Miuccia Prada - 1949 -
Miuccia trained at the Teatro Piccolo to study to become a mime and performed as a mime for five years. She was a member of the Communist party and involved in the women's rights movement during the seventies in Milan. In 1978, she entered into her family's business of manufacturing luxury leather bags, a company established by her grandfather in 1913. Around the same time, she met her future husband and business partner Patrizio Bertelli.
After enjoying a degree of success, thanks to the leather-trimmed nylon backpacks she created, Prada's husband, Patrizio Beretelli, insisted that she start working on a womenswear line. Her first collection showed in 1989. Prada's work since has delightfully reflected an "ugly chic" aesthetic. Adhering to her feminist roots, she created clothes that at first glance may seem to be a little strange, loud, or even sometime downright unattractive. But once her creations are put on a woman, they transformed into a sartorial assertion of power and confidence. Prada explained that eventually she realized that, despite it being dubbed a trivial industry for airheads, "so many clever people respect fashion so much and through my job... I have an open door to any kind of field. It's a way of investigating all the different universes: architecture, art, film. I also realized people respect me because I'm good in my job."
The Drink:
White Lady
1 1/2 oz gin
1 oz Triple Sec
3/4 oz lemon juice
Archivists Notes: For some reason, this drink was not recorded in the notes. It may have been the 5th drink of the night, which sometimes leads to less accurate recording.
From "Women in Fashion Design" hosted by BanditQueen
NYC chapter of Ladies United for the Preservation of Endangered Cocktails
Thursday, October 16, 2014
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
August, 2014 - Zelda Wynn Valeds - Pink Gin
Zelda Wynn Valeds - 1904-2001
Zelda Wynn Valdes was an African-American fashion designer and costumer. In 1948, she opened her own shop on Broadway in New York City which was the first in the area to be owned by an African American. Some of her clients included other notable black women of the era, including Dorothy Dandridge and Marian Anderson. She is also most famous for designing the original costumes for the Playboy Bunnies and the Dance Theater of Harlem.
Valdes was a fashion legend who was the first black designer to open her own shop on Broadway in New York in 1948. She began to develop her skills by studying through her grandmother and working for her uncle's tailoring business. She made clothes for her dolls and eventually made her grandmother a dress. Her grandmother was so impressed, despite doubting Valdes could construct an outfit for her tall frame. Her grandmother was buried in the same dress Zelda made for her. Valdes' first job was at a fancy boutique where she had to try very hard to prove she was capable. Over time her good works were recognized and wanted by those who doubted her as a young black woman. Valdes moved to New York and opened her boutique, Chez Zelda, on Broadway and 158th Street. Valdes attracted many celebrities such as Dorothy Dandridge, Joyce Bryant, Ella Fitzgerald, and Mae West. In 1949, Valdes became president of the New York Chapter of NAFAD, The National Association of Fashion and Accessory Designers. Later, Valdes was commissioned by Hugh Hefner to design the first Playboy Bunny outfit. At the age of 65, Valdes was hired by Arthur Mitchell to design outfits for the Dance Theater of Harlem. At 83 years old, Valdes closed her business to retire from fashion.
The Drink:
Pink Gin
1 1/2 ounce gin
3-4 dashes Angostura bitters
Drinkability: 2
Drunkability: 5
Taxic Diversity: 2
Accessibility: 5
Priority for Conservation: 3
Comments: "meh but easy to make", "depends on whether your home gin is good enough to drink straight"
From "Women in Fashion Design" theme hosted by Bandit Queen
Zelda Wynn Valdes was an African-American fashion designer and costumer. In 1948, she opened her own shop on Broadway in New York City which was the first in the area to be owned by an African American. Some of her clients included other notable black women of the era, including Dorothy Dandridge and Marian Anderson. She is also most famous for designing the original costumes for the Playboy Bunnies and the Dance Theater of Harlem.
