Nursing leadership in academic hospital Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Nursing leadership in academic hospital - Essay Example The data analysis approach was appropriate to the nature of the data. Two key approaches are evident and are characteristic of qualitative data analysis that is applicable to data collected from a phenomenology study. An on-going and emerging process is one of the aspects of the data analysis and is characteristic of the qualitative data analysis approach (Gerish and Lacey, 2013). Transformation of qualitative data to quantitative data for effective analysis that is more objective is another feature of qualitative data analysis that is therefore applicable to phenomenology design. The data analysis was therefore appropriate for the design (Maboko, 2012). The data analysis process suggests application of category scheme in data analysis because data was coded. There is, however, no description of the applied category scheme. The implied category scheme appear logical because it was derived from characteristics of the collected data and on researcher’s rationale. The method was manual, an aspect that establishes concerns with accuracy. A computerized approach would however resolve this concern (Maboko, 2012). The report is clear on the data analysis approach but does not mention whose approach it applied. Data analysis procedure involved transcription of information from interviews that were captured in tape records. A review of the transcripts followed and emerging themes were noted. Each interview was then selected and reviewed and data coded for descriptive analysis (Maboko, 2012).

The Strategy of International Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

The Strategy of International Business - Essay Example This situation has not only reduced the profitability and market share of the local firms, but also has enforced a number of local firms to sell their businesses to the international giants. Hence, the report has elaborated a number of market strategies that can assist the local firms to strengthen their competitive position to ensure their long-term profitability and sustainability. The term ‘liberalization’ describes the process of relaxation of governmental regulations and restrictions in different areas such as trade, economy, social, political etc (Alessandria and Choi, 2014). Globalization has highly influenced the practices of trade and economy related liberalization within different industry sectors of developed as well as developing countries (Dix†Carneiro, 2014). The United Kingdom can be utilized as a successful example which has initiated and efficiently conceptualized liberalization in their different industry segments, mainly the energy segment. The rapid changes in the business processes and trade policies in the globalized economy influences government authorities to modify the trading policies of the nation to accommodate it with the global economy, political regulations and social practices. This intervention of government authorities has allowed a number of industry sectors to avail the facility of free trade in terms of the ir international business venture (Corbet and Robertson, 2014). The further topic will emphasize on liberalization and its impact on the internationalization of businesses. The study will also evaluate the impact of liberalization on the domestically focused business industry in terms of increase in competition within the local and global market. Finally, the discussion will elaborate various strategic reactions which can assist various domestically focused industries of the UK to face the increased competition of foreign competitors. The increasing

Humanities modern movements Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Humanities modern movements - Term Paper Example The specific issue of gender, according to the authors, has begun to give new and added focus on the role of women. Archaeological research into gender varies from an emphasis on class and occupation to an interest into the ways in which the meaning of gender has evolved over time. As well, the authors point to a rise in biographies being written about female archaeologists as evidence that the field has begun to change. Interestingly the authors of the article claim that there is a correlation between research into gender inequities and work-place inequities within the field of archaeology itself. The idea that the field is sexist has, in their opinion, given rise to the increased interest and study into questions of gender. Concerning methodology, and its relation to an â€Å"engendered archaeology,† the issue of gender as a social construct is put into perspective. According to the authors, gender has always been viewed as a social construct, though in varying degrees and depending on the given scholar. In their view, a gender-based archaeology would first and foremost seek to challenge any and all â€Å"starting assumptions† relating to the issue of gender in human history (Conkey 1997, 411). The issue of gender would be interpreted as it relates to human-constructed reality and the material foundations of that same reality. By relating it to feminist thought, gender-based archaeology is able to show the areas where gender studies shed light: methodology, research, and intra-professional issues (hiring of archaeologists, male-female relations within departments, etc.). Most of all, they wish to show how a feminist archaeology might better approach â€Å"gender† than traditional a rchaeology. A parallel movement has been feminism in general, one which is partially derived from the humanistic belief that all humans deserve freedom and dignity, women

Nursing leadership in academic hospital Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Nursing leadership in academic hospital - Essay Example The data analysis approach was appropriate to the nature of the data. Two key approaches are evident and are characteristic of qualitative data analysis that is applicable to data collected from a phenomenology study. An on-going and emerging process is one of the aspects of the data analysis and is characteristic of the qualitative data analysis approach (Gerish and Lacey, 2013). Transformation of qualitative data to quantitative data for effective analysis that is more objective is another feature of qualitative data analysis that is therefore applicable to phenomenology design. The data analysis was therefore appropriate for the design (Maboko, 2012). The data analysis process suggests application of category scheme in data analysis because data was coded. There is, however, no description of the applied category scheme. The implied category scheme appear logical because it was derived from characteristics of the collected data and on researcher’s rationale. The method was manual, an aspect that establishes concerns with accuracy. A computerized approach would however resolve this concern (Maboko, 2012). The report is clear on the data analysis approach but does not mention whose approach it applied. Data analysis procedure involved transcription of information from interviews that were captured in tape records. A review of the transcripts followed and emerging themes were noted. Each interview was then selected and reviewed and data coded for descriptive analysis (Maboko, 2012).

