Madras is lightweight plain weave cotton fabric that originated from Madras (Chennai), India. It's is used for shirts, pants, and hats—and can come in a variety of checks, stripes and plaids...and you my fondness for plaid.
Early madras fabric wasn’t always colorfast, so the vibrant colors faded each time you washed it—and became softer and softer.
Most of the madras today is colorfast, but I still launder my new madras pieces separately—just to be safe, in case any colors bleed. Mr. Peacockloves patchwork, but it has to be the right kind of patchwork. Some of the mass-produced madras patchwork has become somewhat clichéd looking—I think because it looks a bit too perfect. Patchwork is charming when it’s not so perfect. Leave it to Ralph Lauren to make a unique madras patchwork shirt that utilizes the heart and soul of the Indian textile colors and patterns—with a bit of a hippy vibe.
Vivid colors in stripes and checks are overprinted with patterns of paisley, leaves, and other forms—and patchworked into a shirt. The color palette of these madras check swim trunks looks so vintage (50's or 60's)—but they’re brand new.
There’s also a long sleeve madras check shirt available. The color palette would work well all the way through autumn, and look great worn with a sweater.
Band of Outsiders showed many fantastic madras plaid patchwork pieces in their Spring/Summer 2009 collection.
I love the details, including the tab at the neckline.
A great madras tie is an easy way to incorporate some pattern into your wardrobe.
I love the vibrant color palette of orange, red, sky blue and cream on this madras checked tie.
Madras plaid sport coats(they're on sale too) are perfect for either dressing it up with a tie, or dressing it down with a soft, worn t-shirt and cut off shorts.
Madras trousers also look good worn casually with your favorite shirt, or more polished with a navy blazer. There are lots of great madras pieces for men this year. The lightweight fabric is ideal for hot weather. Mr. Peacock has a vintage pair of very soft madras patchwork pants that he’ll be lounging around in this summer.
Around 1990, when I worked at a weekly newspaper, I liked to listen to a local oldies Am radio station while I designed the layouts. The station, which is now defunct, played American standards and jazz—think Ella Fitzgerald, Benny Goodman, and Peggy Lee (above c. 1956).My dad would listen to a similar oldies station while driving his car, when I was a kid, so that music is very comforting to me.
One day, on a lark, I called the radio station when they announced a trivia question to win a pair of tickets to see Peggy Lee in concert. I don’t remember what the trivia question was, but I won those tickets!
I queried my friends to find someone to accompany me to the show—either they weren’t interested in seeing Peggy Lee, or had previous plans (the Folsom Fair was the same day as the concert). I ended up going to the show by myself, and had to take a bus for about 45 minutes, to what seemed like the middle of nowhere, out in the suburbs of San Francisco.
The bus was running late, and I was worried I would miss the beginning of the show—and there was no warm-up act. I walked into the theater, which was a tiered half-circle with maybe 1000 seats—and it was less than half full. I couldn't believe it—I thought it would be sold out. The audience was a mix: dressed-up older couples, some gay men, a handful of hipster kids, and a couple of drag queens. The band, about 10 or 12 guys, came out on stage and began warming-up. Then the lights dimmed and a male voice boomed over the sound system, “Ladies and gentlemen—Miss Peggy Lee.”
Above: Peggy Lee in her dressing room, before a show, c. 1990.
A spotlight appeared on the side of the stage...and Miss Lee was in a wheel chair, being pushed out to the center of the stage, by an assistant. It was rather surreal—and just a few yards away from where I was sitting. She was wearing a sparkly sequined outfit with her signature platinum wig, and a large sparkly rhinestone decoration (brooch?)on top of her hair...and a huge bunch of balloons fastened to the handles of her wheelchair. She was sparkling like firecracker, and brought the whole theater to life.
She took the microphone and looked out at all of the empty seats and said, “How about everyone squeeze in, and come closer.” So everyone crowded together down in the front section, and she began her first song. I literally had goose bumps hearing this legend perform! Like a good wine, her voice had aged, but was still wonderful—and thousands of times better than many young pop songbirds today.
Above: I'm a woman, with Johnny Cash.
