For CdG's SS 2006 collection RK presented ringlets, crowns and union jacks, along with some of her favourite floral, camouflage and tartan fabrics, all to the sound of 'Land of Hope and Glory'.
Kawakubo referred to it as "a lost Empire", adding that it was also a collection about "cutting without a pattern".
My inspiration from this collection
An Empire that is no more.
Many are found in literature
In 2010, Caribbean poet, Derek Walcott wrote the poem, 'The Lost Empire', in which he explored the end of colonial control and its legacy within his homeland. Read it via this link:
but, like I previously expressed, things move on. 
The upcycled t-shirt is matched with this skirt, which I developed out of a worn pair of Wrangler jeans I still valued.
A lovely lady at school gave me the under fabric, and this is what I did with it, all Junya Watanabe/CdG inspired.
Talking about The Roman Empire and Julius Caesar gets me thinking of 'Asterix', that wonderful comic strip series, written by Rene Goscinny, and illustrated by Albert Uderzo.
This is an interesting site, explaining how a commentary of the Gallic Wars was recorded by Julius Caesar himself, and apparently, three sections of it, do appear in the Asterix books.
He looks the part, doesn't he!
and of course 'Ozymandias' by Percy Bysshe Shelley. "This poem explores the fate of history and the ravages of time: even the greatest of men and the empires they forge are impermanent, their legacies fated to decay into oblivion."
One of my favourite television series, Breaking Bad, has a scene, where Jesse asks Walt a question: "Are we in the meth business or the money business?" Walt replies, "Neither. I'm in the empire business."
The trailer for the final season of Breaking Bad has Bryan Cranston reciting Ozymandias, an apt expression of Walt's insane ambition. Within Shelley's poem can be found many of the big themes of Breaking Bad - evil, morality, coronation and decay.
Do you think the last scene from the original 'Planet of the Apes' might have been inspired by Shelley's poem?
So, what is an empire?
"An empire is a political construct in which one state dominates over another state, or a series of states. At its heart, an empire is ruled by an emperor, even though many states in history without an emperor at their head are called 'empires'. At its core, an empire is the domination of one state by another."
Large Empires from History include:
- The Persian Empire - Created under Cyrus the Great, it stretched from Iran into Central Asia and Egypt.
- The Han Dynasty - Established in 206 BCE, China's Han Dynasty- lasted more than 400 years, expanding from China into Vietnam and Korea.
- The Mongol Empire - Spread throughout the 13th and 14th centuries CE. It arose out of a collection of nomadic tribes in Central Asia, eventually extending from Central Asia to Central Europe and to the Sea of Japan. Genghis Khan founded the empire in 1206 CE.
- The Ottoman Empire - This Islamic empire of Suleyman the Magnificent, at its height covered portions of three continents South-eastern Europe, Western Asia and North Africa. It collapsed in the early 1900s.
- The Spanish Empire - At its height in the late 1700s, the Spanish Empire comprised 5.3 million square miles and wielded great economic and military power.
- The Russian Empire - In the late 17th century, the Russian Empire reached 8.9 million square miles. It played a major role in holding back Napoleon's conquest of Europe.
- The British Empire - In the early 20th century, the British Empire comprised nearly a quarter of the planet. Many of the territories colonised by the British have gained independence, but several still remain a connection, and are now known as the Commonwealth.
Such a history of empires is explained quite well in this video...
and want a rousing rendition of Land of Hope and Glory? Tune into this BBC Proms.
The lyrics were written in 1902 by AC Benson.
Solo
Dear Land of Hope, thy hope is crowned,
God make thee mightier yet!
On Sov'ran[3] brows, beloved, renowned,
Once more thy crown is set.
Thine equal laws, by Freedom gained,
Have ruled thee well and long;
By Freedom gained, by Truth maintained,
Thine Empire shall be strong.
Chorus
Land of Hope and Glory, Mother of the Free,
How shall we extol thee, who are born of thee?
Wider still and wider shall thy bounds be set;
God, who made thee mighty, make thee mightier yet,
God, who made thee mighty, make thee mightier yet.
Solo
Thy fame is ancient as the days,
As Ocean large and wide:
A pride that dares, and heeds not praise,
A stern and silent pride;
Not that false joy that dreams content
With what our sires have won;
The blood a hero sire hath spent
Still nerves a hero son.
Chorus
Dear Land of Hope, thy hope is crowned,
God make thee mightier yet!
On Sov'ran[3] brows, beloved, renowned,
Once more thy crown is set.
Thine equal laws, by Freedom gained,
Have ruled thee well and long;
By Freedom gained, by Truth maintained,
Thine Empire shall be strong.
Chorus
Land of Hope and Glory, Mother of the Free,
How shall we extol thee, who are born of thee?
