Deidre Crawford

Deidre Crawford has written and produced stories for KQED Public Radio, KPCC Public Radio, The Huffington Post, LA Weekly, FOAM Magazine and The Cape Times newspaper.

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Rodarte on Art as Inspiration for Fashion

LACMA Director Michael Govan interviewed Kate and Laura Mulleavy of Rodarte as part of LACMA's Director's Series on January 18. The sisters recently donated their Fra Angelico Collection to the museum's Costume and Textiles Department and spoke about the influence of art, film and literature on their designs. The collection is on display through February 5.

Unlike many designers who spent their childhoods flipping through glossy magazines and dreaming of working in fashion, Kate and Laura Mulleavy didn’t intend on becoming fashion designers. Fashion was an early interest, but it was mixed in with other pursuits like botany, film, art and literature, and later, political science and medicine. They grew up with a mushroom botanist for a father and an artist for a mother, and went on to study art history and literature at Berkeley. It wasn’t until after moving back home with their parents after graduation and watching “an endless loop” of horror films for a year that they began their foray into fashion. “I don’t know why our parents never said anything,” Kate said, when being interviewed by LACMA CEO and Director Michael Govan at LACMA’s Director’s Series on Wednesday. “Looking back, it was pretty strange.” The Los Angeles-based designers and founders of Rodarte have never fit the norm of traditional designers. The two sisters share everything, even an email address. They used to share a cell phone until their conflicting preferences for a Blackberry and an iPhone caused them to finally part ways on mobile devices. Kate went so far as to describe her and her younger sister Laura as “interconnected” and “entwined,” and said that they are “the same person in two different bodies.” There are subtle differences – Laura thinks in stories and Kate thinks in pictures; Kate is more talkative while Laura uses very few words – but together they’ve created a brand that is coveted by fashion icons and worn by the likes of Cate Blanchett, Keira Knightley and Kirsten Dunst. Their ideas primarily come from art, imagery, film, literature and nature, not from other designers, they said. Laura explained that any time she’s tried to take inspiration from another designer, it hasn’t worked and she’s had to abandon the idea. “I’ve tried, but I’ve had the hardest time looking at something that’s been done and trying to do it in terms of our collection,” she said. Usually the pair start with an idea, then choose the colors and select about 100 images that they feel tell the story of what they’re trying to convey and then they go about designing the collection. The images they choose could be anything from pictures of tornadoes to blades of grass, pieces of art, or varying degrees of sunlight. Their Fall 2008 collection was based on Japanese horror films, ballet and a Helen Frankenthaler painting with a compelling blot of red paint that inspired them to use red in a collection for the first time. Another collection was inspired by real and imaginary landscapes and the historical use of Technicolor in film. They created “wheat print” dresses that captured the colors from a wheat field during dusk, dawn, midday and stormy weather. Yet another collection was influenced by Van Gogh’s starry skies and views from Pasadena’s Mt. Wilson Observatory. Art has been one of the biggest inspirations for the sisters, who said that they would often sit at the café at the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena and sketch their collections. Their feathered “Black Swan” costumes were primarily inspired by a photograph of an open cube with textured shag walls on the interior. This box, along with the feathers and scarred, wrinkled skin of the California Condor, were two key elements of the film's modern, deconstructed tutus. The sisters were also influenced by their upbringing in the Northern California seaside town of Aptos and they cite the vampire movie “The Lost Boys” as one of their favorites due to its darkness and ability to capture the 80s hippie/skate/surf scene of the Santa Cruz Boardwalk. Keeping in line with their attraction to the darker side, Kate explained how arsenic was used in certain coveted color dyes during the Victorian era, which wound up unknowingly poisoning the ladies who wore the colored gowns made with these dyes. This intense focus on finding just the right shade is something the sisters can relate to, Kate said, especially during the creation of their Fra Angelico Collection, now on display at LACMA. The sisters aimed to emulate the aged, “chalky” colors used by the Italian Renaissance painter Fra Angelico. Tangerine orange, blush pink, gold, light blue, pale green and gold were some of the shades they used for the crepey chiffon and satin dresses. The 10 sherbert-colored pieces hang suspended from the ceiling of the museum’s Italian Renaissance gallery, offset by Renaissance paintings and sculptures. The collection was originally made for the Pitti Immagine Uomo fashion fair in Florence, Italy last June. It was recently donated by the Mulleavy sisters to LACMA’s Costume and Textiles Department. They will remain on display at the museum until February 5.   Deidre Crawford

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“We've [Burberry] got our own DNA. I describe it as disheveled elegance, this beautiful craftsmanship with something a bit broken up.” —Christopher Bailey to Harper's Bazaar via Fashion Etc.

