MORE ABOUT CHARLES KLEIBACKER ownow designs as in the vast majority of the pieces he has chosen to feature in his exhibitions, and certainly in the selections seen in this exhibition. Born in Cullman, Alabama, Charles Kleibacker test garments that would investigate its potential Sevveral of Kleibacker’s exhibitions have earned a degree in journalism from the University and provide guidance for working with it. When of Notre Dame and worked as a newspaper American Silk Mills sought to revive interests in introduced viewers to often-unrecognized New York Designer to Ohio Curator reporter before pursuing graduate studies in natural silk, following years of neglect caused by aspects of fashion whose importance he learned retailing at New York University. He subsequently the shortages of the Second World War and then from his own experiences as a designer. He worked as an advertising copywriter. A job as an by the economic isolation of communist China, saw the ways that photography and illustration assistant to the singer and entertainer Hildegarde that fi rm also turned to Kleibacker. In the 1970s, Charles Kleibacker and the exhibitions of haute couture and ready- were essential in conveying a garment’s took him to Paris in the late 1940s and introduced he demonstrated and discussed its fabrics’ uses, to-wear clothing that he has organized have been a consistent and spirit, along with its appearance, to potential him to the world of the couture houses she especially to home sewers, with tours that took welcome presence in the Columbus arts community for more than customers as well as other audiences. Exploring frequented. Determined to become a designer him all across the country. He also offered advice 20 years. During a time when developments in clothing design have himself, he employed an atelierr head to teach him to home sewers on how to achieve professional those relationships became the theme of often been in the forefront of culture and when fashion exhibitions have the basics of understanding fabrics, draping and results in a series of three articles for Condé such exhibitions as the Riffe Gallery’s Reality drawn crowds to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and other venues design. In 1954, he returned to Paris with a Nast’s Vogue. and Interpretationn in 2000 and DRESSed-up internationally, Kleibacker introduced fashion exhibitions to Columbus. photographic portfolio of his designs and landed a Photographyy (1997) and Uncommon Clothes: position as an assistant designer with Antonio del While based in New York, Kleibacker conducted He has helped make historical and contemporary clothing part of Photographic Inspirationn (2006), both at the Castillo, then the head designer for Lanvin. By workshops and accepted residencies at many what audiences here value seeing, and even expect to see, in our arts colleges and universities. In 1968 he began a Columbus Museum of Art. 1957, Kleibacker had returned to New York. He institutions. But what was Kleibacker doing before he began making worked as a freelance designer, then as an relationship teaching and working on special exhibitions? And how did his work then shape the exhibitions for which Kleibacker’s earliest self-education in the ways assistant designer at Nettie Rosenstein, a well- projects at Mount Mary College in Milwaukee that he would eventually serve as curator? established design house on continues today. As teaching of clothing design taught him to respect the skill and dedication of the and other activities in academia workers in the atelierr (the studio/workshop of a leading design house) Seventh Avenue. Kleibacker: New York Designer to Ohio Curatorr begins to answer came to overshadow designing and to value the special creativity of an atelier’s premierr (or head) and By 1960, he had begun working in his professional life, he closed those questions. One section of the exhibition presents a selection staff. He learned about draping, about the signifi cance of examining on his own and opened his New York business in 1986. of garments designed by Kleibacker himself along with selected fabrics and about fi tting and refi tting. In the exhibition In Black and White: KLEIBACKER studio in New archival materials about his career as a designer. The second, and Kleibacker fi rst came to Dress from the 1920s to Todayy, he gave viewers a peek into an atelier. York City. In 1963, he moved into larger, section brings together pieces selected to represent