Panniers, like corsets, are kind of like "bones" sewn into the internal structure of the clothing. They are similar to the bustle in that they exaggerate a certain feature- in this case, the hips. during the 18th century, fancy ladies had to walk sideways through doors because their panniers were so big. I remember reading an interview with Zac Posen and he said that panniers were the worst part of fashion ever. What an asshole. But anyway, i think it's really interesting how historically clothing has had this built-in sculpture that affects how we see the body. Some modern designers, like Alexander McQueen, have played on this a lot. I'd like to find photos of the Comme des Carcons collection (Uh, I think that was it) that had all this crazy padding everywhere.
Panniers, like corsets, are kind of like "bones" sewn into the internal structure of the clothing. They are similar to the bustle in that they exaggerate a certain feature- in this case, the hips. during the 18th century, fancy ladies had to walk sideways through doors because their panniers were so big. I remember reading an interview with Zac Posen and he said that panniers were the worst part of fashion ever. What an asshole. But anyway, i think it's really interesting how historically clothing has had this built-in sculpture that affects how we see the body. Some modern designers, like Alexander McQueen, have played on this a lot. I'd like to find photos of the Comme des Carcons collection (Uh, I think that was it) that had all this crazy padding everywhere.
Zac Posen is a smarmy tool. If I saw him on the street, I might try to punch him.
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