Thursday, November 15, 2012

Gibson Bayh - The Art of a Rediscovered Fashion Designer


When we discovered the original sketches of historic San Francisco fashion designer, Gibson Bayh (1917-2007), we were struck by the artistry and glamour of these period images.

In recent years, the world’s most important museums have turned their attention to fashion. Blockbuster shows featuring the designs of Balenciaga, Jean Paul Gaultier, Vivienne Westwood and Alexander McQueen have drawn record-breaking crowds to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the de Young Museum in San Francisco. The garments and the original sketches are now recognized as highly collectible works of art and important examples of 20th Century creative innovation.
Gibson Bayh was a custom fashion designer for Gump's, San Francisco's historic destination for fashion and home goods since 1861.  He was known for his "timeless styling" of gowns, costumes, coats and pajamas. Bayh frequently used fabrics selected from Gump's famous collection of oriental art treasures. Many of the silks and brocades utilized in his designs dated back to the Boxer Rebellion (a late 19th Century proto-nationalist movement led by the Righteous Harmony Society in China). Bayh’s gowns retailed for up to $1,500 in the late 1940s and he was featured in a 1940 issue of Women’s Wear Daily.

Bayh designed fashion with a dramatic sense of Hollywood glamour, using Gump’s stunning oriental fabrics for clients such as Dinah Shore (singer and actress), Lily Pons (soprano and actress) and Anne Baxter (best known for her role in The Ten Commandments). Some of his original garments can be found in fashion museums around the world. 
All the drawings presented here are Bayh’s original signed sketches, and attached to many are the swatches for the fabrics he intended to use. Framed pieces range from $545 to $675 and can be purchased in our online shop.

1 comment:

  1. Art salon sketches are really eye-catching. Heard of many big Chicago event space from my colleague and booked one for my brother's engagement last month. Party was superb. Food and drinks were praised by everyone. Planning to book them for his bachelor's party also.

    ReplyDelete