Valdes was a fashion legend who was the first black designer to open her own shop on Broadway in New York in 1948. She began to develop her skills by studying through her grandmother and working for her uncle's tailoring business. She made clothes for her dolls and eventually made her grandmother a dress. Her grandmother was so impressed, despite doubting Valdes could construct an outfit for her tall frame. Her grandmother was buried in the same dress Zelda made for her. Valdes' first job was at a fancy boutique where she had to try very hard to prove she was capable. Over time her good works were recognized and wanted by those who doubted her as a young black woman. Valdes moved to New York and opened her boutique, Chez Zelda, on Broadway and 158th Street. Valdes attracted many celebrities such as Dorothy Dandridge, Joyce Bryant, Ella Fitzgerald, and Mae West. In 1949, Valdes became president of the New York Chapter of NAFAD, The National Association of Fashion and Accessory Designers. Later, Valdes was commissioned by Hugh Hefner to design the first Playboy Bunny outfit. At the age of 65, Valdes was hired by Arthur Mitchell to design outfits for the Dance Theater of Harlem. At 83 years old, Valdes closed her business to retire from fashion.
The Drink:
Pink Gin
1 1/2 ounce gin
3-4 dashes Angostura bitters
Drinkability: 2
Drunkability: 5
Taxic Diversity: 2
Accessibility: 5
Priority for Conservation: 3
Comments: "meh but easy to make", "depends on whether your home gin is good enough to drink straight"
From "Women in Fashion Design" theme hosted by Bandit Queen
August, 2014 - Claire McCardell - Black Velvet
Claire McCardell - 1905-1958
Claire McCardell was an American fashion designer in the arena of read-to-wear clothing in the 20th century. From the 1930's to the 1950's, she was known for designing functional, affordable, and stylish women's sportswear within the constraints of mass-production, and is today acknowledged as the creator of the "American Look", a democratic and casual approach to fashion that rejected the formality of French couture.
First attending Hood College in Maryland from 1923 to 1925 at the age of 16, McCardell enrolled in Parsons (then known as the New York School of Fine and Applied Art) in 1925 to pursue her interest in fashion. There she received a grounding in the general principles of art and design as well as the more specialized disciplines of comstum illustration and design.
By the time the United States entered World War II, in 1941, the country was cut off from France and its hegemony in clothing design. In addition, the war effort demanded a rationing of fabrics. These setbacks did not adversely affect McCardell, who already was steering clear of French influence and whose designs made frugal use of material. In one fashion showing, for example, she clad all of her models in fabric ballet slippers due to leather rationing, sometimes covering the original material with fabric form the garment to match.
McCardell received multiple honors in the 1950s. President Harry S. Truman presented her with the Women's National Press Club Award in 1950. With this award, she became the first fashion designer to be voted one of America's Women of Achievement. In 1990, Life magazine named her one of the 100 most importan Americans of the twentieth century, 37 years after her death.
The Drink:
Black Velvet
4 oz Champagne
4 oz chilled stout (Guinness type)
Drinkability: 3/4
Drunkability: 4
Taxic Diversity: 2
Accessibility: 4
Priority for Conservation: 4
Comments: "stout + fizzy"
From "Women in Fashion Design" hosted by BanditQueen
Claire McCardell was an American fashion designer in the arena of read-to-wear clothing in the 20th century. From the 1930's to the 1950's, she was known for designing functional, affordable, and stylish women's sportswear within the constraints of mass-production, and is today acknowledged as the creator of the "American Look", a democratic and casual approach to fashion that rejected the formality of French couture.
First attending Hood College in Maryland from 1923 to 1925 at the age of 16, McCardell enrolled in Parsons (then known as the New York School of Fine and Applied Art) in 1925 to pursue her interest in fashion. There she received a grounding in the general principles of art and design as well as the more specialized disciplines of comstum illustration and design.
By the time the United States entered World War II, in 1941, the country was cut off from France and its hegemony in clothing design. In addition, the war effort demanded a rationing of fabrics. These setbacks did not adversely affect McCardell, who already was steering clear of French influence and whose designs made frugal use of material. In one fashion showing, for example, she clad all of her models in fabric ballet slippers due to leather rationing, sometimes covering the original material with fabric form the garment to match.
McCardell received multiple honors in the 1950s. President Harry S. Truman presented her with the Women's National Press Club Award in 1950. With this award, she became the first fashion designer to be voted one of America's Women of Achievement. In 1990, Life magazine named her one of the 100 most importan Americans of the twentieth century, 37 years after her death.
