International Center of Photography
1133 6th Ave
212.857.0000
This event has passed.
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David Seidner, Balenciaga, 1990, © International Center of Photography
- When
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May 15, 2009 – Sep 6, 2009
Tuesdays–Thursdays (10am–6pm)
Fridays (10am–8pm)
Saturdays–Sundays (10am–6pm)
- Where
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- Price
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$20
- Links
By August 1944, France had been liberated from the clutch of the Vichy regime, but war had left its proud-as-a-peacock couture trade in tatters. Fortunately, the French breathe style — even sans le sou — and in that historic instance, it was just a matter of shrinking expectations. Christening their haute fundraiser Théâtre de la Mode, top-rung Parisian designers such as Lanvin and Balenciaga fabricated over 230 dolls, each outfitted in carefully-matched finery and situated on sets by artists like Jean Cocteau. After decades of safekeeping, the pint-sized relics returned in 1990 with the illustrious lensman David Seidner reframing them on an abandoned theatre set. ICP's commemorative, small-scale exhibition features an original doll and 15 of these posh color portraits.
