Akira Isogawa: PRINTEMPS-ETE

This exhibition, which runs until 27th March 2005 at the NGV Federation square, is of Akira’s current collection (Spring 2005) and has been curated to offer the viewer a window into the creative design process and some of the final collection pieces.

I went along with my friend Deborah, a fellow architect, sewer, food snob, and gossiper, eager to see the work and also eager to check out the fashion crowd. I admit I felt I had to wear an exclusive label or two- so was wearing a black and chocolate ensemble including my Dries Van Noten skirt and a Scanlan and Theodore top. We did wonder how many of the hundred or-so fashionable crowd were actually wearing Akira- I did spot one or two. Methinks that as a rule this would be a bit gauche (kind of like wearing the rock band’s tour T-shirt to their concert: This is only cool if you’ve got the tour T-shirt from their first pub tour before their really successful album came out, and it’s in mint condition). But I digress: back to the fashion crowd.

Whilst sipping champagne and nibbling smoked salmon and cucumber sandwiches (amongst other delectable and beautifully presented nibbly things) we ogled the crowd big time. A lot of gorgeous clothing, sprinkled with some rather frightening outlandish outfits too. Standing right infront of us during the speeches were two gals who also caught the attention of some society page photographers. One of them was wearing a stunning knitted shrug. Sadly I didn’t have my camera with me, but I had ohhh.. about 30 minutes..? to ogle it during the gushing speeches, and made a sketch the day after:

It was knitted side to side in garter stitch, probably using 15mm or 20mm needles, in a colour range varying from creams and whites through some hot chocolate and coffee browns to dark chocolate, liberally sprinkled with dusky pinks. Each row was a different material and colour, frequently with a couple of materials knitted together, and the joins simply knotted and 10cm lengths dangling free (I think they weren’t all on the outside). Go on: make yourself one! I’m planning to… one day…

On to the exhibition:
It is worth seeing although I was disappointed after the build up of the speeches. There are five components to the exhibition. Firstly a collection of origami works- I found the folding technique really intriguing and amazing and liked the sequence of pieces that they showed to illustrate the design progression- items that you imagine they had been toying with in the studio. The Origami culminates with a kimono fabric wrap and a cotton cheesecloth wrap, but sadly that’s the last we see of it.

Second component is a little corner showing design process on an accessory bag and purse based on stuffed toys: a Maisy doll and also a knitted duck (garage sale finds?). They were cute but not earth shattering.

Thirdly were the larger than life sized “paper” dolls: I learnt that Akira works in conjunction with artist Christiane Lehman, and has done for a long time. This appears to be one key area where they collaborated. The antique paper cutout dolls were touted as being one of the key design influences in the finished collection, but whilst they made an interesting installation and were artfully dressed, I couldn’t make the connection.

Next component was a selection of Bonds singlets which had been embellished with an array of silk cutouts, beads and running stitch sewing. Gorgeous work, although whenever I get inspired about attempting some work like this myself I have flashbacks to some of the tops I “embellished” back in the early 80’s…. Eeek!!!

Last, but not least: Garments from the collection on mannequins. Gorgeous, gorgeous stuff, with delicately dyed colouring highlights to a largely neutral palette, and lots of softly cut layers to skirts and shoulder wraps. But my preferred place for viewing his garments is DJ’s, where one can, for free and without feeling pressured to impress a sales consultant, grab a garment or two from the rack and dash off to the change room for a quick try on…

Dinner time

I really love reading other dinner recipes on other blogs like this one and this one and this one....
So I thought I'd share one too. Very quick, easy, one pot, delicious food really appeals to me, especially at the end of a long hot day in an office without airconditioning. This is what I made for me and my man the other night- he enjoyed it very much and I was very flattered by the compliments he offered..

1.Take one large free range chicken breast (or as many as you think you need depending on the number of servings required) and toss into a pot of water which you are bringing to the boil.
2. When the water hits the boil, toss in pasta- preferably Barilla "Risoni" (although any flattish pasta shape is good too).
3. Meanwhile cut up some fresh asparagas into desirable size chunks.
4. When the water has been boiling for about 6 minutes, take the chicken breast out and shred it by slicing/tearing with a knife. If any parts aren't quite cooked to perfection, toss them back in the pot for a minute. Place the shredded chicken in a bowl.
5. Check the pasta for aldente ("to the tooth") perfection. Toss in the asparagas when the pasta has a minute to go.
6. Drain the pasta and asparagas and add to the chicken bowl.
7. THE REALLY IMPORTANT BIT: You need the best and tastiest marinated fetta you can find. My fave is Yarra Valley Dairy Prussian Fetta, but Meredith Dairy Fetta is also good. (For those not aware of these delicacies, they are essentially a soft fetta marinated in oil and herbs) Take a couple of big chunks of marinated fetta along with a spoonful or two of the oil and stir through to coat and comfortably co-mingle with the other ingredients.
8. Serve a nicely tossed pile in a white china bowl with a scattering of parmesan and twist of black pepper.

I note that this type of recipe is open to broad interpretation depending on what veggies you have available. Try tossing baby spinach leaves, chopped cherry tomatoes and black olives into the mix...

MMmmmmmmmmmmm
Enjoy!

** side note on Barilla Pasta: My good friend Sergio, who's opinion and skills with pasta I revere, only uses Barilla. In my efforts to emulate his cooking prowess that is all I use too. I really wish I'd been quick enough to get a photo of the 5 metre high Barilla box at the entry to Naples airport... Kind of surreal- I thought it was only in Australia that we built jumbo object edifices of "important" things?