The Drink:
Black Velvet
4 oz Champagne
4 oz chilled stout (Guinness type)
Drinkability: 3/4
Drunkability: 4
Taxic Diversity: 2
Accessibility: 4
Priority for Conservation: 4
Comments: "stout + fizzy"
From "Women in Fashion Design" hosted by BanditQueen
August, 2014 - Elsa Schiaparelli - French Connection
Elsa Schiaparelli - 1890-1973
Known for her surrealist designs and madcap aesthetic, Schiaparelli had the ability to seamlessly transform the odd into the chic. From suit buttons in the shape of flying trapeze artists to beetle-adorned collars and the now-iconic upside down shoe hat, Schiaparelli's designs were a perfect marriage between the practical and fantastical. Her name is synonymous with strange beauty, and she became a pioneer for women with a quirky sense of style. For Schiaparelli, the line between fashion and art was blurred. She collaborated with surrealist artists (like one Salvador Dali) to help create her designs. Schiap (as she was lovingly known) showed the world that women could look elegant and beautiful while embracing their love for the strange.
Schiaparelli died on November 13, 1973, in Paris, France. In the decades since her death, Schiaparelli has continued to be regarded as a giant in the fashion world. In 2012, New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art featured her work, along with that of Italian designer Miuccia Prada, in a major exhibition.
The Drink:
French Connection
1 1/2 ounces Cognac
3/4 ounce amaretto liqueur
Drinkability: 4
Drunkability: 4
Taxic Diversity: 2
Accessibility: 3
Priority for Conservation: 4
Comments: "whoops, we're done"
From "Women in Fashion Design" hosted by BanditQueen
Known for her surrealist designs and madcap aesthetic, Schiaparelli had the ability to seamlessly transform the odd into the chic. From suit buttons in the shape of flying trapeze artists to beetle-adorned collars and the now-iconic upside down shoe hat, Schiaparelli's designs were a perfect marriage between the practical and fantastical. Her name is synonymous with strange beauty, and she became a pioneer for women with a quirky sense of style. For Schiaparelli, the line between fashion and art was blurred. She collaborated with surrealist artists (like one Salvador Dali) to help create her designs. Schiap (as she was lovingly known) showed the world that women could look elegant and beautiful while embracing their love for the strange.
Schiaparelli died on November 13, 1973, in Paris, France. In the decades since her death, Schiaparelli has continued to be regarded as a giant in the fashion world. In 2012, New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art featured her work, along with that of Italian designer Miuccia Prada, in a major exhibition.
The Drink:
French Connection
1 1/2 ounces Cognac
3/4 ounce amaretto liqueur
Drinkability: 4
Drunkability: 4
Taxic Diversity: 2
Accessibility: 3
Priority for Conservation: 4
Comments: "whoops, we're done"
From "Women in Fashion Design" hosted by BanditQueen
August, 2014 - Coco Chanel - French 75
Coco Chanel - 1883-1971
Famous for pushing the social boundaries of fashion, Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel rebelled against gender requirements in the industry. She used masculine clothing to express herself. She took the comfort of men's clothing, and made designs targeting women. Not all of her best inventions were hits right away, in fact there were times they weren't understood or appreciated until much later; however, now, Chanel is a recognized name.
Men dominated the fashion industry at the time Chanel's popularity kicked in. Coco changed the style of women's clothes simply by making them for women's bodies rather than for men's eyes. The corset was still being used for women's wardrobe, but Chanel challenged this by designing relaxing yet elegant dresses. She created for both the corporate and social world.
Coco took men's clothing, and transformed them to be for women. Before Chanel, pants were considered unlady-like. No woman would dare wear pants, but one cannot function well in a dress. By taking men's designs, and revamping them for the woman audience, she made her popularity from rebellion.
On Sunday, January 10, 1971, Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel passed away at the Hotel Ritz. She leaves behind a legacy that women deserve to be both comfortable and beautiful. One should not override the other.
The Drink:
French 75
.5 oz Fresh lemon juice
.5 oz orange liqueur
1 oz Gin
3 oz Champagne
Drinkability: 5
Drunkability: 4
Taxic Diversity: 3
Accessibility: 4
Priority for Conservation: 5
Comments: subbed out orange liqueur instead of simple syrup. Weekday LUPEC meetings have their price.
From "Women in Fashion Design" theme hosted by BanditQueen
Famous for pushing the social boundaries of fashion, Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel rebelled against gender requirements in the industry. She used masculine clothing to express herself. She took the comfort of men's clothing, and made designs targeting women. Not all of her best inventions were hits right away, in fact there were times they weren't understood or appreciated until much later; however, now, Chanel is a recognized name.
Men dominated the fashion industry at the time Chanel's popularity kicked in. Coco changed the style of women's clothes simply by making them for women's bodies rather than for men's eyes. The corset was still being used for women's wardrobe, but Chanel challenged this by designing relaxing yet elegant dresses. She created for both the corporate and social world.
