Gorgeous Fortuny

Last week at the Legends of La Cienega 2012: Windows to the World in L.A., there was a rare exhibition of 25 rare dresses and velvet cloaks by Mariano Fortuny. 

What a collection! 

The dresses were presented by Keith H. McCoy & Associates in their showroom, where the dresses hung in front of some of Fortuny's new Colourismo Collection 2012. Mr. McCoy began collecting them in 1993, intending an offer to be submitted by a friend for three pieces. His friend later informed him that six dresses instead had been purchased for him, spending twice the budget allotted. Little did he know then that he would accumulate such an important collection.

 For your eye candy fix for the day, pop over to the Fortuny blog and admire!

Colourismo Collection 2012

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Photos by Andreas B Branch

From the Artisan's Hand: Fortuny

Mention the word Fortuny and it brings to mind a man with a great gift. I have written about Mariano Fortuny before, here and here, on the subject of his paintings. It's so nice to see the Fortuny company carrying on the tradition and presenting beautiful fabrics.

Some of my favorites include:

  Sevigne

 Carnavalet

Fortuny's powder pigments, used for his fabrics, much like the new collection below

  Colourismo collection 2012

La Sainte Chapelle church in Paris was the inspiration for the Sainte Chapelle fabric below. See the squiggle line area between the arch and the column?

Sainte Chapelle

 

Melagrana

Ashanti is a fabric named for the Ashanti tribe of Ghana, known for their weaving

Girandole is an original Fortuny pattern recovered from Mariano Fortuny’s archives in Venice.

Are you a Fortuny fan?

If so, stay tuned for THE new book on Fortuny, Fortuny Interiors, to be released in August, 2012.

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