A trip to NY is not complete, for me, without a visit to some of the fabric shops in the Garment District, especially when you have a fabric addiction like me! So on Thursday I headed up to 34th street on 5th Avenue, starting at Washington Square.
I had a good hour and a half to rummage in Mood on 37th street (they had some beautiful printed chiffons) and B & J Fabrics on 7th Avenue.
I also dipped into the Daytona trims shop and marvelled at the array of ribbons.
I came home with a stunning selection of green Chinese damask fabrics. Can't wait to start playing with them.
Next stop was lunch with my lovely friend Marisela. We used to work together in NY and it was great to catch up over a sushi lunch.
I then walked from 34th street to 80th street to The Met, to see the Manus X Machina exhibition. It had more than 170 examples of haute couture and avant-garde ready-to-wear, from the early 20th century to the present day. It explored the ways in which designers are reconciling the handmade and the machine-made in their creations.
The garment below was designed by Hussein Chalayan and is a solid piece. The model enters it by walking into it from behind, through a 'doorway'. The dress is on wheels and she moves around by using a remote control device.
The two dresses below show different uses of coral bead work from different eras. The dress on the left is from the 1960s, the one on the right is by Alexander McQueen.
Another selection of dresses from different eras but using a similar theme. These ones look like fish scales.
The garment below is made entirely from drinking straws!
The two dresses below incorporate 3D printing and create an almost digital 'disease' effect.
I thoroughly enjoyed the exhibition but was also very tired. I've worked out I've walked an average of 25km each day! I had just enough time to get back to my hotel and have a rest before heading out to meet my dear friend Heidi, another former work colleague. We met at a lovely little bar called Lois on Avenue A, and then went for food at Cafe Orlin, an old haunt of mine.
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