mainbocher is a fashion label founded by the american couturier main rousseau bocher ( 1890 – 1976 ) , also known as mainbocher .

established in 1929 , the house of mainbocher successfully operated in paris ( 1929 – 1939 ) and then in new york ( 1940 – 1971 ) .

although often pronounced " man-bo-shay , " the designer 's name is correctly pronounced " maine-bocker . "

mainbocher

mainbocher ' s last paris collections created a storm of controversy . just as later
mainbocher ,
special monograph issue of harper ' s bazaar , july 1967 .
the career of mainbocher discussed ,
in the times , 14 january 1977 .
mainbocher , spring 1958 collection : wool suit with a halter top of lace over shantung .
mainbocher was not much concerned with the ephemeral nature of fashion but with its enduring qualities .
mainbocher also created one of the first strapless ball gowns in the 1930’s . later in the 1950’s , strapless gowns became a common fixture in women’s fashion making mainbocher almost two decades ahead of his time . so yes , we have mainbocher to thank for a lot of trends .
mainbocher : great gentleman of fashion ,
in harper ' s bazaar , june 1971 .
mainbocher died in 1976 at age 85 . his association with chicago never faded , slinkard said .
and established
mainbocher inc .
as a french - american designer of international reputation , mainbocher returned to new york with wide publicity , the first american celebrity in the french fashion world .
mainbocher is really in advance of us all , because he does it in america .
french businessman arnaud de lummen recently purchased the mainbocher trademark , previously never licensed by main bocher .
replica of mainbocher ' s new york city fashion hall of fame plaque . photo : deluxe redux
main rousseau bocher in chicago , illinois , 24 october 1890 ; adopted name mainbocher , circa 1929 .
mainbocher ,
[ obituary ] , in the times ( london ) , 5 january 1977 .
mainbocher , fashion designer for notables since the 1930 ' s , is dead in munich at 85 .
in 1961 , mainbocher business moved to the k . l . m . building on fifth avenue and continued until 1971 when mainbocher , at the age of 81 , closed the doors of his house .
by the way , it’s important to note that mainbocher’s corset premiered 8 - years before dior’s “new look” . if you love dior’s “new look” which i’m sure you do , then you can thank mainbocher for that .
mainbocher put chicago on the fashion map . most of us just didn ' t know it until now .
jacobs , laura ( october 2001 ) , the mark of mainbocher , vanity fair , pp . 87 - 90
mainbocher is really in advance of us all , because he does it in america .
- christian dior
mainbocher .
the columbia encyclopedia , 6th ed . . . retrieved july 09 , 2018 from urltoken urltoken
mainbocher frequently used red for ballgowns . this 1947 dress is fabricated in velvet and trimmed with beads and sequins .
and established his own fashion house , incorporated as
mainbocher couture ,
at 12 avenue george v in paris .
mainbocher . photographer unknown , 1939 ; the metropolitan museum of art , new york , irene lewisohn costume reference library .
with the headline : mainbocher , fashion designer for notables since the 1930 ' s , is dead in munich at 85 .
mainbocher ( left ) shares his sketchbook with staff at the metropolitan museum of art , 1971 . photo : chicago history museum
as a baritone opera singer , mainbocher lost his voice on the night of his big debut which subsequently ended his career .
s , worn with coordinating bare - armed blouses . a mainbocher standby was the little black
nothing
sheath dress .
27 . - 30 . navy uniforms waves uniform , united states naval reserve , 1942 . josephine ogden forrestal , wife of the navy undersecretary asked mainbocher to design the navy uniforms . mainbocher designed the uniforms for $ 1 .  photo : deluxe redux
mainbocher , fashion designer for notables since the 1930 ' s , is dead in munich at 85 . - the new york times
in 1947 , eight of the new york dress institute ' s ten best - dressed women in the world were mainbocher clients .
there were other american couturiers working at the same time as mainbocher , mainly charles james and valentina . but mainbocher was the first american to achieve success as a couturier working in paris in the 1930s . and yes , he was born and raised in chicago .
mainbocher is known for having a deep understanding of his clients which is why his couture creations were highly sought after . to keep up the exclusive nature , prospective buyers made appointments and paid a very high admissions fee . essentially , the mainbocher woman never had to worry about someone having her same dress . mainbocher was certainly not for the masses so even the most expensive department store just wouldn’t do .
mainbocher .
the columbia encyclopedia , 6th ed . . . encyclopedia . com . ( july 9 , 2018 ) . urltoken
mainbocher’s career as a couturier began in paris . he learned about what constitutes “good fashion” from his years working as a fashion artist for
2 . chicago history museum , ( 2016 ) . making mainbocher : the first american couturier [ press release ] . retrieved from urltoken
“ making mainbocher : the first american couturier ” is on view at the chicago history museum from october 22 to august 20 , 2017 .
“by examining the steps taken by mainbocher to achieve great success as a couturier , this exhibition introduces visitors to the extraordinary career of mainbocher and invites them to get to know him as an arbiter of early - to mid - twentieth - century style . ” said petra slinkard , curator of costume . “this exhibition is the first of its kind , dedicated to the study and presentation of the work of mainbocher . ”
f you think you know everything about fashion , you are probably asking yourself why have i never heard of mainbocher ? well for one , mainbocher cannot be found in stores . good luck finding it in neiman marcus or bergdorf goodman . fashion houses like chanel and dior remain household names because the collections continued even after the designer’s deaths . mainbocher also never licensed his name since his clothes were exclusively made to order .
in 2002 , mainbocher was honored with a bronze plaque on new york city ' s fashion walk of fame in the legendary garment district .
the exhibition covers his childhood in chicago , follows mainbocher ' s fashion career in paris and new york and discusses his major fashion contributions .
mainbocher was never formally trained in fashion design , nor did he have an apprenticeship with a designer . he was completely self - taught .
