am in one of her designs, made out of the plastic mesh on cheap baseball hats and ribbon and net. I have a few of these Amy Downs "Easter bonnets," too. Unfortunately, it's really hard to convey from these photos how beautiful and clever and wonderful her hats are in person.
The next designer is Ralph Kemp, young Paris designer who was doing his own wonderful, affordable, line of sculptural clothes, but seems to have left the business -- or maybe is designing for somebody else. Great guy, as well. I'm wearing a Ralph Kemp jacket here -- polyurethaned cotton that looks and feels like leather but can be washed in a washing machine. You're missing the cool, sculptural sleeves, notched so they stand out in sort of chunky triangles on the arms. But, the jacket fits beautifully, and is beautifully cut, and I bought it on sale for maybe 120 eu.
Last night, I went to a party at Begeta's design studio in Santa Monica. My friend Laurie Pike, fashion editor of LA Magazine, wrote about Begeta's line, Kao Pao Shu a few months ago. I was so struck by the jacket in the photo that I did something I haven't done in years -- tore the page out of the magazine, and ended up sending the designer a fan letter (via e-mail), which is probably how I ended up getting invited to the party. (Parties I go to typically have people yelling at each other about politics at them.)
The designer is very un-LA, really sweet, and even admired my outfit. (I was just wearing my usual -- evening dress skirt, cropped leather jacket bought for $19.99 off eBay, huge tacky glass "gem" earrings in chartreuse and a matching scarf with a little bit of sculpture to it...how I dress every day to go out and write in a cafe, pick up the mail, etc.)
I'm working like mad on my next two books, and when I get an advance for my next one, I'm going to get one of her jackets, and one of her extraordinary ribbon-sculpture bags. Here are a few jackets on her site. Like the one Naida is wearing in the LA Mag shot, I like the ribbon'y ones that fit close to the body. In satin, especially. Yum.
(Okay, boys, it's safe to come back to the blog.)
And no, in case you're interested, of course Gregg didn't have to go. I called him when I left the party and was walking back to my car, and he was home, falling asleep dreaming of explosions on the sun.
What, no comments? Haute couture is a dying art (unaffordable to any but wives of Texas oilmen and Saudi princesses) but art it is. What John Galliano (the "funky little fashion troll" to The Manolo) designs is truly stunning and makes me happy to view (and what else is art for?).
Astra at August 5, 2010 4:35 PM
Amy Alkon
https://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2010/08/wearabe.html#comment-1740041">comment from AstraThanks for being the brave one, Astra. And there is some high fashion I really like, but this is affordable fashion in small quantities, artfully done. Rare.
Amy Alkon
at August 5, 2010 5:49 PM
I'm of the view that 95% of what is on a New York runway should be used on the LaGuardia runway to be used to clean the airplanes.
How many of those outfits have you ever seen most of the stuff outside of the runway venue?
Jim P. at August 5, 2010 7:15 PM
Many runway items aren't meant for the average person to wear, but everything I saw at Naida's studio was wearable and unique and sculptural, and not like anything else you see on the racks.
Also, her clothing is innovative, but classic. I don't care what the trends are -- I have personal style, and I like clothes that are very interesting, and exciting cuts, but streamlined, with a level of simplicity (without being boring). This describes her clothes, and they are fun! And they are a few hundred dollars each. Not cheap, but if you buy wonderful clothes to keep, reasonable.
I have a backpack I bought in 1992 for $125 at The Original Leather Store in New York. It was expensive in 1992 dollars, especially considering the number of dollars I had in 1992, but I've kept that backpack all these years and use it every day to carry my laptop in. So, in 18 years, I've spent a total of $125 on a computer bag. I bet people who buy cheap ones, in that time period, have spent close to $1,000. And mine's beautiful quality and design.
Amy Alkon at August 6, 2010 1:22 PM
I'm crazy about those jackets--are they sold anywhere other than in LA? Doesn't seem so from the blog, but I can hope there's a Bay Area source.
casey at August 20, 2010 10:44 PM
Amy Alkon
https://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2010/08/wearabe.html#comment-1745021">comment from caseyCasey, email francesca at kaopaoshu dot com and tell her I sent you. I think they're in a bunch of retail outlets.
Amy Alkon
at August 21, 2010 12:48 AM
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