Unique Fashion Perspective at Queen Sofia Spanish Institute – New York City
18th February 2013 The artistic legacy of Mariano Fortuny y Madrazo (1871-1949) is currently being celebrated with the recent publication of Fortuny Interiors (Eyestylist City Guides 22nd January 2013), and an exquisite retrospective at the Queen Sofia Spanish Institute on Park Avenue in Manhatten. Conceived by and curated with Oscar de la Renta, this is the first exhibition to examine the impact of both the matrilineal and paternal artistic legacies on Fortuny’s groundbreaking work in textiles, clothing design and visual arts. Born in Granada and raised in Paris, Fortuny spent his adult life in Venice, where his prodigious output was the result of a career that spanned over fifty years. It was through his clothing and textile designs that his exceptional artistic sensibilities reached their zenith, as well as a large international audience.
Many of his clothing designs, including the iconic Delphos dress (top photo) emphasized movement and the natural shape of an un-corseted body – just one of the ways that Fortuny’s clothing, although steeped in history, revealed a modern sensibility that helped to push fashion forward at the turn of the 20th Century. This stunning exhibition confirms the beauty and timelessness of fine design. Exhibition continues through 30 March 2013. www.queensofiaspanishinstitute.org JG
Photos Top: Mrs. William Wetmore modeling a Delphos gown in front of Fortuny fabric. Originally published in Vogue 15 December 1935. Photograph by Lusha Nelson Copyright Condé Nast Publications
Centre: Design by Mariano Fortuny y Madrazo, Peplos, 1910-1920 Coutresy of the Museo del Traje, Madrid