Artist: Francine Dressler
Title: Radiant Girl
Year created: 2016
Medium: Norma Kamali "All in One Dress" with acrylic paint
Description of piece: As part of Diamonds Unleashed's Wearable Art Exhibit at the Mandarin Oriental Miami for Art Basel featuring CFDA Lifetime Achievement Award Winner Norma Kamali's Iconic "All in One Dress." When I thought about Diamonds Unleashed empowering a new generation of women, it reminded me of being in my 20s in the late 1970s in Los Angeles. This was a time where women were shaking off the repression of the past and learning how to live fuller and shine brighter. It was the era where I developed my personal style – smiling women, red lips, bare breasts, devil-may-care attitude. These women represented the confidence, power and self-expression that I dreamed of for myself and all the women in my life. Her cameo on this dress, along with the big, Hollywood diamonds are meant to represent my shiny, opulent dreams of the past, that I hope continue to flower for strong young women everywhere.
"Women may be the one group that grows more radical with age." - Gloria Steinem
Artist bio: Artist Francine Dressler has joined creative forces with daughter, Madelyn Somers to re-launch her original prints from Los Angeles, circa 1979. During that time, Francine Dressler was in her 20's, living in Los Angeles and making a name for herself in the art world. Her illustrations provided a comical narrative that is both liberal and sassy, frequently displaying bare breasts, large grins, and red lips. Posters and apparel are just the beginning of what's to come from the cheeky world of Francine Dressler.
Over the course of both Art Miami and Art Basel, Diamonds Unleashed will partner with the Mandarin Oriental Hotel to bring fashion to the forefront. By teaming up with CFDA Lifetime Achievement Award Winner Norma Kamali, DIAMONDS UNLEASHED will create a one-of-a-kind wearable art exhibit in the hotel’s lobby from November 27th through December 4th. The exhibit will highlight the classic Norma Kamali “All in One” dress which will be the canvas for artists whose talents range from nail art, tattooing, illustrating and painting. Each artist will customize the dresses by interpreting the DIAMONDS. Participating artists include Mei Kawajiri, Stuart Semple, Julia Heffernan, PJ Linden, Claire Luxton, Georgia Grey, Carly Jean Andrews, Ivan Alifan, Dave Pollot, Kendra Dandy, Damon Lucas, Bradley Theodore, Julia Rich, Ashley Longshore. The event is open to the public and will transform the lobby of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel into a hub for fashion and art.
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