A Fashion Exhibition

I Luv Stephen Burrows

This past Sunday Richard and I took ourselves uptown to 103rd Street and 5th Avenue to see a fashion exhibition at The Museum of the City of New York. The museum's costume and textile department, under the direction of Phyllis Magidson, mounts wonderful, little gems of shows from time to time. Until July 28, you can see in their gallery, "Stephen Burrows: When Fashion Danced."

 I claim this dress as my favorite. Color blocked and feminine!

Stephen Burrows was a kid in Newark, New Jersey, when he sewed his first dress using a zig-zag stitch on his grandmother's sewing machine. He eventually found his way to The Fashion Institute of Technology in 1964.

A fabulously talented designer, Stephen Burrow's career was meteoric, essentially spanning less than two decades. He opened his first boutique in 1968 and closed his boutique at Henri Bendel in 1983.

 The dance scene of the 70s, especially at Studio 54,

 fueled the desire for Burrows' fluid clothes.
Many celebrities wore his clothes including Liza Minnelli,
Cher and Dianna Ross.

The "Lettuce" edge is seen here on the bodice 

and hem of this draped dress.

The color juxtapositions are so fresh.

 His use of metallic fabrics lent itself to flashy dance modes.

 Mannequin faces are so artfully painted.

Color blocking -- with flag-like colors.

 Drama Queen.

 More color blocking for the reed-thin body.

Leather, the hippie influence, color striping and orange suede

meet button-clad black fingers à la Miro.

 The New York Times called Burrows

 "the brightest star of American Fashion."

 The exhibition installation is brilliant.

Burrows sold his clothes at the O Boutique at Park Avenue South and 19th Street in the late sixties. It was across the street from Max's Kansas City, an art hangout popular with the likes of Any Warhol.

 Slinky and a beautiful color to boot.

 Burrows had his own boutique and atelier at Henri Bendel,

 when Bendel's was great

 under the genius directorship of Geraldine Stutz.

 The store was made up of small boutiques dedicated to one designer. 

I would buy this beautifully shaped coat

with the huge shawl lapels

in a New York minute.

 Interesting details.

The eccentrics.

 Play suits for Sesame Street graduates.

 Funny Face. 

 Delicious color combinations like swirled candy.

 Burrows' drawings are marvelous too.

 He pushed the envelope with exaggerated long legs and tiny heads.

This is my friend and neighbor, Rosemarie Stein.

Rosemarie worked for Stephen Burrows in his

heyday, and has a collection of his pieces.

She wore this fabulous Burrows' jacket to the

opening of the exhibition at the Museum.

What I wore to the Stephen Burrows' show.

Amy Downs hat which I trimmed with a red-silk flower purchased at an artificial-flower store on Walnut Street, Philadelphia way back in the'70s.
One of my gum-ball necklaces.
A flower pin from a thrift shop. 

I should be dancing.

À Bientot!

Keep dancing!

Luv you!