Humanities modern movements Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Humanities modern movements - Term Paper Example The specific issue of gender, according to the authors, has begun to give new and added focus on the role of women. Archaeological research into gender varies from an emphasis on class and occupation to an interest into the ways in which the meaning of gender has evolved over time. As well, the authors point to a rise in biographies being written about female archaeologists as evidence that the field has begun to change. Interestingly the authors of the article claim that there is a correlation between research into gender inequities and work-place inequities within the field of archaeology itself. The idea that the field is sexist has, in their opinion, given rise to the increased interest and study into questions of gender. Concerning methodology, and its relation to an â€Å"engendered archaeology,† the issue of gender as a social construct is put into perspective. According to the authors, gender has always been viewed as a social construct, though in varying degrees and depending on the given scholar. In their view, a gender-based archaeology would first and foremost seek to challenge any and all â€Å"starting assumptions† relating to the issue of gender in human history (Conkey 1997, 411). The issue of gender would be interpreted as it relates to human-constructed reality and the material foundations of that same reality. By relating it to feminist thought, gender-based archaeology is able to show the areas where gender studies shed light: methodology, research, and intra-professional issues (hiring of archaeologists, male-female relations within departments, etc.). Most of all, they wish to show how a feminist archaeology might better approach â€Å"gender† than traditional a rchaeology. A parallel movement has been feminism in general, one which is partially derived from the humanistic belief that all humans deserve freedom and dignity, women

The Country I Live in Essay Example for Free

The Country I Live in Essay I living in Russia, love our country and is proud of it. The official name of our country is The Republic of the Russian Federation there are 21 republics and 65 other regions in the Russian Federation. The key symbol of Russia is the troika. The Nation government of Russia consist of the President, the Council of Ministers and Federal Assembly. There are two houses in the Federal Assembly: The Federal Council and the State Duma. The population of Russia is about 145000000. The ecological situation in Russia is not very safe. Pollution in some industrial towns is high. Some parts of western Russia were badly influenced by the radiation from Chernobyl in 1986. Russia is located in Northern hemisphere, in the north of continent Eurasia. She is washed by waters of Silent and Arctic oceans, and also Baltic, Black, Azov by the seas of Atlantic ocean and Caspian sea, More than 70 % of territory of Russia are occupied by plains and lowlands. In the south of the European part northern ridges of the Big caucasus (here there is the highest top of Russia Elbrus, 5 642) In Russia more than 120 thousand rivers and about 2 million lakes. The largest rivers: the Cupid, Lena, Yenisei, Irtysh, Ob, Volga, Kama; the largest lakes Caspian seas, Baikal, Ladoga, Onega. Position of Russia in northern part of Eurasia has caused her placing in Arctic, subarctic, moderated and partially in subtropical climatic belts. The prevailing part of territory is located in a moderate belt. A variety of a climate depends also on features of a relief and affinity or remoteness of ocean. Woods occupy over 40 % of territory. In territory of Russia there is a fifth part of all woods of the world and half of world coniferous woods. The fauna is various here live both polar bears, and walruses, both tigers, and leopards, etc. In Russia 35 national parks and 84 reserves are located. Unique in the country the natural park which is in city boundaries — Omsk  «the Birds harbour ». Moscow the capital of Russia and one of the worlds great cities. Yuri Dolgoruky founds Moscow in 1147. Today Moscow is the political centre of Russia, the countys leading city in population, industry and in culture importance. Moscow is definitely a city of contrasts. So rich in many ways, yet in other ways, quite poor. Moscow stands on the Moskva River in the centre of vast plain of European Russia. The climate is continental. Moscow is the largest industrial centre of Russia. The most important industries are those producing automobiles and trucks, machine tools, radio and television sets. The most important element in Moscows city transport is the metro subway. The system was began in 1935 and still developing. Some of the stations, especially the