Current position:

Freelance Designer and Consultant at Michael Van Der Ham

concept title:

Fall/Winter 2009

Concept:

Each dress in Michael’s collection of party dresses is constructed by piecing together couture references from different decades. Everything started when Michael saw three dresses that Andy Warhol had designed for an exhibition curated by Diana Vreeland in the 70s. They were created from bits of other dresses by big designers of that era. Diane Von Furstenberg, Halston, Oscar de la Renta, Valentino. A sleeve of one dress was attached to the front of a different dress. The challenge for Michael was to give a sense of unity to the clash of styles. He rose to the occasion, collecting pictures of party dresses that he liked from the 60s and 70s, then expanding to the 20s and 50s as well, translating them in coherent ensembles symbolising the history of 20th century fashion.