Coco took men's clothing, and transformed them to be for women. Before Chanel, pants were considered unlady-like. No woman would dare wear pants, but one cannot function well in a dress. By taking men's designs, and revamping them for the woman audience, she made her popularity from rebellion.
On Sunday, January 10, 1971, Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel passed away at the Hotel Ritz. She leaves behind a legacy that women deserve to be both comfortable and beautiful. One should not override the other.
The Drink:
French 75
.5 oz Fresh lemon juice
.5 oz orange liqueur
1 oz Gin
3 oz Champagne
Drinkability: 5
Drunkability: 4
Taxic Diversity: 3
Accessibility: 4
Priority for Conservation: 5
Comments: subbed out orange liqueur instead of simple syrup. Weekday LUPEC meetings have their price.
From "Women in Fashion Design" theme hosted by BanditQueen
July, 2014 - Carol King - Greyhound
Carol King
Born Carol Joan Klein, King learned the piano at the age of 4. In high school she formed a band called Co-Sines and made demo records with her friend Paul Simon for $25 a session. At Queens College seh met her husband and songwriting partner Gerry Goffin. Their first hit together was "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" with King writing the music and Goffin writing the lyrics. They continued to work together through the 60s up until they divorced and King moved to LA. It wasn't until the 1970s that she began to collaborate with James Taylor and Joni Mitchell and finally went solo. WIth numerous hits throughout the next two decades, Carol King was nick named the Queen of Rock. By the time she "retired" in 2012 she had written 118 hits that made it on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2012 she received the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, becoming the first woman to receive the distinction given to songwriters for a body of work.
The Drink:
Greyhound
2 oz vodka in grapefruit juice
Drinkability: 3/4
Drunkability: 3
Taxic Diversity: 1
Accessibility: 4
Priority for Conservation: 4
Comments: depends on whether or not you like grapefruit juice. Tastes better when following a terrible cocktail.
From "Women Songwriteres" or "Poor Life Choices," or "That Hurt" hosted by BoilerMaker
July, 2014 - Ellie Greenwich - Brass Monkey
Ellie Greenwich - 1940-2009
Ellie began her music career learning to play the accordion and while in high school began composing music and singing in a group called The Jivettes. When the Manhattan School of Music rejected her because they didn't accept accordion players, she went to Queens College and recorded her first single. Soon after she met her soon to be husband and writing partner, Jeff Barry, and they, in collaboration with Phil Spector, became one of the most prolific songwriting teams in the Grill Building. In addition to writing for most of the popular pop groups at the time, she also often sang the demos and occasionally sang back up. Though her marriage only lasted 3 years, they continued writing together partly due to Greewich's discovery of Neil Diamond.
The Drink:
Brass Monkey
1 measure rum
1 measure vodka
1 measure orange juice
Drinkability: 1
Drunkability: 5*
Taxic Diversity: 1
Accessibility: 5
Priority for Conservation: 1
Comments: * if we can finish it - "this is the most challenging thing I'll do all week"; burning all over; "oh man - thre is a lot of stuff wrong with this next drink. BQ might vomit, or pass out, you have to make that "meh-ck" noise in the back of your throat, small sips very important, nobody is happy, eyeballs are burning, but some of us are powering through."
From the "Women Songwriters" or "Bad Life Choices" or "That Hurt" theme hosted by BoilerMaker
Ellie began her music career learning to play the accordion and while in high school began composing music and singing in a group called The Jivettes. When the Manhattan School of Music rejected her because they didn't accept accordion players, she went to Queens College and recorded her first single. Soon after she met her soon to be husband and writing partner, Jeff Barry, and they, in collaboration with Phil Spector, became one of the most prolific songwriting teams in the Grill Building. In addition to writing for most of the popular pop groups at the time, she also often sang the demos and occasionally sang back up. Though her marriage only lasted 3 years, they continued writing together partly due to Greewich's discovery of Neil Diamond.
The Drink:
Brass Monkey
1 measure rum
1 measure vodka
1 measure orange juice
Drinkability: 1
Drunkability: 5*
Taxic Diversity: 1
Accessibility: 5
Priority for Conservation: 1
Comments: * if we can finish it - "this is the most challenging thing I'll do all week"; burning all over; "oh man - thre is a lot of stuff wrong with this next drink. BQ might vomit, or pass out, you have to make that "meh-ck" noise in the back of your throat, small sips very important, nobody is happy, eyeballs are burning, but some of us are powering through."