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'Bill Cunningham New York' Screening At LACMA

By Deidre Crawford

After opening to enthusiastic reviews in New York last week, “Bill Cunningham New York” premiered at LACMA last night in a special preview screening hosted by LACMA’s Costume Council. The lively documentary by director Richard Press and former New York Times photo editor Philip Gefter effectively mimics Cunningham’s intimate style, shooting him without a crew and capturing him on the job and in his day-to-day life, chasing the streets of New York for the perfect shot. “Our passion for who Bill is as a person –- that’s really what I was interested in capturing,” said Press, when speaking about his motivation for doing the documentary. The legendary New York Times photographer has been photographing New York street style for more than 40 years. Readers know him from his weekly “On the Street” slideshow, which captures picturesque scenes of New York city life from his vantage point atop his ever-present bicycle. Some of the attendees at the New York-themed party included Decades owner Cameron Silver and Annie Flanders, founding editor of Details magazine and a long-time friend of Cunningham.

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The Lush Sounds of Whale Fall

Saturday night, L.A.’s recently formed Whale Fall played to a packed house at the Bootleg Theater.  The instrumental group debuted their first album, a lush landscape of sound featuring 12 tracks of ambient mood music.

The self-titled LP (named after the term for whale carcass that has fallen to the ocean floor), contains an eclectic blend of drums, guitars, trumpet, cello and Wurlitzer piano, all of which combine to create an impressive wall of sound. The cinematic songs easily evoke strong imagery for their audience, although they wouldn’t need to with the trippy, light-filled film projections played onstage during the show.

Highlights included “Onsen” (rhythmic rock), “Click” (passionate, synthy electronica) and “You Go Up, I Go Down” (impressive trumpet solo by Matt Greenberg). The six-person band is comprised of David Pomeranz, Ali Vazin, Aaron Farenelli, Eric Tokle, Jamie Peregrine and Greenberg, formerly of Bay Area-band Charles Atlas, who are noted for their contributions to the “Up in the Air” soundtrack.

Not surprisingly, with their measured pacing and soothing beats, some of Whale Fall’s songs are reminiscent of the rich, mellow sounds of Charles Atlas. It’s too soon to tell whether or not it’s a good thing that at a certain point Whale Fall’s songs all seemed to blend into one another, but taken as a whole, the band’s lulling instrumentals stand out among L.A.’s noisy, pop-infused music scene.

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"I wish we'd done a film like Blue Valentine.... maybe it's not too late."

- Jane Fonda, on acting with Robert Redford.

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"He said that art dealers don't wear Armani - they have their clothes made."

Steve Martin on an art dealer's criticism of his book "An Object of Beauty."

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Steve Martin Talks Art

Last night, funny man Steve Martin sat down with art critic Dave Hickey as part of LACMA's 'Writer's Bloc Presents' series to discuss art and his book "An Object of Beauty."

Martin says the key to good fiction writing is to never tell a lie and never have your characters say or do something out of convenience.

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"As awful and grotesque as the party is, I still wanted to come to the party."

Dave Hickey to Steve Martin on his reasons for not wanting to write about the art world.

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A Look Into Lomography

Outside a storefront in West Hollywood, a crew of photographers – amateurs and professionals alike – fan out to capture the neighborhood on analog film. The group was part of a hands-on workshop devoted to the quirky Lomo cameras, which carry with them their own unpredictable aesthetic, spontaneous approach, and trademarked artistic community that rivals that of the mighty Polaroid.  

Read and hear more of my story on KPCC.

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"It’s very kind of rebellious against the digital age… that’s why I like it.”

Molly Gardner, on Lomography.

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                                   Old School.                       New School.                                                           

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City Slickers and Great Danes

New denim label OTR and cool Danes.  My piece for FOAM magazine:

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Lesson Learned

My piece on Jessica Simpson's new denim line for FOAM magazine:

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Mad for Mad Men

Guests were treated to a fashion show with some of costume designer  Janie Bryant's favorite Mad Men styles.  Photo by Deidre Crawford.

There were no beehives to be found, but there were plenty of circle-skirt dresses, wingtip shoes, and a mahogany bar serving cocktails fitting for a night on the town with Don and Betty Draper.  