each of Columbus in 1984 as a visiting In other exhibitions, he has made a point of displaying muslin patterns a spacious seven-room suite on the 11 exhibitions he has organized in Ohio since 1986. Photographs West 73rd Street, which the professor in the Department of along with the garments made from them and so offered viewers a look Textiles and Clothing at The relating to or documenting those exhibitions capture the creative and KLEIBACKER label occupied “behind the scenes” at the work of the designer. Couture/ Ready-to-Wear Ohio State University and often unexpected aspects of the until 1983. His clothes attracted educated viewers about the differences between these two practices became designer-in-residence displays, and show additional the attention of Women’s Wear in clothing design. Finally, as a curator, Kleibacker is always attuned to the Daily, Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar there in 1985. He remained at facets of Kleibacker’s work as details of exquisite craft, whether in elaborate laces, beading or embroidery and Town and Countryy. His off- Ohio State until 1995, where his a curator. By looking at these primary responsibility was to or in the construction of a simple seam or buttonhole. This attention to the-rack designs could be found two aspects of Kleibacker’s build a collection of historical careful workmanship also can be related to Kleibacker’s familiarity with all in such retailers as Bergdorf work with fi ne clothing, the Goodman, Henri Bendel and clothing for the university. phases of clothing design and construction. exhibition demonstrates the Bonwit Teller. Private clients, including actress As the collection grew—with works from such designers and labels as Madeleine Vionnet, Paul common principles that have Both Kleibacker the designer and Kleibacker the curator have shown Diahann Carroll and fi rst lady Pat Nixon, also sought his clothes. Poiret, Chanel, Jean Patou, Balenciaga, Christian guided him in both design and notable ingenuity in drawing on multiple approaches to reach and Dior, Adrian, Irene, Charles James, Norman curating. In addition, it shows interact with varied audiences. While a designer he also became His designs were critically acclaimed by the Norell, Galanos, Pauline Trigère, and many how Kleibacker’s background a consultant on synthetic and natural fi bers and an advisor to home fashion media. He was particularly noted for his others—Kleibacker sought opportunities to raise as a designer has informed sewers on achieving professional results; as a curator he has linked bias-cut designs and often hailed as “the master its profi le in the Columbus community. and enriched the exhibitions clothing design to historical fi gures, fi ne art and the movies. That of the bias.” The New Yorkerr (October 23, 1965) Exhibitions, he soon discovered, were a perfect he has developed. said his “skill approaches divinity.” Women’s Wear way to do this, and so he became a curator, creativity is yet another thread that runs throughout this exhibition. Dailyy (January 3, 1969), placed his work in developing exhibition projects both on the Ohio In any discussion with Charles The majority of the clothing and accessories in this exhibition comes from excellent company: “Besides the seam tailors, State campus and at the Columbus Museum Kleibacker, his strongly held there are soft seamers, too. Designers like Grès, of Art. the Historic Costume and Textiles Collection at The Ohio State University, Galanos or Kleibacker are involved with seams beliefs about clothing design a collection Kleibacker helped found and develop. Other garments and but their constructed shapes take a soft turn.” Kleibacker has continued his curatorial activities quickly become evident. He dislikes the term “fashion,” with its illustrations are on loan from Mount Mary College in Milwaukee and Kent Eugenia Sheppard, in the New York Postt (April 5, since leaving the university, working connotations of swift and superfi cial change, and cherishes designs State University (the Kent State University Museum and the university’s 1972 ) called him “a great individualist among the independently and since 2002 as adjunct curator that stand the test of time. He values the engineering of garments, the School of Fashion Design and Merchandising) and from illustrators American fashion designers,” whose clothes of design at the Columbus Museum of Art. He also has continued his educational activities, way they are