The art of fashion

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder; any art collector knows that. But sometimes procuring beauty isn’t enough—if you’re going to surround yourself with masterpieces, why limit yourself to pieces affixed to walls and displayed on end tables? Many Asheville-area galleries offer artistic pieces equally at home in the exhibit space and in the wardrobe. Here, Xpress checks out the season’s trends in gallery-quality wearables.

All photos are on location at Forsythia Hall (28 Forstythe St., 280-4449 or www.forsythiahall.com), Asheville’s newly opened events venue. Converted from the former Garden of Prayer Cathedral of Love church (which is now located across the street), the locale boasts a great room with vaulted ceilings, a banquet hall with a balcony and views of downtown, and green construction throughout.

Photos by Maggie West (www.maggiewestphotography.com).

Mustard gingham-check semi-fitted jacket and matching draped skirt, worn with a white paperbag peplum shirt, all by Babette from Bellagio. Model: Nina Shirkey.


High-waisted sage-green pencil skirt and gold scarf in peace silk, hand-dyed with vegetable-based dyes and block printed. Both pieces, BZ Design by Barbara Zaretsky. Model: Kim Turley.


Geometric-print knit top and “hanky hem skirt” set, layered with a shorter skirt in brown. All by Pattiy Torno. Model: Nina.


Long blue-silk tank dress dyed by Shibori technique, worn with a floor-length silk chiffon vest. Both pieces from Three Wishes Wearable Art by Michael Smith. Model: Kim.


Gold floral-printed satin kimono with fringe and lace trim by Geraldine Ludeman. Model: Nina.



Where to shop:

Bellagio (5 Biltmore Plaza, Asheville, 277-8100).

• Find Geraldine Ludeman’s work at Woolworth Walk (25 Haywood St., Asheville, 254-9234).

• For Michael Smith, visit Three Wishes Wearable Art at www.michaelsilks.com or call 253-0641.

• For Pattiy Torno, visit her Quilts, Clothing & Fun Fleece studio at the River Arts District’s Curve Studios, 6 Riverside Drive, Asheville. Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and other days by appointment. Curve will also hold an open house on Friday and Saturday, May 2 and 3. 388-3526.

• Find Barbara Zaretsky’s worth at Cloth Fiber Workshop (51 Thompson St., Suite D, Asheville, 505-2958).

 

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

About Alli Marshall
Alli Marshall has lived in Asheville for more than 20 years and loves live music, visual art, fiction and friendly dogs. She is the winner of the 2016 Thomas Wolfe Fiction Prize and the author of the novel "How to Talk to Rockstars," published by Logosophia Books. Follow me @alli_marshall

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.