Collection Japanese fashion on the catwalk at the Art Institute

It began as a locker room -. The Fashion Resource Center, a great name for some teachers goods "old hanging on a rack Today, 25 years later, gets the School of the Art Institute Center Fashion resource an exhibition in one of the most prestigious museums of world. Prada Top Handles Bags On Saturday, a dozen of his sentences go on display alongside precious old pots and colorful Japanese woodblock prints from the Art Institute of Chicago exhibition "translations of materials." Gillion Carrara resources director and founder of Fashion Center, the collection of clothes in a library-quality fashion improved museum - with a mission very anti-museum. Part of the School of Special Collections of the Art Institute of Fashion Resource Centre has rack after rack of clothing, everything will be affected. The main objective of the Enclave of two parts, hidden in the school Wabash Center Street Sullivan is to allow students to study fashion school in the labor market. The center also offers "Tailor Made" Visits to the public by appointment. Carrara, drag its trademark sunglasses and chunky jewelry comparisons style icon Iris Apfel, talks about the day before he opened his library of fashion felt. The Chicago History Museum celebrates collection costume wardrobe in the capital used. . "These clothes are observed for students is important, but they were not allowed to discuss the details of the construction of the inside of the garment," she adds, "We wanted to bring in designer labels that students could question without instructions, handle without gloves. " These days, fashion students are looking at the resource center, a piece of clothing or shoes, take a stand, place it on an examination table or a dress form display. You can draw with a pencil, photo, then go across the room and compare the drawings of ￡ 4000 or 2000 vintage fashion magazines. In this way, students better understand how to design the clothes. "They all to hem hem, meets their idea, they look to find all the locks to communicate the techniques suitable insertion of what they are working," says Deputy Director Caroline Bellio, does not describe the relationship of an average student for clothes Failure . "You can not wear!" Among the many beneficiaries of the Resource Centre is renowned fashion designer in New York, Gary Graham. As a school of the Art Institute student, it exhaustive research before starting his own successful eponymous line. Now he donated back to the center, which is based on donations, fundraising and heavy discounts. With parts of the key challenges designers such as Graham - including How Garson, Martin Margiela, Issey Miyake, Yoji Yamamoto, Junya Watenabe and Alexander McQueen - the Fashion Resource Center may be the hottest place in Chicago. This is often why the public only for sightseeing. "You can do things that they are not going to see through the streets of Chicago," said Bellio. But sometimes the sculptural character of the avant-garde and contemporary fashion can be a little shocking. "Students tend to be inspired by the clothes, while the audience is entertained by them." One of these items might be fun evening shawl Dutch designer Martin Margiela made hats then in half and insert eyelets cut. "Looks like someone has simply disappeared under a pile of hats," said Bellio. Another pitfall: a polyester translucent red A-line shift dress by Japanese designer Junya Watanabe. Avoid closures, the dress is repeated five times, cut out like paper dolls. Carrier to rotate, an arm in arm hole, again and again. "People always comment," Why not be a kind of clothing? "Bellio said." It's simple, informative and makes you feel good about clothes, dress up, but also a new way to say something. " These days, the cries fascinating School of Art Institute students on Dutch and Japanese designers, but to be fashionable, the Resource Center is reserved. Carrara started by donations from other teachers and chained fashion department in the pursuit of design and Italian. She remembers a historic journey to Italy where iconic design label Valentino has one of the first centers of the Italian clothes, donated a gown with a bodice ultimate spectacular. Over time, the center has also changed. He started in the school building Columbus Drive, 37 S. Wabash moving before finding the current location across the street, in the great Louis Sullivan designed 36 S. Wabash. Offsite storage provides additional elements. In addition to clothing, shoes and hats, as well as videos, DVDs and magazines home, the conference center accessible to the public. In recent years, it has welcomed Pulitzer Prize-winning fashion journalist Robin Givhan and designer Ralph Rucci, among other things. Art exhibition this weekend institutions - the Museum Tadao Ando Japanese room filled with iconic sets this is a first for Janice Katz, Roger L. Weston Associate Curator of Japanese Art. "As someone who has not studied the history of fashion design, I have not been grounded in the kind of impact that these designers when they were first done on the track." Carrara and Bellio worked with Katz select parts. Welcome novice mode, the duo will also like to choose clothes for a "Tailor Made" tour. After Carrara, a mother and daughter could arrange to stop by for an hour. "A young student of fashion forward, if it is 12 or 16 years old wants to know what is a fashion designer., We explain what it is and what it can cause."