designed to complement the human form and utilize the Steven Stipelman and Ruben Toledo and designer Isabel Toledo, “stood out with the same distinction as a Mme. Grès collection in Paris.” through his ongoing relationship with Mount potential of their fabrics. These qualities are as evident in Kleibacker’s all of New York. Mary College, an adjunct professorship in Kent In addition to his own design work, Kleibacker State University’s School of Fashion Design and consulted on fabrics, design and clothing Merchandising and a winter 2001 teaching construction. When DuPont was fi rst developing appointment at Columbus College of Art the new synthetic fi ber that became know as and Design. Qiana, the company turned to Kleibacker to make Essay and biography by Ann Bremner The 11 Exhibitions Ohio Arts Council We’re Building Ohio Through the Arts 727 East Main Street The Ohio Arts Council is a state agency that funds and Columbus, OH supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio Curated by Charles Kleibacker 43205-1796 communities culturally, educationally and economically. 614/466-2613 Ted Strickland, Governor Ohio Arts Council’s RIFFE GALLERY Susan Saxbe, OAC Board Chair 1986 1997 Julie S. Henahan, OAC Executive Director Memorable Dress / DRESSed-up Photography The Ohio Arts Council is an equal opportunity employer. Ohio Women Columbus Museum of Art The Ohio Arts Council’s Riffe Gallery showcases the work The Ohio State University Installation designer: Greg Jones of Ohio’s artists and curators, exhibitions produced by Gallery of Fine Art the Ohio Arts Council’s International Program and the New York Designer to Ohio Curator collections of the region’s museums and galleries. The Exhibition coordinator: Riffe Gallery’s Education Program seeks to increase public Stephanie Blackwood 1998 appreciation and understanding of those exhibitions. Installation designer: Couture / Ready-to-Wear Robert Morehead Columbus Museum of Art

Installation designer: Greg Jones Riffe Gallery Gallery Hours General Information: Vern Riffe Center for Tu 10 – 4 614/644-9624 1989 Government & the Arts W, Th, F 10 – 8 TTY/TDD use Linear Grace: 2000 77 South High Street Sat 12 – 8 Ohio Relay Service: Columbus, OH 43215 Sun 12 – 4 1920s–1930s Haute Couture Reality and Interpretation: 1-800-750-0750 Closed Monday [email protected] Columbus Museum of Art 20th Century Clothing and and state holidays. Installation designer: Brian Maloney Illustration FREE ADMISSION The Ohio Arts Council’s www.riffegallery.org 1992 Riffe Gallery In Black & White: Dress from the 1920s to Today 2004 Wexner Center for the Arts Not-So-Basic Black: Co-curator: Claudia Gould Powerful Presence in 20th This exhibition is produced by the Ohio Arts Council Installation designer: Andrée Putman Century Dress in partnership with the Columbus Museum of Art; Columbus Museum of Art the Historic Costume and Textiles Collection, Installation designer: Greg Jones Geraldine Schottenstein Wing at The Ohio State 1993 University; and Cordelia Robinson. Reel to Real: The Hollywood Designer 2005 This expanded brochure was paid for in part with a donation from an anonymous donor. After Film Sculpture and Drapery: Columbus Museum of Art The Art of Fashion Supported by Ohio Building Authority and these Media Sponsors: Co-curator: Cordelia Robinson The Historic Costume Installation designer: Greg Jones and Textiles Collection, Geraldine Schottenstein Wing at The Ohio State 1996 University Steven Stipelman: Installation designer: Gayle Strege His Illustrations and the Cover image: Steven Stipelman's 1995 illustration of a 1971 Charles Kleibacker dress. Fashions They Refl ect Image on left panel of essay: From the exhibition Uncommon Clothess shown at the Kent State University Museum Columbus Museum of Art in 2006. From left, two-piece ensemble by American designer, 2006 Norman Norell (1900 – 1972, career in New York), gown by American designer Galanos Uncommon Clothes: (James) (born 1924, career in Los Angeles), both garments on loan from the collection Photographic Inspiration of Steven Stipelman, New York. Image on right panel of essay: A photograph of the original installation of Reel to Real: Columbus Museum of Art The Hollywood Designer After Filmm at the Columbus Museum of Art in 1993. Seen here: Installation designer: Greg Jones Adrian’s famous 1945 Modern Museumm dress. MAY 8 JULY 6, 2008 Image with biography: Photograph of Charles Kleibacker courtesy of the Columbus ~ Museum of Art.