older ones, are highly decorate with marble, statues and mosaics. Moscow is a city where a lot can be seen and much can be done. You can seen: Red Square, St. Basils Cathedral, The Momunent to Minin and Pozharsky, Lobnoye Metro, The Spasskay Tower, The Lenin Mausoleum, The State History Museum, The State Department Store (GUM) and many other places. Moscow has numerous theaters, headed by the State Academic Bolshoi Theatre, which was founded in 1825. The citys principal drama theatre is the Moscow Art Theatre. Also of the worldwide fame are the State Central Puppet Theatre and Moscow State Circus. Moscow has some museums and art galleries of international rank. Among them are the State Pushkin of Fine Arts, with a fine international collection, and the State Tretyakov Gallery with an excellent collection of Russian paintings. Moscow is one of the cities of the world that must be seen. Russia has produced a great number of very creative and talented people, for example: Alexander Pushkin, Peter Tchaikovsky, Isaac Levitan, Georgy Zhykov, Yuti Gagarin, Andrei Sakharov, Boris Godunov, Vladimir Lenin, Vladimir Putin and e.t.c. Theatrical performances, museums and picture galleries in fact all aspects of Russian live prove that. The Russians are much interested it the rest of the world. Russian people are very hospitable, hardworking, friendly, open, honest, generous, kind, sometimes sentimental, sometimes careless, often unsmiling, having bold manners, sometimes lazy and selfish. Russian love animals, especially dogs and horses. Russian cultural level is quite high, Russian people like to read books, to visit theaters, museums and different concerts. We are the nation of sport lovers because our people like different kinds of sports and spend a lot of time going in for sport or just watching it. Many Russian are religious people. The main church is the Russian Orthodox Church. It has survived the hard times and now people speak about a rebirth of religion in the country. Russian keep our traditions because there are lots of traditions which have been maintained from ancient time. Russian national holidays — the holidays of Russian people connected with widespread national traditions of their carrying out. New year (in the night from December, 31st for January, 1st). It is accepted to decorate a premise the decorated New Year tree or branches. At midnight for January, 1st the congratulation of the head of the state and peal of bells obeys. On a table it is accepted to submit, among other, a Russian salad and champagne. To children give gifts (from Father Frost). According to sociological polls, it is the most celebrated holiday. Christmas (on January, 7th on new style and on December, 25th on Ã'ŽÐ »Ã ¸Ã °Ã ½Ã' Ã ºÃ ¾Ã ¼Ã'Æ' to a calendar) — an orthodox holiday. At night before Christmas it is accepted to guess that was never approved by orthodox church. The holiday is marked by a solemn celebratory supper. The tradition to mark Christmas is officially restored in Post-Soviet Russia. Day of the defender of Fatherland (on February, 23rd) — widely celebrated mans holiday established at the Soviet power, and in Post-Soviet Russia become in the day off. Women congratulate men and give them gifts. Congratulations are accepted also by women-military men, and also participants of wars. The international womens day (on March, 8th) — female holiday officially established still at the Soviet power became in public marked. Men congratulate women, give them flowers and gifts. Maslenitsa (Pancake week) — week before the Lent. Has ancient pagan roots. During all week bake and eat pancakes. Easter — an orthodox holiday. Celebratory meal — Easter (cottage cheese with candied fruits), Easter cakes, coloured in red colour and welded eggs. Victory Day over Hitlerite Germany (on May, 9th) — an official All-Russia holiday. It is accepted to visit burial places of the soldiers who were lost during the Second World War, and to remember the fallen. Veterans put on awards and medals and accept congratulations. This day on Red Square military parade is spent. Celebratory actions last years are decorated by yellow-black Guards tapes. Day of national unity (on November, 4th). A Victory Day of Russian over the Polish invaders in 1612. This day across all Russia Russian nationalists spend Russian march. The greatest love of Russia is for tea – its drunk without milk and often served with homemade jam (varene), baranki and pirozhki. The mail dishes of the traditional menu are blini (homemade pancakes) with caviar, honey or sour crà ¨me; different soups (like shci and borshch), pirozhki, pelmyeni. Usually tourists buy traditional Russian souvenirs such as Martyoshka dolls, beautifully painted mugs, plates and spoons from the village of Khokhloma and Palekh boxes.

