There can be a whole row of .......................................................s
and then, there can be Polka Dots!
(this image is one of Yuko Shimizu's)
So easy, but so effective.
Polka dots is a pattern which consists of an array of filled circles.
It shares its' name with the Polka dance.
If you have forgotten what that dance is like, check this video out. It'll get your toes tappin'.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrWJL8JZLT0
Regard the name polka dots... the story goes it was settled upon due to the popularity of the dance at the time the dots pattern became fashionable...but, who knows?
For a bit of history, take in this site
http://www.swide.com/style-fashion/a-history-of-polka-dots-in-fashion/2015/03/13
Good lord!..."associated with negative things like diseases"....dots...spots...where does that take you?
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| "Out, damn'd spot!out, I say!" |
This site also has some great info re polka dots....
And Comme des Garcons is mentioned....R.K. seems to really like polka dots, they're described as one of her iconic design features
She has produced dots books, dots purses, dots socks, dots shoes, dots t-shirts, to name just a few
and, always shirts and skirts
And interesting jackets with dots.
Many a CdG collection, features polka dots, in some shape or form
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| An 80's Autumn/Winter collection, drop crotch pants and loose shirt |
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| The S/S 2010 collection which delivered all sorts of cool features...and polka dots |
The wonderful A/W 2012 collection featured this fabulously big polka dots coat. It was
also produced in a cool capelet style
In 2008 Comme des Garcons entered a limited edition guest collaboration with H & M, the Swedish multinational retail-clothing company, which is known for its fast-fashion clothing. H & M approached Rei Kawakubo with a philosophical idea of contradictions....H & M being very mass market and reasonable prices...CdG being very artisitic with a much different price level. The challenge for Rei Kawakubo was to maintain the integrity of the CdG brand, yet meet the demands of a mass market.
Polka dots were a feature....
In 2013 CdG presented an annual Christmas holiday t-shirt and accessories collection, which was described as 'Polka Dot Wonderland'. It was inspired by Alice in Wonderland, and utilised the John Tenniel illustrations of Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass.
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| Tweedledee & Tweedledum wering polka dot pants, feature in a window display at Dover Street Market Ginza, expressing the above presentation |
I just had to add these fashionista 'Tweedles'
and for fun, Tim Burton's 'Tweedles'! Stripes instead of dots.
Taking a wee diversion re Alice in Wonderland...when I was young, the Alice in Wonderland book we possessed was not illustrated by John Tenniel, but by Mervyn Peake. It was decades later before I fully understood and appreciated the talent of Mervyn Peake. His depiction of Alice was described as giving her a "whimsical yet somewhat sinister quality". The Alice above looks more grumpy to me.
Seeing as I'm on a theme of polka dots, I look around the staff I work with, and what do I see, every day there is wonderful, fun, repetitive, make a statement, polka dots.
even the boss!
(thank you Kit, Adrienne, Karen, Ann, Sarah and Monica...much appreciated)
In 1948 Yayoi Kusama overcame parental opposition of her desire to become an artist. She attended art school in Kyoto where she took up oil painting. This technique occupied her early work until 1957 when she travelled to the United States of America. It was here that she really experienced with her unique and labour-intensive style. Kusama has experienced hallucinations throughout her life, and this has fed her work. In the U.S.A. her dot paintings and soft sculptures attracted a lot of interest.
Go to this site for an interesting interview with Yayoi Kusama
In 2010, The Wellington City Gallery held a Yayoi Kusama exhibition
It was fabulous, just about every room of the gallery displayed a stunning exhibit. Kusama created a couple of installations especially for the City Gallery. Two rooms mirrored each other, with wonderful outsize amorphous type balloons
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| Dots Obsession - Day 2009 and Dots Obsession - Night 2009
See this for an interesting video recalling and explaining Yayoi Kusama's artistic life
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pz8yUaUQsQs |
PoP magazine presented a cool fashion spread based on Kusama's work. I think it related to the time she collaborated with Louie Vuitton.
W magazine presented a "dotty" photo of George Clooney in an Armani suit which had been customised by Yayoi Kusama
I've got polka dots going on in some of my classes, like the Yr. 8s
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| Billie and Lucy working with polka dots |
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| Lucy is very intently satin stitching her polka dots |
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| Charlie's wonderful leather bag with cool polka dots |
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| Simple little polka dotted polar fleece bow with hair clip stitched to it. Yr. 7 love them. |
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| My own polka dotted bow, playing with fun proportion |
Talking of polka dotted bows, here's a cool one, created by the talented Shona Heath, wonderfully dramatising a cool CdG garment
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| My polka dot socks and shoes, inspired by CdG...love them! |
This is Junya Watanabe's wonderful dot work from his super cool 2015 S/S collection. (See my 'Red' blog for further info. on this amazing collection.)
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My own take on Junya Watanabe's dots skirt A wonderful "polka dotted" coat from a designer called Uma Wang. It has a fabulous raw quality to it. |
Pop magazine's display of the first two stanzas of a poem by Yayoi Kusama, which takes me to...
.................................................the biggest pale blue dot we know
Go to this site for Carl Sagan's wonderful comment on the 'Pale Blue Dot'. I read it out for a staff reflection once, because when I first heard it, I was so moved by his take on our planet, our home, and I thought others might be moved in a similar way.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p86BPM1GV8M
Never lose sight of how wonderful that pale blue dot really is.....it's you!
SLTSLTBsigning off regard polka dots!
