Pulp Fashion: The Art of Isabelle de Borchgrave

In the skillful hands of Belgian artist Isabelle de Borchgrave, this unassuming material is transformed into sumptuous and detailed gowns worthy of sustained and reverential scrutiny. Currently on exhibit at San Francisco’s Palace of the Legion of Honor is a stunning retrospective of her work, which began in the mid-1990s. One does not have to be particularly interested in fashion or the history of costume to appreciate the work of de Borchgrave, but you must see it to believe it!

Inspired by many sources, including museum costume collections, paintings and her own extensive travels, de Borchgrave and her assistants lovingly recreate iconic and historic gowns. Lucky enough to see Papiers á la Mode, her first show in New York in 1999, I marveled at the details and, alone in the gallery, found myself making audible gasps at each new discovery.

(L) Worth evening gown and shoe, 1994, based on an 1898 dress designed by Charles Frederick Worth in the collection of the Costume Institute, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Photo: Andreas von Einsiedel. (R) The collection of white dresses.

Sheets of plain paper were molded, pleated, creased, braided, cut away — and of course beautifully painted — into garments showcasing 300 years of fashion from Elizabeth 1 to Coco Chanel. The exhibit at the Legion of Honor now also includes an entire room of gorgeous Fortuny gowns pleated to perfection, a room dedicated to the fashions of the Medici dynasty, and garments inspired by paintings in the Legion of Honor’s collection. Although each gown is based on milestones in the history of costume, Isabelle de Borchgrave leaves her mark, reinterpreting details to her artistic vision.

Each gown has surprising fabric-like folds, soft drapery or a gossamer delicacy. Yet for me, there is still a welcome trace of its humble origin. The subtle paper quality is what keeps this show from looking like any other elegant and well-curated costume exhibit. Rather it is the intriguing fusion of subject and medium that makes this work so captivating.

Maria de’ Medici, 2006, inspired by a ca. 1555 portrait by Alessandro Allori in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna. Photo: Andreas von Einsiedel.

Sketch, process shot and finished product of Eleanor of Toledo, 2006, inspired by a ca. 1545 portrait of Eleanor and her son Giovanni de’ Medici by Agnolo Bronzino in the collection of the Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence. Photo: Andreas von Einsiedel.

Installation by Isabelle de Borchgrave photographed inside Palazzo Fortuny

Neapolitan woman, 2010, inspired by a ca. 1635 portrait by Massimo Stanzione in the collection of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. Photo (L): René Stoeltie.

19th-century dresses and hat

Pulp Fashion: The Art of Isabelle de Borchgrave can be seen at the Legion of Honor in San Francisco until June 5, 2011. Here’s an enticing video preview, courtesy of the CBS affiliate in San Francisco.

This exhibition is organized by the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco and sponsored by Lonna Wais. Additional support is provided by Nathalie and Garry McGuire and Elizabeth W. Vobach. Collection Connections is made possible by The Annenberg Foundation. The exhibition catalog is supported in part by a grant from Friends of Fiber Art International.

Laura Tarrish is an ephemera collector, a map lover, a collage illustrator, and has an incredible collection of miniature chairs. We are grateful for her contributions to Felt & Wire. Laura’s limited-edition cards and wraps are available for sale at Bridgetown Papers in the Felt & Wire Shop.

Opening photos: Marie de’ Medici (detail), 2006, inspired by a 1595 portrait by Pietro Facchetti in the collection of the Palazzo Lancellotti, Rome. Photo: Andreas von Einsiedel.