Exploring Surrealism In Fashion Fashion Essay

Exploring Surrealism In Fashion Fashion Essay You only have to take a glance at todays catwalks and fashion magazines to see the unmistakable traits of Surrealism in fashion. How is it then that an art initially composed of concepts and words and subsequently of images generated in the complexities of the intellect and subconscious imagination (Martin 1987, p. 9) would forge such a harmonious relationship with fashion? In a bid to answer this question this thesis will investigate the origins of Surrealism in fashion and its enduring effects on the fashion industry to this day. In order to understand how an ideal founded on political reactions would find its way into the glamour and materialism of fashion, we will firstly begin with a brief analysis of Surrealism and the main ideologies of the movements. This essay will highlight the key steps in the progression of the Surrealist movement from its founding roots through to its manifestation in its most commonly recognised form, art. Upon having completed a review on the key characteristics of Surrealist ideology we will then explore how each of these characteristics has been expressed through fashion. Though surrealisms founding fathers would not have concerned themselves with the attire of their movement, the metaphorical and meaningful attributes of fashion created a natural avenue for the expression of surrealist ideas (Martin 1987). No study on Surrealism in fashion would be complete without mention of its pioneering first lady, Elsa Schiaparelli. This essay will contain a case study on the life and works of Schiaparelli, focusing specifically on how she led the way in merging art with fashion by introducing Surrealist ideas in her designs. Her collaborations with artists such as Salvador Dali, Man Ray and Jean Cocteau shocked the fashion industry with its ingenuity and style. A subsequent case study on Viktor Rolf will examine the contribution of Surrealism in todays fashion industry. Just like their predecessor Schiaparelli, Viktor Rolf are known for their ability to shock, with their extravagant collections and high-concept catwalk shows (Evans Frankel 2008). Though not explicitly billed as Surreal, the flamboyant designs of Viktor Rolf exhibit tell tale characteristics of Surrealist ideas and serve as an ideal example of the height of Surrealisms impact on todays fashion. This study aims to reveal the important role that Surrealism has played on the fashion industry. Both from a historical point of view in the way that it changed the way fashioned was viewed, as well as its continued impact on fashion as a source of inspiration for contemporary designers. The collaboration between artists and designers allowed for fashion to move forward in unprecedented ways, pioneered by the likes of Salvador Dali and Elsa Schiaparelli, and exemplified in todays fashion by the likes of Viktor Rolf. Surrealism Often when we hear the word Surrealism we automatically think of art and conjure up images from Dali and his contemporaries. However, in actual fact there is no such thing as surrealist art. At its true core surrealism is not a matter of aesthetics, but rather a way of thinking, a point of view (Waldberg 1997). It can be summed up quite well by Rimbauds dictum Change life (Levy 1995, p. 5). Surrealism,  through its roots in Dadaism, was a reaction to the philosophy of rationalism, which many felt had caused, through the Industrial Revolution, the disaster of World War I. Tristan Tzara, leader of the  Dada movement, believed that a society that creates the monstrosity of war does not deserve art, so he developed anti-art in a bit to shock society through scandal (Sanchez 2000). Lead by Andre Breton, the participants of the movement were influenced by the works of Sigmund Freund and Carl Jung. The differing interpretations automatism, a term used to describe one of Jungs theories on personal analysis, split the movement into two distinct groups of thought (Sanchez M, 2007, P.49). Some went down the path of abstractionism,  where calligraphy, animation and movement were the key attributes, regardless of the subject. Their belief was that images should not be burdened with meaning. The others however, believed that images could be a link between abstract spiritual realities. Through faithful representation, objects stood as metaphors for an inner reality (Waldberg 1997, p. 9). For the purposes of this thesis, the focus will be on the latter interpretation of automatism in the realm of surrealism as it applies to a subset of artistic expression in the form of fashion design. Surrealism in Fashion Though surrealisms founding fathers would not have concerned themselves with the attire of their movement, the metaphorical and meaningful attributes of fashion created a natural avenue for expression of surrealist ideas (Martin 1987, p. 9). Its appeal to the fashion industry was instantly obvious in the use of ordinary everyday objects and weird landscapes that transferred easily to fabric printing, jewelry,  hats, couture etc, allowing designers the freedom to create art pieces. The amalgamation of surrealism and fashion changed the view of fashion