Brushing Up on Style

The art of Vincent van Gogh, in particular his famous “Starry Night,” was one of the highlight inspirations at the Walking Canvas fashion show Saturday at the Brea Civic Center.

Sponsored by the Textile and Costume Guild of the Fullerton Museum Center, the show presented work from more than 50 artists. Two hundred guests saw dozens of “wearable art” fashions designed to stretch the imagination.

In her nod to Van Gogh, Colleen Poteet hung two pieces of blue China silk onto wood frames and applied opaque textile paint. The apparel-design student at Cal State Long Beach also was moved by Grant Wood’s “American Gothic,” which she reproduced onto a blue denim jacket, and she designed a beaded bra in the spirit of ancient Egyptian art.

Justine Limpus Parish’s washable wedding dress and coat were made using a Japanese dye process known as shirbori. Parish, an instructor at Fullerton College, wrapped polyester around a pole and tied it into pleats. The fabric was then washed through the dye.

And there was Vincent Gil Vargas Quevedo’s whimsical suit made out of Vogue magazine pages and vinyl, with a complementary newspaper fez. Red accents made this outfit “black and white and red all over.”

Models paraded around in ethnic textiles, leathers and metallics that were woven, braided or quilted and embellished with mirrors, beads and gold.

The 26-year-old Textile and Costume Guild supports the 19th and 20th century costume collection at the Fullerton Museum Center. Meetings, which are open to the public, are held the second Saturday of each month at the Fullerton Museum. For more information, call (714) 738-6545.