Peter Lindbergh: Naomi, Linda, Tatjana, Christy and Cindy, British Vogue, Jan 1990.

If the 1990’s symbolized the end of the supermodel era, the forty years before that was a steady climb of pretty girls, each decade giving us a set of faces that served to define an era. Then the 2000’s made it abundantly clear that models were simply mannequins again, nameless girls, still beautiful, though none with the stature of a Cindy, a Christy or even an Amber.

The Model as Muse exhibit at the Met is a a beautifully organized history lesson of those names and their Vogue covers (support is provided through Condé Nast), illustrated also with the important fashion designs of each period from the 1950’s until today. The exhibit design feels very similar to a fashion version of It’s a Small World, with each room revealing a reconstructed decade through mannequins in various dress and pose, projections of films and videos starring models and loudly looped music reaffirming the Disney ride atmosphere. However kitschy, it is an immensely guilty pleasure to read about each model’s life (Jean Shrimpton actually graduated from a modeling school) and to watch an enlarged Freedom ‘90, George Michael’s seminal supermodel music video.

Left/ Irving Penn: Jean Patchett, B&W Vogue Cover, 1950. Right/ Carmen Dell'Orefice, Vogue Cover

The grand hallway leading into the exhibit recreates the famous 1955 Richard Avedon photograph of the model Dovima posing with elephants at a Paris circus; the actual photograph follows later down the hall. To have been a model in the ’50s, one had to have carriage, posture that was as physical as it was mental, an air of elegance and refinement. Hallmarked by Irving Penn’s luminous black and white photograph of model Jean Patchett and Avedon’s 1949 image of model Dorian Leigh, the 1950’s monochromatic-ness was soon to change.

Richard Avedon: Dorian Leigh, evening dress by Piguet, 1949. Gelatin silver print.

Leaving carriage far behind in the ’60s, modeling changed drastically. We are treated to a snippet of William Klein’s art house film about fashion, Qui êtes vous, Polly Maggoo? (Who are You, Polly Magoo?) where a heavily eyelashed Dorothy McGowan is fussed and hairsprayed in a stationary metal dress (an early rendering of fashion as immobility). The aluminum alloy dresses in the movie are center stage here in the 1960’s room, on rotating mannequins, along with Yves Saint Laurent’s Mondrian dress and Rudi Gernreich’s topless swimsuit. Subsequently, the ’70s-’90s explode with name brands and inflated modeling contracts, the dawn of Sports Illustrated and then grunge. Brooke Shields’ iconic Calvin Klein pose, photographer Peter Lindbergh’s supermodels in Chanel ballgowns and leather jackets. Then a strange thing happens at the end of the exhibition: the model disappears. Instead a glowing cabine of minimalist designs from Prada and Helmut Lang cap off the forty plus years that we have just seen.

The name of the show, Model as Muse hints at this complex relationship, whether it is between model and designer or model and photographer, however, never quite examines either working marriage completely. Fashion has always been regarded as that hollow medium, and this exhibit does little to discredit this notion. In showing movies about models or the fashion world, what is notably missing is Michelangelo Antonioni’s Blow-Up (1966), which highlighted the elongated limbs of model Veruschka and explicitly detailed the notorious relationship between photographer and model. These relationships are only hinted at here and never entirely dissected. What is fully illustrated though is that models are the paradigm of the values and movements of each time period; their faces, body types, pedigrees, and attitudes adjusting accordingly. The age old question of whether a model is merely a clothes hanger or a cultural icon was best addressed by model Lisa Fonssagrives-Penn in 1949. Quoted in a Time magazine article she stated, “It is always the dress, it is never, never the girl.” Though Naomi Campbell may heartily disagree, it seems nowadays the sentiment rings true again.

