May I Recommend: Cocktail Culture at RISD

“Distinctly American, cocktail drinking inspired a new language of dress and design in the twentieth century…It spurred a culture of sophistication, including attire and barware, whose elegance and inventiveness reveal the rapid social changes that shaped their design.”

~Joanne Dolan Ingersoll

Going on right now through July 31st at the Museum of Art at the Rhode Island School of Design,  Cocktail Culture  is a delightful journey back to the days of when having a cocktail was not just an activity but an elegant experience.  As a practitioner of design and an artist, I found this exhibit to be not only a  beautiful and fascinating window to a bygone era but supremely inspiring as well.

Do join me, put on an episode of Mad Men and take a peek at some of {my} highlights of Cocktail Culture!

Christian Dior, 1954

Nearly every woman has one, it’s the Little Black Dress.  Embodying elegance, chic and sophistication, this exhibit explores the birth of this icon of fashion and how it “transformed the wearer into an alluring model of glamour.”  Oh la la!

inspired by Dior, my watercolor interpretation

And for the gentlemen, another fashion “icon”…

Man's shirt, 1950s. "The Bar-B-Quer" by Pilgrim. Sold by Sears, Roebuck and Co.

The exhibit also featured several gorgeous pairs of shoes.  And oh, how I love shoes!

Bejeweled and embroidered evening shoes, circa 1927 were the inspiration for this watercolor painting

Barware to die for!

Russel Wright, "Eclipse" glassware, 1957

Cocktail shaker, 1928 by Charter Company

Cocktail glasses designed by "Trader Vic" Bergeron, 1958-1971

My watercolor interpretation...

Delightful (and informative!) bar linens

Linen cocktail napkins, circa 1950

Fun cocktail accessories

Glass-Markers, West Germany. Would be fun to re-create with mini clothespins and colorful charms.

Whether  Cocktail Culture inspires you to sketch, paint or refresh your wardrobe, it is a definite must-see for admirers of design, fashion and of course, cocktails!

Committee 2000 Champagne Glasses, 1982. Dye diffusion print by Andy Warhol

Cheers!

xo,

Pamela

Share this!

Tweet