Los Angeles County Museum of Art's Costume Council presented "Mad Men" costume designer Janie Bryant on Wednesday night, discussing her inspirations for the characters' clothing, followed by a fashion show of favorite looks from the TV series and a reception showcasing the new Barbie Mad Men collection.

Bryant spoke with fashion writer Monica Corcoran Harel about her creative insights into the costuming choices, the research involved and how she comes up with her ideas for the show with a visual style that has influenced everything from store displays to fashion designers.  The two women have collaborated on a new book coming out this fall, dispensing fashion advice and more behind-the-scenes details of the series' much-extolled costumes.

Before designing for "Mad Men," Bryant worked on costume design for HBO's "Deadwood," and said she likes designing period productions.  She discussed making garments from scratch, as well as repurposing or renting some of the outfits.   While she did not have a favorite character to dress, Bryant said she did have certain episodes and stories she preferred and that she was flattered by the reach of the show's aesthetic into popular culture.

In a courtyard cocktail reception following the panel, hot pink, orange, baby blue and strings of pearls were the accents for the night, as women with heels, cape coats and leather clutches chatted with men in roomy suits and boxy fedoras.  Keeping with the 60s theme, waiters kept guests full with pigs in a blanket and hamburger sliders, while they sipped on pink champagne, Manhattans and martinis.

                               Dolls from the new Mad Men Barbie collection were showcased at the party.   Photo by Deidre Crawford.

A new Barbie doll line modeled after the show's characters will be launching next month for those looking to collect a small-scale Don Draper or a miniature version of Joan Holloway's infamous silhouette.

Barbie designer Robert Best, who described himself as "addicted" to the show, said the dolls would be aimed towards collectors and adults.

"It's for people who collect Barbie already and may not be huge 'Mad Men' fans, as well as for the people that are huge 'Mad Men' fans and may not collect Barbie," he explained.

Show creator Matthew Weiner and cast members Rich Sommer, Michael Gladis, Christopher Stanley and Cara Buono all took part in the evening, while the rest of the cast were shooting until late that night.

The event was hosted by LACMA's Costume Council, an organization dedicated to expanding awareness of the museum's collection of fashion, costume and textiles. 

The council planned the program for three years and selected "Mad Men" since it was "an incredible example of fashion," said Elizabeth Matthews, one of the council chairs.

The evening was a celebration of the show's popular aesthetic as well as to announce the Costume and Textile Department's upcoming retrospective, 'Fashioning Fashion: European Dress in Detail, 1700-1915,' one of the first exhibitions to appear in the museum's new Lynda and Stewart Resnick Exhibition Pavilion.  

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Honor, Drugs And Gangs Collide In Compelling Prison Drama

Tahar Rahim stars as Malik El Djebena, whose life takes a drastic turn when he is sentenced to six years in prison, in Jacques Audiard's moving drama "A Prophet." (Photo by IMDB Pro)

"A Prophet" is one of the rare films where the storyline, performances and soundtrack combine in near perfect harmony.  Jacques Audiard's highly acclaimed French film that garnered the Grand Jury prize from last year's Cannes Film Festival and this year's French Cesar for Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor could likely be regarded as one of the great films of our time.

Young French-Algerian Tahar Rahim plays the baby-faced prophet Malik El Djebena, who is imprisoned at 19 years old for allegedly killing a police officer.  Upon entering this new world, his lawyer ominously cautions Malik, "You're in with the big guys now."  But despite his naivete and youthful looks, Malik quickly rises through the ranks of the French prison system by aligning himself with the Corsican prison gang, while simultaneously befriending the rival Arab inmates.  

While learning the ropes of prison life, he soon becomes a favorite of the head of the Corsicans, who control everything from the guards on the inside to hotels and casinos on the outside.  He quickly navigates the codes of internment, learning that murder, smuggling and drug running are the only ways up, while simultaneously acting as a model prisoner, so as not to draw unwanted attention to himself.

The beautifully filmed, riveting movie draws you in to an exquisitely depicted world and never releases its hold the entire two hours and forty minutes of its runtime.  Similar to "Dirty Pretty Things," Stephen Frear's tale of immigrants in London selling their organs on the black market to survive, the film provides a captivating insight into a bleak world many know little about, highlighting the struggles of North Africans in France and the inner workings of French prison life, as well as an in-depth look into drug smuggling in the Mediterranean.