She sang all of her hits and many cover songs: Fever, Manana, I’m a Woman, and my favorite—Is That All There Is? Between songs, she told stories and chatted with the audience, and even allowed the audience to ask questions.
Tony Bennett said, "Peggy Lee was the female Frank Sinatra...she was the epitome of popular jazz singing and a wonderful songwriter as well." Quoted from the Chicago Tribune, 1/23/02
What a performer! This lady with panache entertained us for almost 3 hours, and was so charming, funny and warm. At the time, she was involved in a lawsuit with Disney (they ripped her off for the songwriter royalties for the song, Lady and the Tramp), but still made funny references to the case, without naming names.
k.d. lang said, "She represents an era that is leaving us, one where vocals were king, and I honestly can't think of a better vocalist in that jazz-pop crooning style. What made her so good was that she interpreted and delivered songs with such a complex and dense range of emotions." Quoted from Time magazine, 1/27/02
Peggy Lee was a Gemini, born on May 26, 1920. This elegant and glamorous woman was a singer, songwriter, composer and actress. I can’t even begin to list all of the hits and professional accolades this girl from a small town in North Dakota achieved in her 60-year career.
To learn more about Miss Peggy Lee's amazing life and career, be sure to stop by theofficial Peggy Lee website, or read a book about this American icon. If you don’t have some Peggy Lee in your music collection, buy a cd today....make yourself a Casanova Cocktail and sit down and listen to it this weekend!
I feel very fortunate that I was able to see this icon perform live in my lifetime. She passed away in 2002. Mr. Peacock salutes this fellow Gemini—Miss Peggy Lee!
It’s Mr. Peacock’s birthday this week—so I will be posting items with Gemini connections.
Happy belated birthday to Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle aka Sir Arthur Conan Doyle(above and below), author of the Sherlock Holmes novels. This Gemini peacock was born on May 22, 1859, in Edinburgh, Scotland. Mr. Peacock loves his impeccably waxed bushy 'stache.
Above: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in his home c. 1912, and in Paris in 1925.
Mr. Peacock has always been fond of the Sherlock Holmes character in books, films, et all. It doesn’t matter to me who’s portraying the drug addicted sleuth in television or film adaptations, as long as the director keeps the mystery on edge—and the costumes are on the mark.
Here’s the trailer for the Guy Ritchie directed Sherlock Holmes film—set to open in theaters in December. I’m not sure if I’m more excited that Robert Downey Jr. is playing Mr. Holmes, or that Jude Law is playing Dr. Watson? The costumes appear to be a visual treat.
David Seidner was a photographer who used his immense talent and cultural knowledge to draw on the past and create modern, yet timeless, beautiful images.
He was only 42 years old when he passed away in 1999, but he left us an amazing portfolio of his work (self portrait above, 1992). He was a perfectionist—always looking for the master technique in capturing his exquisite images.
Above: Ann Duong, 1999...a muse and frequent model
As soon as one complicated technical process was perfected, Seidner would move on to the next.
Above: Pink Orchid, 1999
He was one of those rare photographers able to create both commercial and artistic work—without compromising his own artistic integrity.
Above: Dancers, c. 1987.
This gentleman peacock left Los Angeles, when he was just 17—for fame and fortune in Paris. In Paris, he immersed himself in Parisian culture, nightlife, and the world of fashion. He photographed his first magazine cover at age 19, and had his first one-man show at 21.
The house of Yves Saint Laurent signed him for a two-year exclusive advertising contract when he was just 22 years old.
Pierre Bergé said to him: "David, if you can photograph a woman, the Eiffel Tower, and a bunch of roses at the same time—then the picture for the new fragrance, Paris, is yours." He did, and this photo (1983) would be seen in magazine ads across the world.
Above: Helena Bonham Carter, 1998.
David Seidner's photos were frequently built around themes: fragmented bodies, nudes, and portraits.
Above: Francine Howell for Azzedine Alaia, 1986
He combined a sense of formalism, sensuality and emotion in his work. Always experimenting and mastering techniques including layering Ektachromes, over-printing negatives, and interposing sheets of painted glass.
David Seidner photographed over 60 portraits of artists for his series, Faces of Contemporary Art—over a period of 15 years. Each portrait was painstakingly photographed in exactly the same context, alignment and background size.
