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You are here: Home / Blog posts / Design Heroes, part one- Leon Bakst

Design Heroes, part one- Leon Bakst

April 29, 2019 By Deborah Carr

29 Apr

 

Inspiration is a curious thing and so too is how images seep through into the subconscious. It wasn’t until researching a theatre design project at art school that I realised how deeply influenced I was by Russian designers and illustrators, particularly Ivan Bilibin and Leon Bakst.  The Longstaff Longstaff  Pinterest page has beautiful images of Leon Bakst’s work and other Design Heroes

Leon Bakst (1866-1924) was an extraordinary designer who found fame with Sergei Diaghilev and the Ballet Russes designing costumes and sets for many of the ground breaking productions such as L’après-midi d’un Faune and Schéhérazade. His designs have a flowing energy, grand flourishes of pattern and form and a raw sensuality which echo the avant garde music composed by Stravinsky and Rimsky-Korsakov for the Ballet Russes. His fairy tale creatures are frightening, the women full bodied and unafraid and the men are flamboyant and both effeminate and powerful at the same time.

Costume design by Russian designer Leon Bakst for a Young Beotian

Character is central to any costume design and Bakst’s talent was to be able to express character through fabric and pattern. No corner of his designs was left plain and yet the balance of pattern and space allows the eye to take in the glorious details without being swamped or overwhelmed. Diaghilev’s Ballet Russes was enormously popular at the time and Bakst’s designs soon influenced fashion and interior design.

His work inspired me to design on a large scale, working on big sheets of paper in a large (sometimes huge!) repeat format.  I love working like that but it took me a while to realise how much extra work I was making for myself. His style might be described as maximalism but but each line and pattern is necessary to convey his idea. In that sense, nothing is ‘extra’ or unnecessary. There is a huge sense of riotous energy in his work and his use of colour and pattern always reminds me to do what I love, don’t be afraid. One hundred years later, he is still fresh and able to inspire and influence; most definitely one of my design heroes.

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… indulge your inner Hollywood screen siren and slip into something more comfortable - like the totally glamorous and utterly decadent silk loungewear from Longstaff Longstaff..
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Design Heroes, part one- Leon Bakst

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We had our print workshop yesterday and not only was it lovely to chat and create and mull over which side of a leaf is better for printing 🥰 but people brought friends and family 🙏 What a pleasure it was to see grandparents (aged 94) parents, grown up daughters and friends messing around with ribbon, potatoes, banana skins and candle sticks to make fabulous patterns together ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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⭐ It's our print workshop today 😃 ⭐ Really ⭐ It's our print workshop today 😃 ⭐ Really looking forward to it - I'm going to make a cup of tea, clear a space on the table and clear some headspace 🥰 Hope you'll join me. It's such a lovely way to relax and I always find I have a bit of headspace after being creative. Sign up in the Eventbrite link in bio and see you at 5pm. 
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Rent 🌿Resale🌿Repair 🌿 Remodel🌿 Repurpo Rent 🌿Resale🌿Repair 🌿 Remodel🌿 Repurpose🌿 We're so excited to bring our beautifully made clothes inline with the circular fashion movement. And to acknowledge #fashionrevolutionweek here's the audio about the Worn Again page. Launching soon, we'll have a few pieces to hire and if we can find anyone willing to let go of their loved Longstaff Longstaff, we can resell it for them too. Our repair, remodel and repurpose service is always ready to help you, just drop us a line and keep a look out for Worn Again 💚 👀 💚👀💚
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Full 2 mins on Audio Library. Link in bio ⬆️
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I've been meaning to do a print workshop for custo I've been meaning to do a print workshop for customers, followers subscribers, in fact anyone who loves getting a bit messy and playing with shapes and textures. Did a test drive with friends from #lcf and had a blast! I find it so relaxing making patterns and experimenting with found objects. Unexpected favourites? Have you ever printed with popcorn? 🍿 Nope, me neither but that's what @georginajoan_ brought to the party and @frankly_felicia
was frankly super sophisticated with beautiful rosemary. 💚 Other winners were recycled bubblewrap, the humble potato, mushrooms, corks and forks! 
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It's true! We do 🧡 Have a listen on IGTV. It's It's true! We do 🧡 Have a listen on IGTV. It's another snippet from the audio work I did with Rosie at Tickertape Productions, this time all about finding inspiration @stpancrasren 
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