Model as Muse: Embodying Fashion through August 9, 2009 at the Met

Tags: Blow-Up, Chanel, Christy Turlington, Cindy Crawford, Dorian Leigh, Dorothy McGowan, fashion photography, George Michael, Irving Penn, Jean Patchett, Jean Shrimpton, Met, models, Naomi Campbell, Peter Lindbergh, Polly Magoo, Richard Avedon, supermodels, Veruschka, Vogue, William Klein.

Inspiration comes in an unlikely form for Celine’s glossy Panton shoe/boots. The four and a half inch heel strangely resembles a horse’s stout hind leg complete with hoof. Think of them as centaur-inspired footwear. As designers become more creative with the heel of their shoes (think Chanel’s recent gun heel and this season’s YSL cage heel), Celine’s strappy version remains decidedly uncomplicated, if curiously equine.

Available at Net-a-Porter

Tags: cage heel, Celine, Chanel, gun heel, heels, horse, YSL.

In this week’s Short List: random dispatches from Paris and London (fashion), New Orleans (food) and the World Wide Web (blogs).

Chanel's Spring 2009 Couture Show / Images via style.com

Paris: Karl Lagerfeld debuted his 2009 Spring Couture collection yesterday for Chanel. Over sixty outfits came down the runway, all in variations of white with models wearing intricate sculptural paper crowns and headdresses. The rich fabrics of Lagerfeld’s creations combined with the simple everyday aspect of paper provided a stunning contrast of luxe and commonplace.

See the entire runway show here (style.com)

Hussein Chalayan's "Readings" dresses

London: The Design Museum is showcasing fifteen years of work by Hussein Chalayan, the fashion designer who has always upended the disciples of art and fashion, often times creating pieces that are more conceptual than wearable. Case in point: the dresses above which are composed of over 200 moving lasers. These pieces were specially made for the show and unfortunately not a part of his ready to wear line.

Until May 17, 2009.

Chalayan’s 15 Years in Fashion Video (style.com)

New Orleans: Mardi Gras season has officially begun and this is important for one reason: king cakes. We have always loved the oversized danish-like cakes which are brought to Mardi Gras parties in festive tradition. Each one is baked with a plastic baby inside and whomever lands the coveted piece will bring the king cake to the next party. A lovely tradition indeed. Out of towners can order their cakes here.

Tavi of Style Rookie

www.: The fashion bloggers are getting younger and younger still. First, it was 15-year-old Camille of Childhood Flames, who posts photos of herself in very Alexander Wang inspired outfits. Now it’s 12-year-old Tavi, who at only 4 feet and 6 inches runs the blog Style Rookie. At first it made us feel a little uncomfortable reading a middle schooler’s musings, but French Vogue is calling her a l’enfant prodigue, so we’re taking a second peek.

Tags: blog, Chanel, French Vogue, Hussein Chalayan, Karl Lagerfeld, king cake, London, New Orleans, Paris.

Fifi Lapin’s credo is “What should I wear today?”, a common question asked by many, however Fifi is not a girl, but rather an illustrated rabbit who wears designer clothes (Chanel and Luella are favorites) on her namesake blog. Fifi is a shopaholic Miffy, a girl rabbit who can have it all, because with delicate swipes of the artistic hand, she is wearing the latest runway creation with her signature deadpan look, ears alert and feet always slightly pigeon-toed. Creating envy by tailoring the latest looks to her straight and narrow frame, Ms. Lapin dispenses a froth of fashion advice with each new outfit while hopping to the next soiree. One stylish lagomorph indeed.

Fifi Lapin wears Sonia Rykiel, copyright Fifi Lapin 2008

Fifi Lapin wears Chanel, copyright Fifi Lapin 2008

Fifi Lapin wears Chloe, copyright Fifi Lapin 2008

Fifi Lapin Blog

The Fifi Lapin T-Shirt

Tags: blog, Chanel, Chloe, designer clothes, Fifi Lapin, illustration, lagomorph, Luella, Miffy, rabbit, Runway, Sonia Rykiel.