Pulp Fashion: Paper Couture

April 7, 2011 6:39 PM

Beautiful, elaborate, flowing dresses... made entirely of paper. "Belgian artist Isabelle de Borchgrave... forms trompe l’oeil masterpieces of elaborate dresses inspired by rich depictions in early European painting or by iconic costumes in museum collections around the world." Pulp Fashion: The Art of Isabelle de Borchgrave
posted by biddeford (20 comments total)

Beautiful. Thanks for sharing this!

Come to MeFi for the blue, stay for the depth of paper arts coverage :)
posted by EricGjerde at 7:04 PM on April 7, 2011 [1 favorite]

These are remarkably beautiful and I'll bet they'd be wonderfully crinkly if you actually wore them.

Thanks, biddeford!
posted by byanyothername at 7:21 PM on April 7, 2011

Wow!!!!
posted by hippybear at 7:36 PM on April 7, 2011

Cutting edge fashion.
posted by gomichild at 8:44 PM on April 7, 2011

Saw that earlier today and was totally blown away by it. I wish I could make a trip to see the exhibition in person.
posted by immlass at 8:45 PM on April 7, 2011

Wow, I am impressed with the detail and the softness she was able to achieve.
posted by rmless at 8:59 PM on April 7, 2011 [1 favorite]

These are amazing. I don't think I could resist poking at some of them if I saw the exhibition in person, though.
posted by Alnedra at 9:04 PM on April 7, 2011

No way.


My brain just refuses to process these images. In, like, a super awesome way.
posted by Neofelis at 9:37 PM on April 7, 2011

I'd hate to get caught in the rain wearing one of those dresses...
posted by adso at 9:46 PM on April 7, 2011

Remarkable fantastical work.
Though I don't understand why they call it "trompe l'oiel," other than that it's hard to believe it's paper. I've always understood the term to mean 2d made to look 3d.
posted by Jode at 9:47 PM on April 7, 2011

This was also a feature of kabuki theater.

Actually, paper clothing was common among the lower classes during the Edo period, and often a kimono made of recycled letters would be a signifier, on stage, of a character who had hit rough times. However, when sumptuary laws were introduced, banning the use of silk fabrics and nishiki or brocade cloth, theatrical designers began to produce imitations that were more visually striking than that which they intended to imitate- much to the delight of the theater-going Chonin and the chagrin of the authorities.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 9:53 PM on April 7, 2011 [4 favorites]

Wow. Amazingly beautiful! Cool post.

Adding to the paper mix. Phonebook paper dress. Wedding dresses made of toilet paper. 1960's paper dresses.
posted by nickyskye at 10:42 PM on April 7, 2011

I saw the exhibition of her Medici costumes in Brussels last year and it was amazing. It was a huge success, with the run extended for a couple of months due to popular demand.
posted by Azara at 2:21 AM on April 8, 2011

not made out of paper, but condoms are ADRIANA BERTINI's material of choice
posted by liza at 5:52 AM on April 8, 2011

Jode: You are technically correct about the term's meaning, but literally "trompe-l'œil"* means "trick the eye". These certainly qualify as such.

* You also fell prey to Muphry's Law.
posted by IAmBroom at 8:19 AM on April 8, 2011

Great post... astonishing work.

My sister had one of those paper dresses. The paper used was a very fabric-feeling material, not like what one normally thinks of as paper.
posted by kinnakeet at 10:14 AM on April 8, 2011 [1 favorite]

Those are amazing. Thanks for posting this.
posted by essexjan at 1:21 PM on April 8, 2011

My friend, Annette Meyer has been working with paper for ages
posted by mumimor at 2:46 PM on April 8, 2011 [1 favorite]

Well, my eyes were for sure tricked. I am still a little incredulous about some of those lacy collars. Just gorgeous.
posted by fancyoats at 8:29 PM on April 8, 2011

Thank you so much for sharing. This is hard to believe that it's real. The care and precision put into them is outstanding (it's the best discovering people value a craft so much).
posted by rozomon at 3:04 AM on April 18, 2011