Wider still and wider shall thy bounds be set;
God, who made thee mighty, make thee mightier yet,
God, who made thee mighty, make thee mightier yet.
Solo
Thy fame is ancient as the days,
As Ocean large and wide:
A pride that dares, and heeds not praise,
A stern and silent pride;
Not that false joy that dreams content
With what our sires have won;
The blood a hero sire hath spent
Still nerves a hero son.
Chorus
The song was originally understood to celebrate war and the British Empire, but was also often performed as a general show of patriotism in England. Lines reflecting links to the British Empire include 'wider and wider still', which is thought to refer to the empire growing over more lands, and many critics saying it is no longer appropriate. Certainly in the countries they colonised that would be so. We have moved on.
A number of years ago I put a collection together, which I called 'My Victorian Spirit Collection'. These 2 garments featured
Hope has become this, I removed the heart shapes, lowered the neckline, and applied a piece of decorative ribbon I happened to have. (I do like using things up these days.)
This adaptation was carried out last year, 2020, when we were under going Covid-19 lockdown, and hope was something many of us needed to believe in.
It is wonderful how things get moved along and still have use in my life.
Glory has been rejigged as well.
Now, back to the Empire.
I came across a website that described the average lifespan of an empire is 250 years, with this life cycle being broken down into six ages:
- The Age of Pioneers
- The Age of Conquest
- The Age of Commerce
- The Age of Affluence
- The Age of Intellectualism
- The Age of Decadence
The last stage is the decay of the empire, and is characterised by "defensive-minded militaries, decaying morals, loss of religion, frivolous consumption of food, entertainment, sex, and the complete focus of individual interests. When things tend to get rough, it would be thought that the people would work together to fix the problem, but instead there are schisms in the society that make the resolution of dire problems impossible. With everyone thinking about themselves, they lack the self-sacrifice and courage needed to defend themselves from collapsing internally or from the next age of Pioneers."
I talked about this with a history teacher at school. He thought the summary was a tad simplified as to the decay of an empire, which I am in agreeance with, but it does make one think of a particular empire, doesn't it.
Yes, The Roman Empire.
The Roman Empire is not just one of the most famous in history, it is also the longest-lasting. It was founded, when Augustus Caesar proclaimed himself the first emperor of Rome in 27BC and came to a complete end with the fall of Constantinople in 1453AD.
(This site explains it in more detail https://www.rome.net/roman-empire )
The republic that preceded the empire was brought down by civil wars, leading to the the appointment of Julius Caesar as dictator...and the rest is history!
This video presentation is a good account of the Roman Empire history. A lot of art works are used to present a visual account of the historic facts, and they are often repeated, but, hey, that's okay, it's fascinating history.
Talking about The Roman Empire and Julius Caesar gets me thinking of 'Asterix', that wonderful comic strip series, written by Rene Goscinny, and illustrated by Albert Uderzo.
This is an interesting site, explaining how a commentary of the Gallic Wars was recorded by Julius Caesar himself, and apparently, three sections of it, do appear in the Asterix books.
Would it be right to say that Empire makers like drawing lines? "This is now ours!"
The fashionable 'Empire Line' came out of the reign of a very famous Emperor.
The one and only Napoleon Bonaparte.
He looks the part, doesn't he!
Napoleon Bonaparte ruled the First French Empire, which established French dominance over much of continental Europe at the beginning of the 1800s, but he couldn't defeat the Russian winter!
Napoleon's first wife was Marie Josephe Rose Tascher de La Pagerie, They met in 1795, when she was a 32- year-old mother of two, and he was a 26-year-old "up and coming empire maker" Marrying in 1796 enabled her to eventually become Empress 'Josephine' of the French in 1804, when Napoleon declared himself Emperor.
It is a fascinating time in history, coming after the French Revolution's 'Reign of Terror'.
After the Revolution, female dress in France moved towards simplicity and freedom, a style pioneered by Madame Recamier.
Madame Recamier was one of those socialites who attracted much attention and established many trends. Apparently she was not popular among Napoleon's circle. Her love of a simpler, looser style made her an exception to the ostentation of the Emperor's court.
In the above painting by Francois Gerard, Madame Recamier is wearing a style known as 'robe en chemise'. It resembled an undergarment, like a shift of sheer muslin, gathered under the breasts, which became known as the empire line.
Empress Josephine was highly influential in popularising the empire line in Europe. This style reflected a neo-classicism of Greek and Roman antiquity. Initially materials like muslin, gauze and percale were chosen for their simplicity, and functional ability to drape the body well, but as time went on in Bonaparte's empire, silk became the preferred fabric of choice.
Apparently, shawls were one of Josephine's signature items and they became a very popular accessory. Ladies took lessons in the art of posing in and draping a shawl.
