The Smithsonian Craft2Wear Show Is Coming

 

Fiber artist Lori Bacigalupi uses batik, shibori, quilting and other techniques to create her scarves, blouses, dresses, ponchos and vests, all ideal for layering.

Kathleen Dustin crafts purses that are interpretations of vegetables, flowers or tree bark and resemble small, wearable sculptures.

Audrey Jung’s fabric of choice for her handbags and accessories is wool felt, a luxurious fabric with a unique texture.

Mia Hebib, who received her B.F.A. from the Savannah College of Art and Design, combines the handcrafted and the fashion-forward in her jewelry designs.

Marylou Ozbolt-Storer designs contemporary outerwear, pieced, appliquéd and embellished with imported European braids, vintage buttons and treasures sourced from around the globe.

Isabelle Posillico sketches, forms and roller-prints recycled gold with textured papers and then constructs each piece of jewelry by hand.

Michelle Murray starts with bolts of white silk and dyes of primary hues. Then she uses techniques, including shibori, origami and hand-molding, to achieve sculptural effects.

Molly Grant’s Cordwainer Shop, a third-generation family business, has been creating handmade shoes since the 1920s. They’re made to fit each customer’s unique foot.

Susan Bradley’s wraps are the result of a lifelong facination with exotic travel and the beauty of textile art. Her work is inspired by the Japanese kimono and French brocades.

IF YOUR NOTION of wearable art is stuck in the ‘60s with macramé shawls and tie-dye T-shirts, you’re in for a big surprise October 6-8. That’s when the Smithsonian’s Craft2Wear comes to the National Building Museum for a curated show and sale featuring 80 artists, including innovative designers from the country’s best design schools (F.I.T., Savannah School of Art and Design, Pratt, California College of the Arts, School of the Art Institute of Chicago). Look into the future of wearable art with creative new uses of materials. Think clothing made from 18th-century textile fragments, jewelry crafted from gemstones and rubber, and one-off handbag designs and artful accessories.

The three-day event kicks off Thursday night, October 6, with an awards ceremony followed by a preview party (tickets, $100, advance purchase only) to meet the artists, shop and dine. Hours for the show (tickets, $15 at the door) are Friday 10am to 8pm and Saturday 10am to 5:30pm. A special occasion for shopping together is Friends Night Out on Friday, October 7, 5:30 to 8:30pm; the $20 ticket price includes show entry, a specialty cocktail and music. Purchase tickets at smithsoniancraft2wear.org or call 888-832-9552.

Smithsonian Craft2Wear is produced by the Smithsonian Women’s Committee, an all-volunteer organization that supports the education, outreach and research programs of the Smithsonian Institution. The awe-inspiring National Building Museum is located at 401 F Street NW (202-272-2448).

Over the next couple of weeks, look for our posts profiling the participating artists.

—Janet Kelly
Janet Kelly is the editor of MyLittleBird.
She last wrote about local deals on dermal fillers.