BLACK in FASHION

Recently I went to see an exhibition at the NGV in Melbourne - titled “Black in Fashion - from Mourning to Night” - I wanted to see it because I thought - what a great theme - conjuring so many images and the world of Black. Black representing so many things from authority, confidence, mourning, magic, mystery, so much symbolism and meaning, I thought I was in for a treat. The exhibition, however, was quite a disappointment, Besides a few dresses - wonderful as they were, and a few old paintings of Elizabethan women’s portraits wearing Black- and one Punk outfit - there was nothing else. No write ups of the symbolism of black, no shoes, bags accessories, no meanings, no references to symbolism - nothing. Surely the curators could have come up with more than that, such a big theme. You’d think with the resources available to curators at the NGV - they could have perhaps come up with a much more extensive representation - of Black - in Fashion. Perhaps next time they could summon an Astrologer - we can only hope.

Black perhaps is the most symbolic of all colours. In the fashion world it has never not been around, even though we constantly hear or read term such as “Green is now the new Black” or perhaps”blue” or “purple”. But nothing will ever be as powerful as Black.

Black defines pure elegance or outright rebellion to sophistication and power. From the little black dress to the sumptuous flowing chiffon evening gown, a man in a tuxedo. From old rockers to young punks, from Goths and Mods to priests and vampires, widows to witches, burglars and spies, black is a very strong and powerful symbol. It defines someone of authority someone quite confident, someone who is not afraid to show themselves and who they are, someone who wears their authority on their sleeve, or wears black for a reason, like judges, referees and black belts in some martial arts.

Black is not technically a colour but is any colour at it’s darkest value, it absorbs all colour and is perhaps also the most intriguing colour , non-colour, be it found on velvet, shiny vinyl, soft leather or a furry wrap, black has many disguises and many faces.

Psychologically black is usually associated with very negative things, we have a fear of darkness, bad things happen in the dark. Black is associated with the underground, being undercover, unseen. Black is also associated with depression and death, black magic, the Black Market and Blackmail .

As an Astrologer when we think Black - we automatically think of Saturn. Lord of melancholy and authority, death and darkness. Living in Melbourne a city always attuned to the colour black and myself having a strong Saturn and many black clothes - I found that this exhibit fell far from my expectations of what could have been done with such an deeply symbolic topic.

Anyway - another mission perhaps for the C*I*A in the future.

A huge topic - this site has some more great insights into BLACK and all it's meaning.

http://www.sensationalcolor.com