FROM FEATHERS TO ART!!

Today was another fabulous day in the epicenter of fashion. We started off the day with another fascinating lecture with Olivier Roux who explained to us about fashion houses and their marketing strategies.

After this, we went on a "field trip" where I felt like I was a kid in a candy store. We traveled to Le Bon Marche with the talented Xavier Brisoux who let us walk around and experience for ourselves the amazing fabrics and knits that designers we all love actually use. I personally was amazed by the textures and the quality of fabric in each and every piece. Feeling the buttery hand of a neon green Lanvin blouse was something that I never dreamed of doing. After feeling ,any different fabrics we made our way back to the Paris American Academy to learn the art of feathers.

I never thought about working with feathers as an art until I met Monsieur Jean- Louis Pinabel. The time and passion that goes into each inch of every piece is incredible. Also the knowledge that he has gained about each bird and their feathers, how the feathers work and what you can and cannot do with them is unbelievable. After giving us a crash course in feathers he invited us to let our inspiration flow and we all had a chance to create a little master piece. To my surprise, I enjoyed the simple task of gluing each feather to the head bands. Being in Paris allowed my inspiration to just flow from my finger tips to the feathers.

After this session we made the overwhelming trip to the Louve. I had not heard of this museum until our prepatory course, and it was beyond my expectations. The pieces that we saw in the museum were master pieces that I have studied in my art and fashion history classes and never imagined seeing up close. For me the Nike was the most exciting because I have read and studied so much about it. It definetly lived up to its expectations. Over all today was another amazing and exhausting day in this beautiful city which I will never forget.

Elizabeth Snyder ; 6/22/11