Full Circle Artist's Portrait Skirt
I wish to share my photos of an amazing textile made into a circular skirt! I recently sold this fabulous skirt on eBay because it was too big for me! Now I kind of miss it as the work of art that is is. I won’t say was, as it still is, but it is in someone else’s possession. I rather nostalgically wish I had kept it just for the print. I love the fabric. I felt someone who could wear it should have it. Someone does and she wrote that she too loves it. It is so cool that more people than us, in it’s chain of owners, should get to see and enjoy it, so here it is!
I see beautiful clothing, especially when it is handmade or has a lot of handwork in it as this piece does, as works of art.
I was using this skirt as a wall hanging and in other ways in my home decor before I passed it on. I was in one of my phases in which I felt I had collected too much and should part with some of it! My criterion that week was: If it doesn’t fit me I should part with it! I often regret doing this! Honestly, I am feeling that way about this beautiful skirt! I miss it!
I don’t acquire something if I don’t really love it and want it in the first place! What a dilemma! Thus I almost always miss clothes when I get rid of them! I think of them and remember them nostalgically as if they are old friends who have passed on! The only way to deal with this problem realistically would be to have a big storage warehouse! Alas! I have limited space so I do move things out of my life so that I can move new ones in on a regular basis. My rule is: For every new item that comes into my home, one old one that takes up about the same amount of space has to go out.
This skirt is one I am certain I will always remember. It didn’t fit when I bought it, but I thought I could get it altered to fit. As it turned out it wouldn’t have worked without disturbing the way the fabric was cut and the screened portrait design. Making the garment small enough to fit me would have been too disturbing to the design, so, I left it alone. but I took good photos so I could go back and appreciate them once in a while – like today! Somehow, I just felt like looking at them this afternoon.
If anyone has this skirt or knows of one in an XS or S size would you let me know? This is an SOS! (Why Not?) I would like to get another one if someone wants to sell one, or give it away, that would fit me. The one in my photos was an XL. It is pinned in the back to fit my mannequin for the pictures.
It features three famous portraits of beautiful women!
Leonardo's Genevra de Benci
Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring
Boticelli's Venus
These are silk screened onto cotton fabric. it is them embroidered with little sequins here and there to add sparkle. The skirt is made in India.
Close Up of Silk Screened Fabric
A close up of the silk screened cotton looks very much like a painting. Sequins are sewn on for some additional sparkle.
I call this A Fine Art Circle Skirt.
It is a full circular skirt with a screen printed border that portrays three famous portraits of beautiful women by famous artists. These women and artists are featured:Botticelli’s Venus, Leonardo DeVinci’s Genevra de Benci, and Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring. Above the border of portraits is a graffiti style print. The graphics in the skirt are printed to fit into the shape of the pattern pieces exactly. This is why the skirt cannot be taken in without destroying the design on the panels! Doing that would be similar to destroying a painting – which is why I didn’t alter it. Upon close examination it became apparent that the fabric for each size of these skirts, if they made multiples, had to be printed and cut out individually.
This skirt is 100% cotton. It is designed by Alberto Makali, Italy. His label is sewn into the waistband seam, but it was not positioned so that I could photograph it.
The skirt is hand washable. In addition to the beautiful and dramatically printed fabric the surface of the skirt is decorated with hundreds of hand sewn on sequins in dark pink, orangish gold and green. These sparkle with you as you move! The skirt has a zipper up the left side and is gathered into a black one inch wide waistband.
I truly hope I find another one some day or it finds me because I think t is just beautiful! A true work of art!
It's What Little Girls Call a Twirly Skirt!
Last Look at the Beautiful Alberto Makali Designer Full Circular Skirt and All Three of the Famous Beauties and the Pretty Sequins that are Added Here and There for Sparkle! I Miss You Gorgeous Portrait Skirt!
Tags: Art & About, Fashion, Making Art, Sewing, Style, Textiles, Vintage
