Oct 09 2024
Friday 18/10/2024 18:00
Benaki Museum Mentis Antonopoulos (Ν.Η.Μ.Α.)
For the upcoming edition of affective archives, ATOPOS cvc is pleased to collaborate with Mentis – Antonopoulos (nema) Passementerie and the Hellenic Costume Society for an introduction to the archive of La soie de Paris, one of the most prominent textile manufacturers of prêt-à-porter. In an intimate talk with Meti Tsoukatou, fashion researcher and Vassilis Zidianakis, creative director of ATOPOS cvc, Natacha Levy, the former owner of La soie de Paris, will narrate her own version of novel textile manufacturing technologies in the 50s and the way they shaped prêt-à-porter, opening up the world of fashion to a much larger audience than ever before. Through Natacha, the inner workings, the people and the stories of the jersey factory La soie de Paris, come to life in the space of the Benaki Museum / Mentis-Antonopoulos Textiles.
Textile samples, documentation and other archival elements of the production process intertwine with Natacha’s personal collection of fashion garments narrating the rise of prêt-à-porter and the democratization of fashion. Beyond the archival materials themselves, Natacha’s stories operate as an ongoing archive into an undocumented period of fashion. Adding to the creation of an affective archive, Natacha’s personal accounts of the fashion world, provide insight into the production processes as well as “lost” stories of an industry in its most formative period. This event is part of the Hellenic Costume Society’s series of events entitled In Conversation, where members of the Society converse with professionals and researchers from the fields of fashion, costume and dress history.
About Natacha Levy
Natacha Levy was the owner of the jersey factory and boutique La soie de Paris, which she ran along with her husband Etienne from 1959 until 1998. La soie de Paris innovated both in the ways of producing cotton and wool fabrics and in the finished product. She worked closely with many fashion houses and designers such as Cacharel, Karl Lagerfeld, Chantal Thomas, as she supplied them with fabrics for their prêt-à-porter collections. At the same time her personal clothing collection consists of rare and special pieces by Issey Miyake, Chantal Thomas, Craig Green and more.
About Meti Tsoukatou
Meti Tsoukatou is a dress historian and a member of the Hellenic Costume Society. She is the co-founder of Clotheslines, a non-profit cultural initiative engaged in research, artistic, and publishing activities related to fashion culture. Her professional experience includes work as a stylist and fashion writer for magazines, as well as various roles within fashion companies and cultural organizations focused on clothing. She holds an MA in the History of Clothing and Textile from the University of Glasgow, where she was a fellow, and an MA in Digital Humanities from the Athens University of Economics and Business.
About Vassilis Zidianakis
Vassilis Zidianakis is a curator of fashion and contemporary art exhibitions. He lives in Athens where he works as artistic director of the cultural organization ATOPOS cvc of which he is co-founder. In the past he has curated large-scale international exhibitions in European museums such as: “ARRRGH! Monsters and Signs in Fashion!”, 2011 and “HRAATS! Fashion from Paper”, 2007, initially at the Benaki Museum and subsequently at Mudam Musée d’Art Moderne Grand-Duc Jean, Luxembourg, Modemuseum-MoMu, Antwerp, 2009, La Gaîté Lyrique, Paris, 2013 and Centraal Museum, Utrecht, 2014 among others.
Information
Friday 18/10/2024 at 18:00
at the atrium of Benaki Museum Mentis – Antonopoulos (nema) Passementerie
The event will be held in English.
Please confirm your attendance (RSVP) in the following email:
