Douglas Ferguson (born 1951) is a multidisciplinary artist mainly
known for his fashion designs using enamelled metal mesh and
hand-painted leather which received widespread exposure in the 1980s.
Since starting out in the 1970s as Diana Vreeland's voluntary
assistant at the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute, he
has also worked as an interior designer and film-maker.Douglas Richard
Ferguson was born in 1951. He studied fine art in Rome, and in
Philadelphia, but dropped out after three years, saying that he wanted
to 'try everything' rather than focus on painting as his tutors
wished.Among other jobs, he worked as a model, a stitcher-in of
labels, and a taxicab driver, but most notably worked as a personal
assistant to Diana Vreeland at the Costume Institute. As this was a
volunteer role, he subsidized it by driving a Checker Taxi at night.
He went on to work as Diana Vreeland's exhibition assistant for the
1979-81 Costume Institute shows Fashions of the Hapsburg Era and The
Manchu Dragon.Ferguson launched his career at the turn of the
1970s/80s with hand-painted leather goods and furniture. On 20 August
1980, Harper's Bazaar featured a photograph by Francesco Scavullo of
the model Kelly Le Brock wrapped in Ferguson's painted leathers. One
of Ferguson's first successes was a decorative wooden flapper doll for
the Mudd Club, which attracted the attention of the designer Patricia
Field and led to her commissioning his hand-painted leather and
chiffon dresses for her boutique. He also made painted leather
garments, including shawls and kilts for Maud Frizon, Carol Rollo at
'Riding High', and Johnny Ward. His designs were also stocked by
Robert Lee Morris in his Artwear shop, a showcase for artisan jewelry
and accessories. In 1981 Ferguson was highlighted by The New York
Times as one of a new wave of up-and-coming British and American
designers alongside 'Vivien Westwood' [sic], Anna Sui, and Mary Jane
Marcasiano. Although his hand-painted suede and chiffon work was
described as initially seeming 'more like rags than fashion,' once it
was on a figure, it came together to create a look that 'seemed at
once ancient and modern'.
known for his fashion designs using enamelled metal mesh and
hand-painted leather which received widespread exposure in the 1980s.
Since starting out in the 1970s as Diana Vreeland's voluntary
assistant at the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute, he
has also worked as an interior designer and film-maker.Douglas Richard
Ferguson was born in 1951. He studied fine art in Rome, and in
Philadelphia, but dropped out after three years, saying that he wanted
to 'try everything' rather than focus on painting as his tutors
wished.Among other jobs, he worked as a model, a stitcher-in of
labels, and a taxicab driver, but most notably worked as a personal
assistant to Diana Vreeland at the Costume Institute. As this was a
volunteer role, he subsidized it by driving a Checker Taxi at night.
He went on to work as Diana Vreeland's exhibition assistant for the
1979-81 Costume Institute shows Fashions of the Hapsburg Era and The
Manchu Dragon.Ferguson launched his career at the turn of the
1970s/80s with hand-painted leather goods and furniture. On 20 August
1980, Harper's Bazaar featured a photograph by Francesco Scavullo of
the model Kelly Le Brock wrapped in Ferguson's painted leathers. One
of Ferguson's first successes was a decorative wooden flapper doll for
the Mudd Club, which attracted the attention of the designer Patricia
Field and led to her commissioning his hand-painted leather and
chiffon dresses for her boutique. He also made painted leather
garments, including shawls and kilts for Maud Frizon, Carol Rollo at
'Riding High', and Johnny Ward. His designs were also stocked by
Robert Lee Morris in his Artwear shop, a showcase for artisan jewelry
and accessories. In 1981 Ferguson was highlighted by The New York
Times as one of a new wave of up-and-coming British and American
designers alongside 'Vivien Westwood' [sic], Anna Sui, and Mary Jane
Marcasiano. Although his hand-painted suede and chiffon work was
described as initially seeming 'more like rags than fashion,' once it
was on a figure, it came together to create a look that 'seemed at
once ancient and modern'.
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