from being disposable and unsubstantial to an art form in its own right (Warburton T, 2008, P. 2). As surrealism evolved into an artistic style through the 1930s and beyond, fashion became one of surrealisms most observable juxtapositions between the ordinary and extraordinary, disfigurement and embellishment, body and concept, pretence and reality. This fascination worked both ways as what covered the body had always been important to the Surrealist  philosophy, in the way that it allowed the imagination to wonder what lay underneath, and this translated easily into wearable garments. The inherent characteristics of fashion offered a natural association to the physical properties of disfigurement that was central to the Surrealist style. Symbolism and Metaphors Fashion and its instruments were at the core of Surrealist metaphor even before Surrealism found its way into fashion. The imaginary of women and beauty has long been a favourite topic for Surrealist artists. Based on the line by French poet Isidore Ducasse, the chance encounter of a sewing machine and an umbrella on a dissecting table, Man Rays photograph of a sewing machine and an umbrella paved the way for the Surrealist study of the sewing machine object as a symbolic metaphor for woman. The sewing machine itself is the primary tool of fashion, and as such came to symbolise women, who at the time were the primary workers in the clothing industry. Therefore since the process is deemed female, so the result fashion is also deemed primarily female. Future Surrealist works would take this idea further such as Joseph Cornells untitled collage depicting a sewing machine producing not only a garment, but the woman within it also (Image 1). The sewing machine was a central metaphor in the Surrealists understanding of beauty within a woman as being composed of clothing and form. Image 1 Joseph Cornell, 1903, Untitled Music was another key imagery in the Surrealists arsenal; in particular musical instruments and their resemblance to the female form. This objectification of women included the idea of women being substitutes for musical instruments. Perhaps one of the most famous of Man Rays photographs Le Violon dIngres (Image 2) fittingly illustrates this concept. This exact imagery has been used many times in fashion from Christian Lacroixs Violin Dress (Image 3) to more recently Viktor Rolfs black violin dress (Image 4). Influenced by Dali and Man Ray themselves, Elsa Schiaparelli also used musical notes and instruments in her designs (Image 5). Image 2 Man Ray, 1924, Le Violon dIngres Image 4 Viktor Rolf, Spring/Summer 2008, Harlequin Collection [Mention mirrors?] Human Form and Parts The mannequins and dress forms of fashion created the ideal playground for the Surrealists appropriation of the human body. The bottle for Elsa Schiaparellis fragrance Shocking adopted the shape of a human torso (Image 6) is a prime example of the Surrealist ideal of the conversion between the living and the inanimate. These surrogates for living figures allowed for greater distortion and display than real models, thus allowing the Surrealist to fully examine the relationship between clothing and the naked body. The Surrealist fascination with parts of the body as symbolic representations is central to the understanding of Surrealist works. To the Surrealist, the eyes represent not only optical vision, but also dreaming, sight, voyeurism, and even blindness. Yves Saint Laurents used this convention in 1980, producing a jacket with emblazoned eyes, Les Yeux dElsa, paying homage to Schiaparelli as the greatest advocate of Surrealist fashion (Image 7). The French designer also used lips, a commonly used decorative device in surreal art, in his Lip Dress; the alignment of the lips with the breasts, creating a distinctive Surrealist touch along with sexual overtones (Image 8). Image 6 Elsa Schiaparelli, 1973, Shocking Perhaps the most imaginative of the abstracted parts are the hands. Used widely by Surrealists in all manner of creative, sexual and functional contexts. Schiaparellis jacket embroidered by Jean Cocteau plays on the functional concept of hands being a natural device for belting around the waist (Image 9). This is also emulated in Francios Lesages Hand Belt (Image 10) and Marc Jacobs lOeil Beaded Dress (Image 11). Likewise, Pierre Cardins leather shoes in the shape of feet draw out the functional characteristics of feet (Image12). Displacement of Objects One of the most common devices of Surrealism is the placement of everyday objects in unusual places. The dysfunction and dislocation of an object allows for a redefining of that object and a friction between the conventional and the subliminal. One obvious method of displacing object is by using it backwards as is the case with the backwards jacket created by Karl Lagerfeld (Image 13), originally pencilled by Elsa Schiaparelli. Viktor Rolf created a similar effect by presenting a whole collection of dresses worn upside down and a show itself that was run completely back to front (Image 14). However, displacement is not confined to within the realm of fashion itself. Objects from one classification can be used within another to create