Summary:
1. news
2. one year already!
3. reaching out: planning a campaign
4. writers badly needed
5. a personal note from Chantal
1. News:
*** IDC is one year old! We are now close to 200 members, in 15 countries. But more needs to be done!
*** We are preparing 2 campaigns: one to raise membership,
and one to reach out to institutions teaching textile arts, costume,
fashion, etc.
WEE NEED YOUR HELP for these campaigns to be successful. Please
read § 3 and 4 carefully.
*** A new "press release" is available from the site:
http://www.idcw.org.uk/release.html
or download it in Acrobat pdf format: http://www.idcw.org.uk/download.html
*** The documentary Channel East (UK) filmed earlier this year is being broadcasted at several different times between August 30 and September 5.
*** Chantal Boulanger has 2 engagements (on saris) at the Nehru
Centre, 8 South Audley Street, London W1:
- An informal talk and short demonstration on Oct. 12th, at 11
am.
- A lecture with demonstration on Nov. 1st, at 6:45 pm.
*** The international magazine "Costume" will, in
one of its next issues, have an article on saris and draped clothes.
*** If you know or participate in an event, web site, etc. connected
with draping, please let us know. This "news" feature
is yours!
2. One year already:
You probably noticed that there was no newsletter in August:
we were all either busy or on vacation... Ah well... But with
September comes a new year for IDC. Yes. We were created in September
1999. We are coming close to 200 members in 15 countries! The
largest number of members in one country is in the USA, and now
IDC is physically present there with IDC-USA. Next in number of
members comes India.
Yet, the art of draping is still in limbo. So much needs to be
done. There is still no institution interested in research or
study or draped clothes.
3. Reaching out: planning a campaign...
The more members we are, the easiest it will be to reach our goals. To have weight, we need many, many more members! If you have any idea on programs aimed at increasing membership, please tell us about it. It is important that we celebrate this 1st anniversary by a membership campaign. We will let you know of all your suggestions.
It is essential to open the eyes and raise the interest of
any institution connected with textile arts, costumes, fashion,
etc. about draping techniques and the importance of studying draped
clothes.
For this reason, IDC will start a campaign aimed art, fashion
and costume schools, as well as universities teaching history
of costume, textile art, fashion, etc.
FOR THIS WE REALLY NEED YOUR HELP!
At first:
Please enquire to see which institution near where you live (or
you know of) should be interested, try to find out THE NAMES AND
EXACT ADDRESSES (and if possible Email too) of people responsible.
Email this information to chantal@idcw.org.uk
Then:
If you want, it would be GREAT if you could get in touch with
these people yourself. We will prepare a package to help you do
this. Otherwise just give us as much info as you can, and we will
get in touch with them.
4. Writers badly needed:
We will need press releases and documents explaining our aims and the necessity to research and study draped clothes. If you feel like helping, PLEASE GET IN TOUCH. So far Chantal has done all the writing, but she is a scientist, not a writer (besides her mother tongue in French...). She would be really happy to get help from better writers and anyone having a good marketing experience. <chantal@idcw.org.uk>
5. A personal note from Chantal:
I recently went to see Baroness Shreela Flather (an active
member of the House of Lords who wears saris). She has a most
wonderful collection of saris, many of them old and really museum
pieces. She told me about her wish to donate some of these to
an institution which would put them to good use, like displaying
them WELL DRAPED. Unfortunately, she hasn't found one institution
studying saris, or any place where she feels her saris would be
put to good use. I told her that at this time IDC was not quite
up to it, but that I am hoping that in a near future we will team
with some institution to start the study of draped clothes, and
that this would probably be the best place for her saris.
This highlighted the need for some institutional support. I am
planning to do some more initiatives this month (I'll let you
know when they are successful...), and I hope some of you will
have ideas too.
I feel very frustrated that still no institution takes draped
clothes seriously. I have revised the press release accordingly.
I am also in the process of making some documentation about the
need to research draped clothes and study draping techniques.
I would be happy if some of you would help me in this task. We
need to make something really compelling.
Thank you for your help and support.
Best wishes!
Chantal
chantal@idcw.org.uk
Please do not hesitate to send any question, suggestion, criticism.
If you have some links to suggest, please let us know!
If you wish to write something for the newsletter, please do so
and Email it to <members@idcw.org.uk>.
Institute of Draped Clothes
members@idcw.org.uk
http://www.idcw.org.uk