Like many a dominating leader's wife, Josephine had an insatiable appetite for new clothes, and so amassed a very large wardrobe. An 1809 inventory reveals 49 court dresses, 666 winter dresses, 230 summer dresses, 60 cashmere shawls and 1.132 pairs of gloves!
I love these images from 'Journal des Dames et des Modes', 1817 and 1814 respectively. Beautiful empire line dresses, and the glorious bonnets.
A male and female attire together courtesy of the wonderful Kyoto Costume Institute collection.
Austen's books were written during the time frame when empire line dresses, with their high waists, short sleeves and low necklines reigned supreme.
Remember my effort from the 'Apron blog'.
This is a great link to the Regency period costumes designed for the 2020 'Emma' film. I know it wasn't everyone's cup of tea, but the costumes were a very good representation of the era.
The site makes a reference to 'Bright Star', Jane Campion's film about English poet John Keats romance with Fanny Brawne. Again, not everyone's cup of tea, but it is delightfully 'Regency' attired..
https://www.tillyandthebuttons.com/2010/07/bright-star.html
The empire line has never gone away.
It featured in MMM's Fall 2016 Couture collection. John Galliano has always loved the line, and often used it for inspiration. It's very evident in these garments.
Comme des Garcons likes the empire line as well. It will feature in a variety of ways
Comme des Garcons Girl has an empire line look in this outfit.
And what about this amazing one. It comes out of the CDG Fall 2020 collection. I am not completely sure what the theme was for this one, something like "I worked from within the CDG world."
Some of my Yr.10 students have created empire line dresses for their first project 'Dress Ups'. It always looks good.
I created this one out of a piece of muslin I had. I was harking back to the Madame Recamier looser, natural look. Woven webbing seemed apt for the shoulder straps with this fabric.
Two visuals which help to portray this:
If interested to know more about CDG's "empire", this site is very informative.
(After reading it through, I guess I am left with the fact that it is a brand, a highly successful brand, and although I totally appreciate and revel in the creativity of CdG, I do wish they were more vocally expressive of the importance of sustainability in the clothing industry, and what is required to make sure their consumers understand and want it as well.)
Japan was known as 'Empire of the Sun'. Both Nippon and Nihon literally mean "the sun's origin", that is, where the sun originates, and are often translated as the 'Land of the Rising Sun'. Such acclamation refers to Japan's eastern position relative to China.
The CdG SS 2007 collection was the first acknowledgement by RK of 'Japanese' design. A giant red spot, the symbol of the Japanese flag, was the centre of the collection. Rei Kawakubo said, "To me it is the purest from of design in existence." She delivered this concept in various ways.
A circle of Junya Ishigami white family chairs adorned with a long, one-piece cashmere/cotton garment appear to hold each other in a group hug.
This event was held in the same year as the devastating north-eastern Japan earthquake and tsunami, which resulted in at least 16,000 deaths.
A number of years ago, a Japanese student of mine designed and constructed this skirt.
I think the result is cool! I love the button she stitched onto the pink waistband. Top marks all round!
That pure circle appears on this cup I keep in my workroom studio. It is for storing little paper reflections of various CdG collections.
I am now going to look at the empire that has had its effect on my life.
That land of hope and glory, 'The British Empire'.
It began way back in the late 16th /early 17th centuries, when England began possessing overseas trading posts.
By 1913, the British Empire held sway over 412 million people. By 1920 it covered 35,500,000 sq km, 24% of the planet's total land area. Consequently, its constitutional, legal, linguistic and cultural legacy is widespread. At the peak of its power, the British Empire was described as "the empire on which the sun never sets", as the sun was always shining on at least one of its territories!
If you are interested in a timeline of the British Empire, this link gives a very good presentation.
I am popping in a link to the BBC 1971, 'Elizabeth R', which starred the glorious Glenda Jackson. It was a fantastic series, and this is episode 5 'The Enterprise of England'. Francis Drake features, and he comes across as a bit of a pirate.
https://www.metmuseum.org/art/metpublications/AngloMania_Tradition_and_Transgression_in_British_FashionThis site connects to a fabulous 2006 exhibition held in the The Metropolitan Museum of Art 'Anglomania: Tradition and Transgression in British Fashion'. Andrew Bolton curated it. What is cool about this site, is the ability to download the publication that went with the exhibit, or you can read it online. As you can imagine, it's a glorious publication, and the particular relevance is the section 'Empire and Monarchy' in the Elizabethan Room.
A number of years ago, as previously mentioned, I worked on a collection, which came out of the Victorian era, a dominant time of the British Empire.
From that collection came garments like this:-
A skirt reflecting that British Empire map a number of us probably had in our primary school classroom, all those red countries.