an even more vivid reaction. Dalis fusion of furniture and the human form inspired Schiaparellis design of a desk coat (Image 15) and later on Doline Dritsass Painted-Silk Drawer Dress (Image 16). The use of traditionally non-fashion related objects in fashion is common among contemporary designers. Viktor Rolf have often used objects such as bells, pillows and even spotlights in their designs. Hats have offered some of the most interesting examples of this Surrealist philosophy; from Schiaparellis Dali inspired shoe hat (Image 17), to Karl Lagerfelds mini sofa chair hat (Image 18). The hat is an appropriate agent not only because its function allowed for a seemingly limitless display of dissimilar objects, but it also enabled the ridicule of the hat as a symbolic accessory in culture, ceremony and rank. Image 14 Viktor Rolf, Spring/Summer 2006,Upside Down Collection Nature and Fantasy The natural world itself offered the Surrealist with an array of symbolic objects. Some chose to contort existing symbols and metaphors, such as Rene Magrittes unconventional mermaid (Image 19); while others chose to make up their own eccentric associations, the perfect example being Dalis association of the lobster with female genitalia (Image 20). Dalis obsession with the lobster influenced Schiaparellis legendary lobster dress (Image 21), the painted lobster deliberately placed at the front of the dress over the womans groin area Surrealists had a particular interest in fantasy and the worlds within the imagination They had a fondness of merging things in nature with the human body Looking for objects within nature to symbolise certain things such as sexuality, beauty, metamorphosis Image 19 Rene Magritte, 1934, A Reverse Mermaid Image 20 Salvador Dali Image 21 Elsa Schiaparelli, 1937, Organza Dress with Painted Lobster Surrealism in the Fashion Industry Throughout the 1930s and 40s major Surrealist figures entered the realm of fashion, fashion advertising and shop front displays. Spurned by the first generation of pure Surrealists they sought a channel to continue their exploration into the reconciliation of revolutionary art and everyday realities. By enlisting the talents of notable Surrealists such as Jean-Michel Frank, Jean Cocteau, Cecil Beaton and May Ray, fashion magazines became the method for the propagation of Surrealist style. The partial figure, dislocation of body parts and the placement of these parts in unnatural settings were adopted by new fashion imagery in the 1930s. The Surrealists ability to juxtapose the real and the imaginary made it an ideal form for advertising and media expression. Case Study 1: Elsa Schiaparelli For Elsa Schiaparelli, her works were more about the passion and energy than fashion and design itself. What mattered to her more was that moment of inspiration (Martin 1987, p. 197). Born to an intellectual family in Rome, the would-be French designers work is best known for its Surrealist period in the 1930s, yet her work can be traced back to the 1920s during the earlier Futurism movement. Her marriage to Theosophist Wilhelm Wendt de Kerlor in 1914 encouraged a bohemian existence that led to encounters with a broad circle of international avant-garde artists and thinkers including Dada artist Francis Picabia and surrealist photographer, Man Ray. Through collaborative efforts with Surrealist artists like Jean Cocteau, Man Ray, Salvador Dalà ­ and Marcel Vertà ¨s she was able to bring enthusiasm and spontaneity to her collections. The Modernist characteristics and avant garde style of Schiaparellis work must have reflected their interests. Her simple and sharp design aligned well with their modern lifestyle in tailored suits and evening dresses; and her witty persona esteemed her original designs with embroidery and complementary colors fit for an active clientele (Bryan 2010). Schiaparelli was more an artistic designer than a refined designer, always grasping at ideas but not extracting a style from her garments. In her mind, the objectives of both the designer and artist were equal, and that a garment was a place for artistic expression rather than a medium for the couturiers craft (Martin, P.198). The defining characteristic of Schiaparelli was her daringness to dream, enabling her to bring creations of pure, undiluted inspiration to fashion. A keen interest in unusual materials kept Schiaparelli at the forefront of design innovation. She was persistent in accruing new fabrics for fashion, especially manmade fabrics which were intentionally different from natural fabrics. Her use of cellophane like materials played on the illusions of transparency (The Torso, Picture Book, P.65), and hard rendered soft materials challenged the traditional notions of the properties of materials. In one instance Schiaparelli commissioned the creation of a newspaper-clipping fabric, producing a paradox between the expected ruffle and stiffness of newspaper with the softness of fabric. She also designed a number of accessories to complement her garments; costume jewelry, hand bags as bird cages and even necklaces made of insects (Picture from Elsa picture book, P.43). Most of these were created to make a statement rather than to