Above: Portraits of artists Cindy Sherman, Richard Serra, and Louise Bourgeois.
He used an extraordinarily complicated printing process on “Arche” paper to achieve a dense black. The portraits were shown as a group in 1996 in Paris at La Maison Européenne de la Photographie.
Above: A shot for Yves Saint Laurent, c. 1983.
Mr. Peacock loves Mr. Seidner's work from the 1980's shot at his Paris home/studio. He used used metal, wire, broken pieces of mirror, glass bricks, paint brushes, black grease, and whatever else he found rummaging through second hand shops and hardware stores.
Above: Mr. Peacock loves this image shot for Yves Saint Laurent.
According to his longtime assistant, Gilles Jaroslaw, “He was like a scientist, inventing new things all the time and constantly looking for ways to push the limits, using multi-exposures, mirrors, long exposures, angles, lighting, etc."* *Quoted from The Independent. Above: Honor Fraser, 1994.
In the 1990’s he shot a series of beautiful portraits inspired by Sargent paintings.
He also photographed a series of nudes for an exhibition at New York’s Robert Miller Gallery, which were also collected for his book, Nudes.
Mr. Seidner was inspired by his love of Greek Antiquity and photographed his nude models in sculptural stances.
If you’re in New York this summer, stop by theInternational Center of Photography and check out the exhibit, David Seidner-Paris Fashions 1945. In 1944, the war-battered French couture industry decided to revive its international reputation by conceiving a small exhibition of 230 dolls, entitled Théâtre de la Mode, in which the major fashion designers of the day created outfits for small wire-frame dolls.
After the exhibit, the dolls disappeared, but resurfaced in 1990. David Seidner, because of his pioneering work with French fashion and historical gowns, was asked to photograph the Théâtre de la Mode dolls. You can buy the book, Théâtre de la Mode, with the David Seidner photographs—here.
ICP will exhibit fifteen of Seidner's color photographs of the dolls, along with one of the original dolls. The show runs May 15 through September 6, 2009.
Above: A portrait of Tina Chow, 1981 A muse of David Seidner (and a favorite of Mr. Peacock!)
David Seidner’s commercial work included fashion shoots for the French and Italian editions of Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Vanity Fair and The New York Times Magazine, and advertising campaigns for Emmanuel Ungaro, Lanvin, Christian Dior, John Galliano, Bill Blass, and of course, Yves Saint Laurent.
Above: Taya Thurman, Mme. Gres, 1980.
His artistic work encompassed shows at the Pompidou Centre and La Maison Europeenne de la Photographie in Paris, the Whitney Museum in New York, and the publication of several books. If you don’t already own a David Seidner book, add one to your library today. You can view an archive of Mr. Seidner’s work at the International Center of Photography. Thank you David Seidner for your pursuit of beauty and perfection!
I love these madras, over-sized checked boxers! 
Most of the madras today is colorfast, but I still launder my new madras pieces separately—just to be safe, in case any colors bleed.
Leave it to Ralph Lauren to make a unique madras patchwork shirt that utilizes the heart and soul of the Indian textile colors and patterns—with a bit of a hippy vibe.
Vivid colors in stripes and checks are overprinted with patterns of paisley, leaves, and other forms—and patchworked into a shirt.
The color palette of these madras check swim trunks looks so vintage (50's or 60's)—but they’re brand new.
You can get a matching boy scout style madras shirt too.
There’s also a long sleeve madras check shirt available. The color palette would work well all the way through autumn, and look great worn with a sweater.
Band of Outsiders showed many fantastic madras plaid patchwork pieces in their Spring/Summer 2009 collection.
This plaid patchwork hooded jacket is one of my faves.
I love the details, including the tab at the neckline.
A great madras tie is an easy way to incorporate some pattern into your wardrobe.
I love the vibrant color palette of orange, red, sky blue and cream on this madras checked tie.
Madras plaid sport coats (they're on sale too) are perfect for either dressing it up with a tie, or dressing it down with a soft, worn t-shirt and cut off shorts.
Madras trousers also look good worn casually with your favorite shirt, or more polished with a navy blazer.