Shirts reflecting the flags of the various countries making up Great Britain
The wearer of this item would also wear this crown upon the head.
When I presented the collection, I wore this sweater.
So, Rule Britannia, huh.
Britannia, a cultural icon of Britain, holding a trident and shield, often accompanied by a lion.
Britannia was the name given to the Roman province of Britain, during the Roman Empire. Originally the name was Albion, but by the 1st century BC, Britannia had replaced it as the name for Great Britain.
We know how the Romans loved Gods and Goddesses, so by the 2nd century, Roman Britannia came to be personified as a goddess, armed with a spear and shield and wearing a Corinthian helmet. This goddess was an appropriation of the Roman goddess, Minerva and the Greek goddess, Athena.
Following the Acts of Union in 1707, which joined the Kingdoms of England and Scotland, Britannia became an emblem of British maritime power and unity. Hence, the spear was replaced with the trident and the Union Jack painted on the shield.
It makes me think of the wonderful costumes in Fassbinder's film, 'The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant'. The second act when Petra and Karin are meeting together and establishing their relationship. They are dressed as if for battle, which is what their relationship eventually becomes!
Playing around with a metal breastplate idea
Britannia isn't looking quite so good these days!
This will link to an interesting article about the United Kingdom's Royal Mint producing a new coin featuring Britannia as a woman of colour. As said before, things move on.
https://edition.cnn.com/style/article/royal-mint-britannia-2021/index.htmlThe British Raj.
Raj is a Hindu word meaning "rule".
The British Raj was 'rule by the British Empire in India'.
It began with the British East India Company being formed in 1599 under Elizabeth 1, thus enabling England to acquire territory throughout the Indian subcontinent. The British East India Company flooded the English market with beautiful and inexpensive Indian fabrics, which created problems and worries for the British textiles workers. Legal restrictions on the selling, weaving and import of Indian cloth were imposed, but with the Industrial Revolution (1760-1840) different problems emerged.
The American Civil War (1861-1865) provided those who had cotton interests in India with a favourable opportunity to secure a hold on the English market for India's raw cotton, as the war shifted England's dependence on raw cotton from America to India.
In 1861, India contributed 31% of total raw cotton imported in Great Britain. By 1862, the first full year of war in America, India was 90% of England's total raw cotton imports! England would buy the raw cotton and sell it back to India as a finished product, woven cotton fabric. India's own cotton industry could not compete, so India becomes the largest importer of British woven textiles. The British had made this situation law, which angered Mahatma Gandhi and his followers.
The Indian independent movement from the British Raj started earlier than Gandhi, but for this blog I am focusing on the last stages of the Gandhi inspired self-rule campaign the Indian National Congress undertook in1920.
Gandhi's policy of non-violence and civil disobedience was encompassed in the word "satygraha". Satya being truth, and Agraha being insistence or holding firm to, "holding firmly to the truth".
One of the first 'Satyagraha' movements Gandhi undertook was the use of Khadi, a special type of hand-spun, hand woven cloth. Gandhi encouraged the Indian people to make and use this cloth as an alternative to the fabrics that England was shipping back to India, which had been woven from raw cotton grown in their own territory. Boycotting the use of imported products and materials was another Gandhi influence and was known as the Swadeshi Movement.
Gandhi promoted the spinning and weaving of Khadi for rural self-employment and self-reliance. He was a great role model. His daily spinning and self-sustaining textile production was a major aspect of the nonviolent movement for India's independence from British colonial rule.
The manual spinning wheel Gandhi is using in the above photo is called a 'Charkha'.
As independence from Britain became a reality for India, its own flag was needed. The 'Charkha' was seen as the strong symbol reflecting India's independence. The flag went through a number of design refinements.
A 1921 version.
A 1931 version.
A version Mountbatten proposed, which was totally rejected!
This is a wonderful short film about Khadi. Both the visuals and the soundtrack are quite captivating.
This is a link to an interesting article about Khadi, some of the history and where it is going today.
and the Issey Miyake exhibition, mentioned in the above link.
Last, but not least, the British Empire was weakened, but on June the 2nd, 1953, every school child in Britain received one of these cups. Well, Eric did anyway. "Long May She Reign Over Us" is printed under the portrait. I am impressed how well E has looked after this cup. It has travelled from Wales, on the Southern Cross ocean liner, then from Dunedin, South Island, to various places in the North Island, and not a single chip!
SLTSLTBsigning off.
Interesting article from The New Yorker and pertinent to this theme
Wonderful blog, as ever! Great that you haven’t limited your review of empires to just the British iteration. Loved the symbolism evident throughout too. And that Issey…
ReplyDeleteThank you very much Naomi, much appreciated. Yes, wonderful Issey. His work has brought such joy to my life.
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