Imagine having to wear a corset..restrictive...constraining..tight. the very victorian corset; where the constraints in society are physically mirrored by the corsets’ ability to squeeze...Squeeze..squeeeEeeze the life out of you. Grounding you, unable to float or be free. Women everywhere sought to feel free establishing "The Rational Dress Society" in 1881 where their main aim was to...
 
"protest against the introduction of any fashion in dress that either deforms the figure, impedes the movements of the body, or in any way tends to injure the health. It protests against the wearing of tightly-fitting corsets....and requires all to be dressed healthily, comfortably, and beautifully"

Now enter the " Golden Age of Vienna" with the founding of the Vienna Secession movement in 1897 which brought about the Wienner Werstatte (Vienna Workshop); where artists, designers and architects such as Gustav klimt, Kolomon Moser, Josef Hoffman and Otto Wagner came together to create a new style of art and design outside the confines of academic tradition leaving no stone unturned including FASHION. The German word "Gesamtkunstwerk" poetically defines what these creative minds achieved; the idea of an all embracing art form, a total work of art, breaking down the boundaries between each discipline. Thus, Secession Fashion was born.


Schwestern Flöge 
Was a fashion house by sisters Emily and Helene Flöge. Emily Flöge is known mostly as Gustav Klimt’s lifelong companion
though she was also a fashion designer during the Secession Movement who’s style of dress went against the conservative constraints and allowed for women to be as free and floaty as a Gustav klimt painting. Her designs could be found hanging from the shoulders of the Viennese high society. With each design as rich in colour and embellishment as klimt's paintings of them.








The Fashion house could be found in Mariahilferstraße; one of the most famous fashion shopping streets in Vienna. The building was designed by fellow artist of the Secession Movement Josef Hoffman again bringing together this idea of "Gesamtkunstwerk". His linear and geometric designs of furniture and buildings continues and echoes through the textile designs he contributed to the fashion house.




Koloman Moser designed the interiors of the store and also contributed designs for textiles along with other secession artist.





I predict a rich, colourful and exciting revival for Secession Rational Dress! I think its a beautiful notion full of depth and possibility... Here's a few images on a modern take....