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THE RUDI GERNREICH BOOK |
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1966, vinyl decals and bikini. (photographer unknown) Later in 1966, Gernreich's clothes were featured in what has come to be known as the first fashion videotape, Basic Black. Claxton tells the story: "After Peggy and I came back from Europe, I was approached by a producer of television commercials who wanted a film so he could show examples of my work-a sample reel, so to speak. I decided to combine the things I knew best-Rudi's'clothes and my photography. Peggy and I wrote a shooting outline for what we considered an abstract fashion film. The next weekend, we rented a studio in New York, and with Peggy, Leon Bing, and Ellen Harth, completed the project in two days. Rudi often showed the film as part of the shows he took to South America and the Orient, and Vidal Sassoon is still using it. I consider it the first film where clothes spoke for themselves, without commentary." Gernreich's once-grudging recognition by his peers on Seventh Avenue had become by this time so cemented that even Norman Norell admitted he was wrong. "He [Gernreich] has grown in talent," Norell told a Washington Star reporter (September 30, 1966). "Today, I would go along with their giving him the top [Coty] award." Gernreich, the showman, surprised the audience at his October collection by showing a model wearing a belted shirtwaist dress that covered her knees. As if that weren't shock enough, she wore a padded bra, nylon stockings, and spike-heeled pumps with bag and gloves to match. Just as bewildered reporters and buyers started togasp in amazement, out came Moffitt in a thigh-high mini of the same print as the shirtwaist dress and little-heeled shoes. The point, said Gernreich, was that there were no rights or wrongs in fashion-that the spirit ofthat moment was in how clothes were put together.
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