‘Show & Tell’ artists turn the Chronicle into couture

Print isn’t useless, it’s a look. 

That was the premise of my fourth “Present & Inform” occasion at 4 One 9, “The Vogue Ahead Version,” on Tuesday, April 9, the place three San Francisco artists remodeled copies of the Chronicle into “clothes.”

Armed with tape, scissors, glue and 23 newspapers every, it was wonderful what Quan Nguyen, Ann Duskus and Tyson Lee had been capable of accomplish in simply an hour.

The night was a celebration of San Francisco model the place I introduced collectively among the most attention-grabbing folks within the Bay Space vogue orbit to speak in regards to the area’s distinctive model identification. My panelists had been “Fashioning San Francisco” curator Laura Camerlengo; Marin designer Simon Ungless; Chris and Ben Ospital, sibling homeowners of San Francisco’s MAC boutique (Fashionable Interesting Clothes); and Palo Alto writer Christine Suppes. All are related to the exhibition “Fashioning San Francisco: A Century of Type,” on view on the de Younger Museum via Aug. 11. 

Whereas the Bay Space doesn’t have the identical relationship with clothes as vogue capitals like New York and Paris, we now have quite a few main corporations like Levi’s, the Hole and Birkenstock that affect vogue on a worldwide scale. We additionally love an opportunity to decorate up, whether or not it’s with robes and black tie for fundraising galas, hippie stylish, drag or attire related to varied subcultures. In homage to the area, I wore a favourite pair of patchwork Levi’s and a shibori-treated jacket I purchased years in the past at MAC, accessorized with a classic scarf tie-dyed by Ungless.

Nguyen, Duskus and Lee all started tearing via their assortment of newspapers for the competitors. Every contestant could be awarded one in all three classes: most wearable, greatest use of newsprint within the design and greatest reference to the “Fashioning San Francisco” exhibition. The artist receiving probably the most applause could be awarded a present certificates to 4 One 9’s neighboring enterprise, that titan of vogue retail (and bulk paper merchandise): Costco. We hit the stopwatch and off they went, the sounds of paper and tape ripping.

In the course of the dialogue, whereas the designers labored to the facet of the stage in view of the viewers, Camerlengo charted not solely the historical past of high fashion clientele within the Bay Space, but in addition how San Francisco’s location on the Pacific Rim led to a plethora of aesthetic influences.

“Students discuss in regards to the Bay Space as being culturally fluid as a result of we’re such a melting pot,” mentioned Camerlengo. For “Fashioning San Francisco,” she mentioned, “We labored carefully with our Director of Interpretation Abram Jackson to situate dynamics of energy, what are folks making an attempt to say after they take a look at completely different cultures and borrowing, and provides some historic context for the items you see.”

Ungless, now a advisor for Angelina Jolie’s eco-fashion startup, Atelier Jolie, defended the Bay Space as an essential middle for vogue innovation. 

“One of many causes I wished to come back right here was due to what had come out of this place via the artwear motion and corporations constructed out of entrepreneurial ideas of life-style,” mentioned Ungless, “Now, the Bay Space is the start of sustainability in vogue. There’s eclectic individuals who have their very own model right here, they’re not following developments.” 

Suppes, who donated greater than 500 ensembles to the Wonderful Arts Museums of San Francisco Costume Assortment (together with a go well with by Ungless and Alexander McQueen) summed up her concept of Bay Space model in 4 phrases: “Have a superb coat.”

The Ospitals are celebrating the forty fifth anniversary of MAC, the Hayes Valley retailer they started with their mom, Jeri. They’re effectively often called purveyors of fashion-forward worldwide designers like Dries Van Noten, the Comme des Garçons traces and native collections like Lemon Twist.

“There’s all the time 13 to twenty people who find themselves whole model movers and form the way in which we expect,” Ben Ospital mentioned of town.  

One of many cardinal guidelines of retail in San Francisco, they’ve found, is the magic of the “4 o’clock sweater” that stylish out-of-towners typically buy after they’re all of a sudden hit by an onslaught of fog whereas out within the metropolis.

“Now, the Japanese children within the showrooms say to us, ‘Now we have some 4 o’clock sweaters for you,’” Chris Ospital recounted. “A 4 o’clock sweater, then a 5 o’clock glass of wine.” 

When Nguyen, Duskus and Lee had been prepared for the grand reveal, the panelists tasked with the judging had been impressed by how they’d remodeled copies of the Chronicle into couture. 

Nguyen, voted most wearable, created a cocktail costume with a sweetheart neckline and ruffled skirt. I may truly see some San Franciscan sporting it — till it ripped aside (an have an effect on that is likely to be an added bonus on the proper road honest.) Duskus gained greatest reference to the museum exhibition with a sculptural costume with an elaborate fanned shoulder that evoked Kasik Wong’s robe showcased on the de Younger. How she managed to create ruching with paper, I’ll by no means know. Lee, whose look was voted greatest use of newspaper print, made a puffer jacket that includes the comics pages certain along with clear packing tape. Given Lee’s adventurous style, I wouldn’t be shocked to see him truly sporting it in town.

The artists break up the Costco reward card grand prize 3 ways. Becoming, as a result of, in San Francisco, model isn’t about competitors, it’s about group.

Attain Tony Bravo: tbravo@sfchronicle.com