sunday spotlight : MADELEINE VIONNET

sometimes i feel like such a fashion chameleon, and i'm sure many of you feel the same! one day i feel very trendy, very june 2013, and want to wear some high waisted shorts and a bra top. the next day i feel really simple and classic, and want to wear only the most basic and pure clothing, like jeans and an organic white t-shirt, or black leggings and a chambray shirt. it just feels right to dress according to your mood.

i must admit, most of my moods tend to favor classic easy looks. i have a hard time spending money on clothing that i know i won't be wearing in 5 years. and trying to buy only ethical brands and thrift store items further halts my desire for "fast fashion". so this is where i feel very inspired by the french designer, madeleine vionnet.

vionnet is a girl after my own heart. she kinda hated fashion, which i totally get and think is really cool. she said, "there is something superficial and volatile about the seasonal and elusive whims of fashion which offends my sense of beauty." i hear ya sister! there is something so remarkably beautiful and special about a dress or a pair of pants that stand the test of time. don't get me wrong, i love that clothes often represent an era of time, and that in itself is pretty amazing, but to create something that is a pure classic piece is magical, in my opinion.

the bias cut, or cutting fabric on the diagonal of the fabric's grain was vionnet's original idea. nowadays we see it everywhere, but she was the first to use it. vionnet adored grecian art and clothing, and designed many of her pieces with that in mind. she believed clothing should be sensual, elegant, draping, and free of restraints like corsets and padding. at the time vionnet's clothing was a bit risque, it clung to the woman's body and truly accentuated her perfect natural curves. vionnet designed her clothing on a little doll, pinning and draping the fabric just so. so cute.

another thing i obviously really love about vionnet is, she respected and honored her female seamstress employees at a time where it was revolutionary to do so. she provided her workers with maternity leave, paid sick days, day care, and health care. there was no law at that time requiring employers to do so, yet it was a natural instinct for vionnet to provide this care. i love this woman!

madeleine vionnet inspires me to not worry about trends, they come and go and many of them we will look back on in 10 years and say... wtf?! she reminds me to create clothing from my heart, for whatever mood a woman might be in on a particular day. but to always come back to what makes a woman look and feel beautiful as well as free and comfortable. as purusha continues to grow, i look forward to branching out from yoga comfy wear... into men's clothing, denim, dresses, and shoes. women like madeleine vionnet invoke in me the notion of designing clothes for the big picture, for women and men to wear for years to come and perhaps pass on to their children. and all the while remaining ethical behind the scenes, and the seams ;). a 100% beautiful product is fashion that i can stand behind.

xo.