be worn on the street. Not only was Schiaparelli eager to use unconventional materials in her garments, she was also zealous in adopting new fashion innovations of her time. Invented in 1936, the zipper was already being used by Schiaparelli in imaginative ways. Though we may look at a wool dress with a zipper and contrasting colours and see nothing sublimely Surreal about it now, at the time it was considered novel and daringly inventive. In the 1937-38 season, Schiaparelli shocked the world with her Jean Cocteau jacket (Martin, P.100). The jacket presents an illusion of hands clasping the waste complemented by the profile of a figure and a cascade of hair down the side of the arm. In typical Surrealist style it creates a friction between the figure on the jacket and the wearer, frustrating the viewers attempt to place parts of the body in relationship with the figure. That same year also saw the creation of the iconic, Dali inspired lobster dress (Picture book, P.46). An elegant party dress imprinted with a giant lobster. The lobster was a prime example of the Surrealist vocabulary of forms, Dali using it as a substitute for female genitalia and sexuality. Of all of Schiaparellis artistic collaborations, it is the one with Salvador Dali which produced some of the most imaginative and unusual results. In 1936, Schiaparelli and Dali presented suits and jackets with bureau-drawer pockets reflecting themes prevalent in Dalis Art. In that same year, she and Dali created the Shoe Hat (Martin, P.111), a black felt concoction in the shape of a high-heeled shoe with a shocking pink heel. In these designs, Schiaparelli and Dali used the idea of displacement, where an object is selected and then removed from its usual environment. In doing so, they modify the objects original purpose. The same Surrealist idea of displacement can also be seen on another of their collaborations, the Mutton Hat (Example?). With the desk suit, shoe hat and mutton hat, the artist and the designer altered an objects conventional meaning by transforming it into an item of clothing. The beginning of the Second World War put a halt on Schiaparellis work, which after the war would not return to the same level of exuberance as the past. Her glory was brief, but left a lasting impact on both art and fashion. Perhaps Schiaparellis most important legacy was in bringing to fashion the playfulness and sense of anything goes of the Dada and Surrealist movements. She was an artist in the world of couture, not a designer involved in the evolution of designs. A pioneer, whose inspiration and merger of the arts altered clothing with a capacity to be art, enabling it to be more than just apparel. Case Study 2: Viktor Rolf Viktor Rolf started in 1993 with the pairing of two Dutch graduates, Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren. Ever since then they have endeavoured to blur the line between art and fashion. Through their early instillations at European galleries, Viktor Rolf quickly gained a reputation as high-end conceptual designers who created images and ideas rather than commercial fashion (Evans C. and Frankel S. 2008, P10). Though early on they were known for wowing the fashion press but not selling a stitch Viktor Rolf made a move from haute couture to ready-to-wear in 2000. Similar to conceptual art, conceptual fashion involves works in which concepts and ideas take precedence over traditional aesthetic and material concerns. Aside from the garments themselves, conceptual fashion was marked with radically new retail spaces, experimental fashion shows and adventurous publishing ventures. All of which have been exemplified in the works and methods of Viktor Rolf; their upside down store in Milan, performance piece catwalk shows and designs for miro-zines such as Visionaire. For Viktor Rolf, couture is an artistic medium, and a playground for the expression of ideas. They are innovative designers who make exquisite and technically amazing garments, yet at the same time they are commentators of their own industry. This is probably most evident in their early gallery installations, as many were critiques and commentaries on the difficulty of breaking into the fashion industry. The pairs first collection of over-sized dresses expressed their feelings of minuteness in the threatening world of Paris fashion. The internal referencing of the industry itself can also be seen in Viktor Rolfs use of Yves Saint Laurent emblazoned fabrics and paying homage to the iconic silhouettes of Chanel, Balenciaga and Yves Saint Laurent in their Black Hole collection. More recently their The Fashion Show collection presented their view on the importance of the fashion show itself to the industry. The garments for this collection were draped over scaffolding and spot lights w orn by the model in a surreal juxtaposition of hard metallic frames and soft flowing fabric. Having mostly displayed their work through art gallery instillations for the initial few years of their career, Viktor Rolf had their first fashion show during the 1998 Paris Fashion Week, albeit without the endorsement of the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture, the regulators of haute