Curious Couture: Fab Fashions & Personal Collections

Open Studio | Cambrian College presents

Curious Couture: Fab Fashions & Personal Collections
Feb 8–Mar 3, 2018

Gallery hours: Wed–Fri 11am–2pm, Sat 12–4 pm or by appointment
(closed Thurs Feb 15) Admission is free but donations are welcome.

*Sat Feb 17, 12–1pm: Richard Neufeld will discuss his collection of Bob Basset handmade masks.

*Sat Feb 24, 12–1pm: Nadine Olivier will discuss her collection of Lolita fashion, a Japanese street fashion.

Have you wondered what other people in your community collect? Many have personal collections: some are inherited; some have developed over the years beginning childhood; and others have just started their collections from seemingly nowhere. We’re giving you a glimpse into three people’s collections from Sudbury, Ontario:

• Leesa Bringas (Cambrian’s Open Studio technician / Instructor in Design and Visual Arts) featuring a wide range of Betsey Johnson fashion (NYC designer) and ephemera from the 60s through the late 2000s;

• Richard Neufeld (Instructor and Coordinator for Cambrian’s Art Foundations & Design and Visual Art programs and Cambrian alumni) featuring handcrafted masks by Bob Basset (Ukrainian Art Studio created by brothers Serhii and Oleg Petrov) + additional items; and

• Nadine Olivier, alumna of Cambrian’s Public Relations program (graduate certificate) featuring Lolita fashion, a Japanese street fashion.

Each personal collection intersects art, fashion, design and popular culture. Viewers will be treated to a visual display of their collections as well as information about the items, if and when they wear their collected items and overall why they collect.

Curator/personal collector lead tours & discussions:

Sat Feb 10, 12–1pm: Leesa Bringas will discuss her collection of Betsey Johnson fashion from the 60s through the late 2000s. She will discuss her research into how Betsey Johnson got her start in the fashion industry as well as interesting clothing features, silhouettes, imagery and popular culture. Leesa will bring in additional items that aren’t included in the exhibition for additional context.

Sat Feb 17, 12–1pm: Richard Neufeld will discuss his collection of Bob Basset handmade masks, which are both works of art as well as functional pieces. A long time collector of Basset’s work, Richard will touch on his experience of collecting his masks and the ongoing development in the craftsmanship and characters development. Art, design and fashion movements (such as Steampunk and Goth) will also be discussed, in which Basset is influenced by as well as inspires.

Sat Feb 24, 12–1pm: Nadine Olivier will discuss her collection of Lolita fashion, a Japanese street fashion including the details and significance in each garment. She’ll give background on the evolution of Lolita fashion from the Harajuku fashion district in Tokyo, Japan in the 70s, as well as intersecting design movements influenced by Lolita fashion.

We thank our contributors for their time in developing Curious Couture: Fab Fashions & Personal Collections. We appreciate their loan of items as well the time to contextualize and provide insight into their cultural value.

Please note: items are not to be touched, unless invited by the owners of the collections. Many items are old (some from the 60s!) and fragile. Thank you.