The show was inspired by the influence nature has on fashion and couture and will feature exhibits on textiles, plant-based fabric dyes, and plants used as the basis of clothing, for example, bamboo, rayon, and linen.
One display sure to capture people's attention is the collection of "living dresses" the Matthaei-Nichols crew is putting together over the next weeks. At the end of September the dress made from succulents was really starting to come together. Staff attached sphagnum moss to a dressmaker's wire form. Over that they began painstakingly to apply succulents in alternating swaths in the dress part. The pictures below tell the story best. We're looking forward to the exhibit! Should be pretty cool.
Update, October 10, 2016: the succulent dress is nearly complete. Take a look:
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| Plants with exotic looks, such as succulents and cactus, are all the rage. This dress is one of six examples of "living couture" that staff at Matthaei-Nichols are getting ready for the holiday exhibit, "Avant Garden." Not all of the outfits will be made of living plant material: some will be constrcuted with bark, cut evergreens, and moss. |
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| Matthaei-Nichols visitor services manager David Betz helps horticulturist Carmen Leskoviansky apply sphagnum moss to a wire dress frame. The moss will help hold the succulents in place and retain moisture, ensuring that the living dress will be both lightweight and easy to care for. |
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| All the moss is attached to the frame. ready for the succulents! |
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| Carmen begins applying the living plants. |
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| After she applies the "hem," Carmen begins adding more plants in a whorled pattern. |
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| Dress portion nearly done! |
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