In prison, abuse is rampant and death is an everyday possibility.  Safety comes only through the protection of a gang, and therefore an identity.  The Corsican, the Frenchman, the Egyptian, the Gypsy and the Arab each have their own rank in French society that comes with either privilege or punishment.  It is part of Malik's journey to discover which group he identifies with - Arab or Corsican, Muslim or Christian, criminal or civilian - while he is accused of "straddling" both worlds.

Although Malik's history is never explained, one can easily fill in the gaps knowing that he has no parents, grew up in a juvenile center and can't remember if his first spoken language was Arabic or French.  The deep scars across his back indicate a harsh life without anyone to look out for him, but the politics of prison help Malik to navigate the rules of society and life on the outside.

  Audiard's film uses stylistic filmmaking to enhance his classic prison drama and touch on current social issues in France. (Photo by IMDB Pro)

He comes to prison illiterate and with no money, no parents, no friends and no religion, which one would think would make him an easy target - but ironically, the incarceration that was supposed to imprison him proves fertile ground for him finding his identity and personal freedom.   In jail, he learns to read and write, makes friends, learns to listen to his well-guided intuition and finds an unlikely mentor in the form of a ghost of a murdered inmate.

The film easily switches from soulful and introspective to quick-paced thriller to documentary-style commentary, and successfully weaves in Malik's visions and slow-motion dreams with haunting images of prophets, animals and ghosts lit on fire.  But it is the realism that separates this film from others - the details, the characters, and their various non-rosy-endings depict a poignantly captivating world.  The tiny touches of civility in French prison, such as baguettes for breakfast, the ability to wear their own clothing instead of a uniform, being pardoned for a serious illness and the privilege of being called by their names instead of a prison number, stand out in an otherwise cruel world.  

This should not be mistaken for any quality of life, however.

It is the Corsican political prisoners that control the guards and the Arabs have almost no power in prison.  The Corsican boss (brilliantly played by Niels Arestrup) is determined to remind Malik of this at any given opportunity by constantly referring to him as a "dirty Arab" and likening his people to dogs.  His accusation that the Arab prisoners are "multiplying" seems to echo the current sentiment in France regarding North African immigrants, as does his attitude of continually trying to keep Malik down.  

The Arabs are depicted as being ridiculed not just in prison, but also in the outside world - they are often mistreated or shunned, struggle to find work, and are left to take low-paying jobs and forced to use French rather than Arabic names, showing why a life of crime might be an appealing alternative to their situation.

Despite the role of identity, money talks even more than race and everyone in Audiard's world has a price and is controlled by the gangs:  the guards are paid off, the lawyers are fixed, even the judges are at the mercy of the Corsican, Italian or Arab gangs.  The power struggles are constantly changing and unpredictable, and as Malik says, "All I want is a better life for me and my friends."  The magic is in watching him try to obtain this.  

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Backstage At The Oscars

Jeff Bridges celebrates his long-awaited win backstage at the Academy Awards. (Photo provided by Academy Motion Picture of Arts and Sciences, ©A.M.P.A.S.)

Sandra Bullock arrived backstage to hoots and hollers for her win for Best Actress in The Blind Side, looking stunning in her champagne silver Marchesa dress with antique beading.  Amidst the excitement over her surprise win, she talked about her post-show aspirations.

"I just want a burger and I just want some food.  I want to eat and not sweat it and not worry the dress will bust open... and I'd like a nap, too," she told reporters.

Bullock jokingly threatened to unleash her husband on anyone who pressed her for the details of his private whisperings to her immediately after it was announced that she had won Best Actress.  

"He's right there.  Don't piss him off...  I'd never divulge what Jesse says unless he divulges it first.  It's between me and the man," she joked while deflecting a reporter's question for more information.

Bullock said despite her Oscar win, she still looks forward to doing mainstream films and doesn't feel the pressure to choose only one genre.

"Just because I did commercial films, doesn't mean I couldn't do wonderful, small, art house films.  Just because I won an Oscar, I don't want to ever stop doing something that makes people laugh," she explained to the room.

When discussing her career, Bullock described past co-star Ryan Reynolds as "a freak of nature" because of his exceptional good looks, and said that "no one realizes how much fun Meryl Streep is," which is part of why she kissed her onstage at the Critics' Choice Awards.  The other reason, she explained, was to diffuse media hype that there was tension between the Best Actress nominees.

Reporters pressed her for how she felt about receiving a "Razzie" for Worst Actress the same year she received an Academy Award.