From the "Women Songwriters" or "Bad Life Choices" or "That Hurt" theme hosted by BoilerMaker
July, 2014 - Sylvia Moy - Margarita
Sylvia Moy
Sylvia Moy's place in Motown history is mainly behind the scenes as a writer and producer. Moy grew up on the northeast side of Detriot with her eight brothers and sisters, performing on pots and pans to keep themselves busy and musical. As an adult, she found her true place behind the scenes at Motown Records. There, Moy was part of the creative team that wrote for Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye. She was the first female to write and produce for the label and to have the title of "record producer", and one of the busiest and well-known songwriters of the time collaborating on over 250 songs. She is credied for saving Wonder's career after he hit puberty and his voice changed convincing Berry Gordy that she could find the right songs for him. Moy went on to write the theme songs for many television shows like Blossom, The Wonder Years, and Growing Pains and movies like It Takes Two, Mr. Holland's Opus, and Dead Presidents. Moy earned six Grammy nominations and 20 BMI awards. She co-founded the Center for Creative Communications, which trains young adults in the field of telecommunications and media arts.
The Drink
Margarita (straight up w/salt)
1.5 parts Tequila
.5 part Triple Sec
1 part Lime Juice
Drinkability: 4
Drunkability: 4
Taxic Diversity: 2
Accessibility: 4
Priority for Conservation: 4
Comments: None
July, 2014 - Carrie Jacobs-Bond - Pina Colada
Carrie Jacobs-Bond - 1862-1946
Jacobs-Bond was an American singer, pianist, and songwriter who composed some 175 pieces of popular music from the 1890s through the early 1940s. She began writing in the late 1880s at her husband's encouraging and after the death of her second husband she wrote, "I Love You Truly." But she did nothing with it until her friend's manager saw it and she realized it wasn't copyrighted. She randomly called opera star Jessie Barlett Davis who liked it and offer to publish the sheet music. In 1901 published her first collection with Davis, Seven Songs: an Unpretentious as the Wild Rose, and expanding her own publishing company, Bond Shop. She was soon giving recitals in Chicago, New York, and England, and collaborating with African American poet Paul Laurence Dunbar and later performing for WWI troops. Carrie Jacobs-Bond was the most successful woman composer of her day, becoming the first woman to sell one million copies of a song and earning more than $1 million in royalties by 1910. In 1941, the General Federation of Women's Clubs cited Jacobs-Bond for her contributions to the progress of women during the 20th century.
The Drink:
Pina Colada
1 1/2 oz light rum
2 oz Cream of coconut
2 oz pineapple juice
Drinkability: 5
Drunkability: 2
Taxic Diversity: 2
Accessibility: 4
Priority for Conservation: 3/4
Comments: "We order them, but not necessarily on purpose"
From "Women Songwriters" or "Poor Life Choices" or "That Hurt" hosted by BoilerMaker
Jacobs-Bond was an American singer, pianist, and songwriter who composed some 175 pieces of popular music from the 1890s through the early 1940s. She began writing in the late 1880s at her husband's encouraging and after the death of her second husband she wrote, "I Love You Truly." But she did nothing with it until her friend's manager saw it and she realized it wasn't copyrighted. She randomly called opera star Jessie Barlett Davis who liked it and offer to publish the sheet music. In 1901 published her first collection with Davis, Seven Songs: an Unpretentious as the Wild Rose, and expanding her own publishing company, Bond Shop. She was soon giving recitals in Chicago, New York, and England, and collaborating with African American poet Paul Laurence Dunbar and later performing for WWI troops. Carrie Jacobs-Bond was the most successful woman composer of her day, becoming the first woman to sell one million copies of a song and earning more than $1 million in royalties by 1910. In 1941, the General Federation of Women's Clubs cited Jacobs-Bond for her contributions to the progress of women during the 20th century.
The Drink:
Pina Colada
1 1/2 oz light rum
2 oz Cream of coconut
2 oz pineapple juice
Drinkability: 5
Drunkability: 2
Taxic Diversity: 2
Accessibility: 4
Priority for Conservation: 3/4
Comments: "We order them, but not necessarily on purpose"
From "Women Songwriters" or "Poor Life Choices" or "That Hurt" hosted by BoilerMaker
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)