THE AGE OF AQUARIUS AND ALL THAT JAZZ

Mar 13, 2017by tracey Comments

New York is full of the most wonderful small museums. One of these days I will post a list of my favorites.

One of the tops on that list is the The Museum of Art and Design aka MAD.  They always have something interesting going on. And like many of the small museums they have a terrific  restaurant as well.

So, last Saturday when I wanted to catch up with my friend Michele I said,  meet me at MAD.  Well, actually  I booked a table at their 9th floor restaurant Robert and sent her the Open Table confirmation.

Robert is on the top floor and looks over Central Park. Now that I don’t wake up every day and look over the park I am happy to pay to do so. Robert is such a nice spot you don’t even have to visit the museum when you are done. But you should.

We stopped and saw the counter couture show. Which to quote them is “handmade fashion in an American counter culture.”  It was all from the 60’s and 70’s.   It was not a big splashy show but it time machined you right back to the 60’s and 70’s.  Michele and I kept commenting on how many things were exactly like what we wore when we were really young!

It all felt kind of appropriate as we are in a time of a rapidly growing counter culture.

View from Robert.
View from Robert.
This explains it better than I did
This explains it better than I did
I tried to photograph the names of the people who designed them and they are too blurry to read.
I tried to photograph the names of the people who designed them and they are too blurry to read. Photo is a little blurry too.

tie dye - 1

dress - 1

coat of many colors - 1

dress with panels - 1

crochet - 1

Michele and each had one of these in the 70's.
Michele and each had one of these in the 70’s.
This too.
This too.
This I did not have and Michele being a good Catholic girl back then likely didn't either.
This I did not have and Michele being a good Catholic girl back then likely didn’t either.
This was designed by someone who was known but now I forget. I have clearly forgotten how to blog too.
This was designed by someone who was known but now I forget. I have clearly forgotten how to blog too.
This belonged to Mama Kass. You see the MP on the front.
This belonged to Mama Kass. You see the MP on the front.
They had what the counter culture kid was wearing as well.
They had what the counter culture kid was wearing as well.
This tells you about a contest Levi Straus held in 1973 to see how people were personalizing their jeans and jackets.
This tells you about a contest Levi Straus held in 1973 to see how people were personalizing their jeans and jackets.
One of the winners.
One of the winners.
And another.
And another.
I was thrilled to see these two highlighted at the show. In fact they had more of their stuff than anyone else. This is Alex and Lee and they were very good friends of mine.
I was thrilled to see these two highlighted in the show. In fact they had more of their things than anyone else’s. This is Alex and Lee.   They were very good friends of mine. I met them through my mother but went on to be close to both of them. My friend Margaret and I gave them a party in LA in the late 70’s. They became all the rage, big artists and designers discovered them. Not because we gave them a party, but because they were totally original. Then sadly Alex passed away decades ago.  Lee has since revived the brand under the same name Alex and Lee.  And I have one of the new pieces. But honestly, nothing is like what they were doing when they were working together in the 60’s & 70’s.

alex adn lee - 1

Typical Alex and Lee.
Typical Alex and Lee. My photo does not do it justice.  The lighting was not great in the space.

alex and lee scarab - 1

alex and leee - 1

This explains the kinds of things they use for their work.
This explains the kinds of things they use for their work.
This is my collection of Alex and Lee's. I had a few more but they are very fragile and a few have not made it through the decades. The far right they made for me using a monkey I bought in Hong Kong. I had another but I gifted it to someone. The second one they gave me when Margaret and I gave our party for them. 2nd from the left I took from my mother's closet. She said I could have it. Something I think she regrets as she would wear it! And the far left is a the new work in a collaboration they did with Dannijo.
This is my collection of Alex and Lee’s. I had a few more but they are very fragile and a few did not made it through the decades. The one on the far right they made for me using a monkey I bought in Hong Kong. I had another in pink but I gifted it to someone. The second one they gave me when Margaret and I gave our party for them. 2nd from the left I took from my mother’s closet. She said I could have it. Something I think she regrets as she would wear it! And the far left is a the new work in a collaboration they did with Dannijo.
How 60's - when we exited we were greeted by a demonstration.
How 60’s – when we exited we were greeted by a demonstration.