Victoria & Albert Museum
I was so happy we were in time to see the exhibit Balenciaga Shaping Fashion at the Victoria & Albert Museum. To quote the V&A site “This exhibition examined the work and legacy of influential Spanish couturier Cristóbal Balenciaga, with over 100 pieces crafted by ‘the master’ of couture, his protégées and contemporary fashion designers working in the same innovative tradition.”
Strolling through Notting Hill
To start our first real day together in London, we walked from Notting Hill through Hyde Park to get to Chelsea for the most delicious brunch at The Ivy Chelsea Garden.
Mom and me with Michelangelo’s David
Day Three was a Sunday – the first Sunday of November, sooo all the museums were free! After a bit of discussing, Koen, Tamar, my mom and I decided on Galleria dell’Accademia, most famous for housing Michelangelo’s David. We left early in the morning and luckily the line wasn’t too bad!
Birds of Paradise: Plumes and Feathers in Fashion
I finally found time to go to MOMU (Mode Museum – Fashion Museum) to check out the Birds of Paradise: Plumes & Feathers in Fashion exhibit! All of the pieces were so beautiful, feminine, and luxurious. It was amazing to see how the feathers were so masterfully crafted. The exhibit includes pieces from Chanel, Dior, Thierry Mugler, Alexander McQueen and Yves St. Laurent. If you’re in Antwerp before the the 24th of August, you should definitely check it out!
SHOW 2012 Poster
When many people think of Antwerp, they think of the Antwerp 6: Walter Van Beirendonck, Ann Demeulemeester, Dries Van Noten, Dirk Van Saene, Dirk Bikkembergs, and Marina Yee. They are the 6 graduates of Antwerp’s Royal Academy of Fine Arts, who together went to London in 1988 in a rented truck and showed their collections, establishing Antwerp as a notable location for avant-garde fashion. Since the Antwerp 6, the Royal Academy of Fine Arts has produced many other famous alums such as Martin Margiela, A.F. Vandevorst, Haider Ackermann, and Kris Van Assche.
An American in Antwerp 