couture. However, even then, their works hardly existed outside the realm of the fashion show. As one magazine put it their gowns tend to go straight from the catwalks into art museums rather than into wardrobes (Tuner J. 2000).The almost virtual nature of their garments prevented them from initially being granted admittance to the Chambre Syndicale. Despite not conforming to the Chambres requirements, it was their success in the fashion press and magazines that eventually gained them the respect and recognition for membership. Through their simulation of an emergence into the fashion industry via media channels, Viktor Rolf were able to do it for real. In doing so, they had also discovered the rising importance of images in an ever more media rich society. They grappled with the philosophy that our perception of reality is shaped by images and that illusion is now a new form of reality; believing that fashion doesnt have to be something that people wear. Fashion is also an image (Gan S. 2001). This ideology is personified in their Autumn/Winter 2002-03 collection labelled Bluescreen. Models dressed all in blue were recorded via a video camera with the image then being projected onto large screens. On the screen, urban and natural landscapes were transposed onto the blue areas utilizing a movie industry method for creating special effects, thus creating a blur between image and reality. The innovative and often outlandish clothes produced by Viktor Rolf where often complimented by the surreal theatrics of the fashions shows that they were displayed in. In their Autumn/Winter 1998-99 collection Atomic Bomb, the duo fused the silhouette of mushroom clouds with the human form by installing silk padding to inflate the clothes. The apocalypse themed show was followed by models parading the same outfits, however with the implants removed to reveal the graceful draping of the clothes. They used a similar dichotomy in their Spring/Summer 2006 Upside Down collection, showcasing pieces that could be worn bottom up or bottom down; presented on the catwalk one way then the other. Applying the same surreal reasoning, the show itself was presented entirely backwards, with the designers appearing first followed by a procession and then the presentation of each individual piece. Perhaps one of Viktor Rolfs most memorable shows was for their Autumn/Winter 1999-2000 Russian Doll collection. The show was more a performance piece, involving just one model who was dressed one piece at a time in layers of couture dresses by the designers themselves. The resulting effect was that of a reverse Martryoshka doll. This fascination with dolls has been prevalent throughout their career since their Launch instillation of miniatures in 1996 to their latest offering at Londons Barbican Art Gallery. Proving that their move to more commercial markets has not diminished the duos affinity towards Surrealism, the 2008 Barbican display consists of a gigantic dollhouse inhabited by 55 dolls clothed with miniaturised Viktor Rolf outfits showcasing their 15 year career, aptly named The House of Viktor Rolf. In 2004 the duo launched a perfume called Flowerbomb and in fine Surrealist fashion packaged it in a grenade shaped bottle. Complimenting that was a clothing collection featuring the excessive use of oversized bows and ribbons. Viktor Rolfs penchant for the Surrealist ideology of displacement of objects can be further witnessed by their Bells collection of garments, heavily embroidered with brass bells, and the use of pillows and quilting in their intimate Bedtime Story collection. Not only do Viktor Rolf draw on the ideologies of the Surrealism movement, but their works also show inspiration from other Surrealist artists. The ever present trait of medieval carnival was brought out explicitly in their Spring/Summer 2008 Harlequin collection. The garments exhibited references to commedia dellarte, a theme that was once adopted by the queen of Surrealist fashion, Elsa Schiaparelli (Evans C. and Frankel S. 2008, P16). Motifs of violins adorning the dresses paid homage to Surrealist photographer May Ray and his famous image, Le Violon dIngres (Image 2). Though not known specifically as Surrealist designers the characteristics of Surrealism are clearly evident in Viktor Rolfs designs. They have used Surrealist methods such as the displacement of objects, manipulation of the human form and merging of the real and imaginary as tools for their own conceptual ideas. Just like their predecessors, in the likes of Elsa Schiaparelli, they employ these methods to create innovative and shocking garments often more akin to art, than off-the-shelf fashion. The Lasting Impact of Surrealism on Fashion Conclusion When Surrealism came to fashion it was with a passion, engulfing the fashion arts with an enthusiasm that has never left. Over time ideas about fashion presentation in magazines, window displays and apparel have evolved, but Surrealism remains fashions favourite art. The collaboration between artists and designers allowed for fashion to move forward in unprecedented ways, pioneered by the likes of Dali and Elsa Schiaparelli, and exemplified in todays fashion by the likes of Viktor Rolf.