Category Archives: Fashion History

Stitching in Air: Handmade Lace

Posted on March 5, 2012 by Hanky Panky

Being a lingerie designer, I spend a lot of time working with lace. The history and construction of lace fabrics is completely fascinating. While the overwhelming majority of laces today are made by machines, the earliest ones were entirely handmade. … Continue reading →

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Rings of Steel: The Cage Crinoline

Posted on February 27, 2012 by Hanky Panky

When one thinks of the fashions of the mid-nineteenth century, one of the first things that comes to mind is extremely full skirts, as worn by Scarlett O’Hara in Gone With the Wind or Jo March in Little Women. These … Continue reading →

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Print Trends

Posted on November 17, 2011 by Hanky Panky

It used to be that prints were “a personal thing” and everybody had their own particular preference. This made it very difficult for designers, who felt they couldn’t satisfy anyone. Today, there is an exciting print craze with an explosion of … Continue reading →

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Exhibition Review: Daphne Guinness

Posted on November 10, 2011 by Hanky Panky

I recently had the pleasure of viewing The Museum at FIT’s exhibition dedicated to heiress, designer, artist, model, and “fashion icon” Daphne Guinness. The show starts with a short essay by Valerie Steele which includes Guinness’ famous quote, “We need … Continue reading →

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Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty

Posted on August 3, 2011 by Hanky Panky

There are just a few more days to get yourself to the Alexander McQueen exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NY, if you haven’t already. This is an unusual fashion experience. McQueen was an artist as well as … Continue reading →

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Design Inspiration: 1920s Lingerie

Posted on May 18, 2011 by Hanky Panky

Lately, I’ve been mad about the lingerie of the late Nineteen-teens and twenties. It signified such a departure from the under things of previous decades. Sturdy corsets and layers of cotton or linen were replaced by silk teddies (“combinations”), airy … Continue reading →

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