Transforming Natural Materials into Fashion Inspired by the Work of Ann Lowe
By Kim Collison
Shoes shaped from leaves and adorned with seed pod heels. A larger-than-life dress crafted from textiles and greenery and bursting with every floral shape. These Transformations works by local artists Lenny Wilson and Katya Roelse join staff-created trees and couture fashion designs for this year’s Yuletide display, inspired by our exhibition Ann Lowe: American Couturier. As part of Transformations: Contemporary Artists at Winterthur, they are the latest in a series of contemporary works reflecting artists’ connection to Winterthur’s collections.
Vivid colors and creative patterns found both indoors and out throughout the Winterthur garden and the collection have inspired floral artists and creators for decades, so it comes as no surprise that the couture works by Ann Lowe in the Galleries have also brought fresh creative vision to many. Henry Francis du Pont said, “I have always loved flowers and had a garden as a child, and in almost every flowering plant there is order, proportion, color, detail and material, and if you have grown up with flowers and really seen them, you can’t help to have unconsciously absorbed an appreciation of [these things].” Surely Ann Lowe could relate to this sentiment, as most of her work features colorful floral elements, including fabric-sculpted roses trailing the length of a dress, Bermuda lilies framing the neckline of a bridal gown, and delicately “fussy-cut” floral appliques hemming a 1930s dress.
No shoes appear with Lowe’s designs, but three pairs of nature-inspired shoes created by Delaware native Lenny Wilson are on view just outside the exhibition. Wilson learned to make shoes at a leather-trades college in London before beginning a career in public horticulture. His artwork combines shoemaking with horticulture, resulting in life-size shoes made from plant leaves and seed pods—a unique biographical expression.
He says, “I believe shoes are a symbol of good luck. Archeologists have found shoes among the ruins of ancient homes that were placed in the walls by their inhabitants. Shoes have been tied to the back bumpers of cars of couples that were ‘just married.’ Dorothy’s ruby slippers protected her and transported her back to safety. Shoes reveal a lot about a person. To walk a mile in another’s shoes is to gain familiarity to that person’s experiences. Even though these shoes have never been worn, they assume a personality all their own.”
Like Wilson’s shoes, the vibrant dress outside the Galleries abounds with personality. A combination of greenery and fabric, it shares design elements with the bridal gown Ann Lowe created for Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy’s wedding. Designed by Katya Roelse, who recreated Kennedy’s wedding dress on view in Ann Lowe: American Couturier, the 8-foot-tall dress incorporates the gown’s iconic fabric rosettes and features the many floral creations, construction techniques, and decorative elements Lowe used in other gowns. Roelse, an instructor in the Fashion and Apparel Program at the University of Delaware, explains, “I wanted to create a dress that showcases what might have been Ann Lowe’s unbridled imagination and her favorite sources of inspiration. If you look closely enough, it drops clues about her work and the Kennedy gown. You see details about the Kennedy gown that you may not be able to see otherwise.”
On your Yuletide visit, come to the Galleries. Admire Roelse’s artistry in both gowns. Be enchanted by Wilson’s whimsical shoe creations. Explore the gardens and grounds of Winterthur and be inspired as well!