My borderline-obsessive interest in Isabel Toledo has led me to read almost as compulsively about Madeleine Vionnet, an early 20th century French seamstress and designer. I feel the same sort of reverence for her as I do for Isabel, and so strongly wish I could have lived in France at the time, even as a little fly, and watched her take the brilliance in her mind and transform it into clothing. She helped alter people's perception of ideal beauty by turning away from the straight shapes of the 1920's and instead accentuating women's curves. She was the creator of the bias cut, which allowed clothing to move with the body instead of constrict it. Vionnet turned her nose up at much of her day's fashion world and was a bit of a hermit, which makes me adore her all the more. To read more about her and the exhibition you're going to see once you book your trip to Paris next week, continue here.
In the meantime, gasp and gape here:
