Issue 56 Hollywood
Selvedge Magazine
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January/February 2014

LONG JANUARY EVENINGS provide the ideal opportunity to indulge in a little escapism. Nothing lifts the spirits quite like losing oneself for an hour or two in a play or a good film. For me it is often the costumes that steal the show and enable me to escape into another world. In this issue Nicola Donovan has explored the work of costume designers Sandy Powell, Colleen Atwood and Jacqueline Durran, who, between them, have 23 Oscar nominations. Every costume designer has a different approach to the process, and Jenny Tiramani is another professional with a distinctive ethos. After leading a highly skilled team at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, Jenny
Tiramani has devoted the last decade to studying and teaching the accurate reconstruction of historic dress. In her article, Ready for their close-up, she explains the role of her recently founded School of Historical Dress and why accuracy is important in the theatre and on screen.
I recently had the honour of judging a charity “Fantasy Fashion Show” in aid of the Karenni people in Burma. Many of you will have met Beryl Lee, Chairman of The Karenni Student Development Programme, at textile shows here and in France as she also supports the people of the Thai/Burma border by selling their beautiful textiles. The schoolgirls taking part in the show had clearly enjoyed the process of designing and making their own dresses and it was delightful to observe the revival of interest in dressmaking firsthand. The BBC’s Great British Sewing Bee is another aspect of the renewed fascination and it is good to see it on our screens. Learning, or brushing up, our dressmaking skills has never been easier; Carolyn Denham and Yoshiko Tsukiori, are two businesswomen providing domestic crafters with tools, patterns and plenty of inspiration. If you fancy running up a period piece then look no further than The Commercial Pattern Archive. It houses 56,000 and just browsing the collection is great fun. Trying to date the garments is an addictive game – I discovered that the differences between the decades is surprisingly difficult to spot!
Polly Leonard, Founder
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A truly enjoyable read
This magazine is a joy to read on every level. It is well researched, interesting and beautifully written. It cleverly connects the distant past with cutting edge current practice and has inspired me to learn more about both. Now I want to read more!
Visually very satisfying and intellectually stimulating
I always find Selvedge Magazine visually very satisfying and intellectually stimulating. I have all the issues in my library and will have to find a good institution to donate then to when the time comes. I remember getting issue 00 at some conference or meeting in the US when you were first starting out. Bravo again for so many years of sharing the joy of textiles in all its varied forms with all of us.
Congratulations on your vision!
I’ve just been looking up your magazine, and absolutely love it! It seems like it knits together all the slices of delight that are left over in our soul when we are spent with our daily survival transactions…..congratulations on your vision!
Inspirational, Cultural, Educational
I am intriqued -- every issue of Selvedge. I am inspired toward my own work as an artist, as a weaver, as a designer, as a student of global artistry. Forever indebted.
Absolutely gobsmackingly gorgeous
I was expecting something nice, but I was in no way prepared for how absolutely gobsmackingly gorgeous and inspiring your magazine is. Wow and wow. Now I’m counting the minutes until my next paper copy arrives.