"It probably means more that both of them happened at the same time because it's the great equalizer.  It quickly chops me off at the knees and I like it that way because it just keeps things stable," she said, after joking the Razzie award would sit on a lower shelf below her Oscar at home.

Best Supporting Actress winner Mo'Nique easily took control of the press room when she walked in, deciding on her own order of calling on reporters rather than letting the Academy staff choose, as is the norm.  She handpicked a reporter to ask about the color of her dress, a royal blue tribute to Hattie McDaniel, the first African-American to win an Academy Award in 1940 for Gone With the Wind. "The reason why I have on this royal blue dress is because it's the color that Hattie McDaniel wore in 1940 when she accepted her Oscar... Ms. Hattie McDaniel, I feel you all over me, and it's about time that the world feels you all over them," said Mo'Nique.

After her win for Best Actress, Sandra Bullock joked about only wanting a burger to complete her night.  (Photo provided by Academy Motion Picture of Arts and Sciences, ©A.M.P.A.S.)

One of the funniest moments of the night came when a reporter asked the comedian what she thought would happen to Hollywood actresses if they had more natural figures and didn't shave their legs.  Mo'Nique replied, "They'd win Oscars."

Kathryn Bigelow still appeared overwhelmed by her multiple wins for The Hurt Locker, eventually having screenwriter Mark Boal take over questions at one point while she gave her voice a break.  

Bigelow described her fellow nominees as "phenomenal, powerful, talented filmmakers" and said winning an Oscar was a "humbling experience."   In a surprising sweep, the film won for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Film Editing, Best Cinematography, Best Actor, Best Original Score, Best Sound Editing and Best Sound Mixing.

When asked about Nicolas Chartier, the Hurt Locker producer who was prominently missing from the line-up after having been barred by the Academy for his email campaign disparaging Avatar and urging voters to vote for the Hurt Locker, the creative team behind the film had only positive things to say about him.

"We haven't spoken to him yet.  He sent me a very beautiful email.  He had a party thrown for him, and I think he's very pleased, and we're going to meet him later tonight at some of the parties," said Hurt Locker screenwriter Mark Boal.

Boal was also questioned about the current lawsuit he and Bigelow are facing by Master Sgt. Jeffrey Sarver, who claims Boal based the screenplay for The Hurt Locker and the character of Sgt. William James on Sarver's life.

"Jeff is a brave soldier, the screenplay is a work of fiction and not based on any one person's story," Boal responded.

Boal said he was inspired to write the screenplay after being embedded with troops in Iraq for a story he was writing as a journalist in 2004.

"I thought the story of these guys who have one of the most dangerous jobs in the world would be an interesting way to look at the war in a broader sense...  these are extremely important moments that need to be explored by artists." 

Best Actor winner Jeff Bridges kept things loose and upbeat with reporters, easily joking with them with champagne in hand.  When asked about the possibility of forming a band with co-star Colin Farrell, he said he was flattered and hadn't thought about it, but joked that he would maybe talk to Farrell about it.

Bridges went on to effuse about his wife and daughters, whom he says are the key to his success and keep him grounded.

"She (his wife) holds that kite string.  Lets me go way out there, and then it's so sweet being reeled back in.  I love coming home... I guess the girls are the tail of the kite, keep me centered like that," he beamed.

Country singer Ryan Bingham who won the award for Best Song for Crazy Heart's "The Weary Kind," along with T-Bone Burnett, also spoke of his wife's support.  He had already won over the press room when he told his wife he loved her "more than rainbows" in his acceptance speech and he continued to espouse his feelings towards her backstage.

"It's tough to write sad songs when you are around such a beautiful woman as she is," he said.

Bingham said Farrell has a "beautiful" voice and that he had been rooting for him to play an Irish country singer in the movie, but eventually realized it didn't work and so opted to make his character American.

When Best Supporting Actor winner Christoph Waltz finally had his turn in the press room towards the end of the night, he was asked what the nomination and awards process were like and described the whole Oscar experience as "dizzying."

"It's mind boggling, it's fantastic, it's very intense.  It takes a long time and I couldn't have possibly imagined that it would be like that.  It was fantastic.  Tomorrow I'm probably sorry that it's over," he joked to the room.

Fortunately for Waltz, despite the show's running 30 minutes over its scheduled run-time, the night was far from over for the winners, who were still expected to appear at the Governors Ball and numerous after-parties to further celebrate their wins.

(Originally published on Annenberg Digital News)