in 1934 mainbocher introduced the boned strapless bodice , and before the war forced him to leave paris , a waist cincher , forming tiny waisted , pleated and skirted dresses that presaged dior ' s postwar new look . mainbocher ' s arrival in new york coincided perfectly with the city
the duchess of windsor ' s wedding gown was blue in color . mainbocher called the color
wallis blue
which matched the color of her eyes . although mainbocher destroyed the dress design almost immediately , the dress went on to become the most copied dress of the 20th century .
mainbocher was assigned to the intelligence corps and much of his work involved trailing members of a drug ring that was supplying narcotics to american fliers .
' s loosely cut , boxy jackets and skirts . the corset that shaped mainbocher ' s last parisian collection was immortalized in 1939 by one of
main rousseau bocher ( october 24 , 1890 - december 27 , 1976 ) , also known as mainbocher . established in 1929 , the house of mainbocher successfully operated in paris ( 1929 - 1939 ) and then in new york ( 1940 - 1971 ) . although often pronounced
man - bo -
mainbocher , it ' s glamour , but with a sense of everyday glamour . . . it ' s so pure , so new .
mainbocher ' s story is not only fascinating , but also inspiring . he carved his path to fashion greatness and in many ways did it first .
christian dior spoke for other fashion geniuses when he said : “mainbocher is really in advance of us all , because he does it in america . ”
learn more about mainbocher below in a chicago history museum video and in a q & a with the museum ' s costume curator , petra slinkard .
an astute businessman , mainbocher had learned the value a full two - page magazine spread when he was a fashion editor and always insisted on it .
mainbocher demanded his designs were shown on double - page spreads so that one could not compare his fashion to another designer within a magazine ' s editorial .
the gallery’s interactive experiences invite visitors to step into a designer role : create a mainbocher - inspired moniker ; flip through sketchbooks featuring fashion illustrations of garments on view ; and use mainbocher’s preferred colors , fabrics , and motifs to design a garment that is projected on a 3 - d dress form in the gallery .
gloria vanderbilt , who recently went into her own dress manufacturing business , credited mainbocher , who used to make her clothes , with influencing her fashion thinking profoundly .
mainbocher ' s corseted waist , defined bosom , and back draping was an abrupt shift in sihouette and introduced the victorian motifs that were to pervade the forties .
mary martin . ( “i’m a mainbocher makeover , ” the actress said . “but , ” qualifies a fashion insider , “she was only chic onstage . ” )
mainbocher produced some of the most expensive clothes in the world—more costly than christian dior . in the 1950 ' s , while dior dresses cost $ 500 - $ 600 , mainbocher ' s dresses were priced between $ 1 , 200 to $ 1 , 300 . some designs were almost as expensive than a rolls royce in 1955 .
american fashion : the life and lines of adrian , mainbocher , mccardell , norell , and trigère / edited by sarah tomerlin lee for the fashion institute of technology .
i think some of mainbocher’s influences are so far - reaching we forget from where they came . for example the beaded cardigan and strapless gown have become fashion staples .
, the
mainbocher corset ,
a nipped - in waist , radically altered the undefined silhouette of the thirties . this change , linked with the fame of his
during the second world war , mainbocher lent his designs to the american navy for the creation of the uniforms for the women only division of the navy , called waves .
first time on public display , 100 - year - old original oil on canvas painting of hawaiian waltz dancers thomas rector and hazel allen by mainbocher . photo : deluxe redux
american fashion : the life and lines of adrian , mainbocher , mccardell , norell , and trigère /  edited by sarah tomerlin lee for the fashion institute of technology .
lee , sarah tomerlin , editor , american fashion : the life and lines of adrian , mainbocher , mccardell , norell , and trigére , new york , 1975 , 1987 .
from the “wallis blue” wedding dress of the duchess of windsor to the crisp nurses uniforms done as a favor to a chicago socialite , mainbocher commanded fashion headlines throughout his six - decade career . the chicago history museum opens its stunning exhibition “making mainbocher : the first american couturier” on october 22 featuring thirty pieces donated by some of chicago’s most fashionable women .
“making mainbocher : the first american couturier” opens at the chicago history museum on october 22 . read more about the exhibit and the additional talks and programs for veterans at urltoken .
a rotund , cherubic man with a thatch of white hair , who almost always wore a v‐neck cashmere sweater under his suit jacket , mainbocher was unpretentious in his speech and attitudes .
he resigned in june 1929 to establish his own couture house with a group of wealthy investors . he took on the name mainbocher , a combination of his first and last names .
an arbiter of fashion , mainbocher created the most luxurious and most expensive garments . frequently inspired by fabrics , he designed with men’s suitings and cotton ginghams as imaginatively as with silks and satins . unlike christian dior , who created a new silhouette each year , mainbocher’s designs fused high fashion with function ; the designs were timeless and easy to wear for many years .
mainbocher also created uniforms for the united states naval reserve waves in navy , white , and seersucker ; the girl scouts ; and nursing students at chicago ' s passavant memorial hospital .
in a retrospective exhibition of fashions in paris last summer , several mainbocher dresses were included in a show called “a century of fashion . ” it was a rare honor for an american .
mainbocher was known for the understated elegance of his couture clothing . among his innovations were short evening dresses , jeweled sweaters , and a revival of the corset that anticipated dior’s new look .
making mainbocher : the first american couturier is at the chicago history museum , 1601 n . clark street , chicago , until august 20 , 2017 . dedicated to the life and legacy of mainbocher , this exhibition is sponsored by the costume council of the chicago history museum and curated by petra slinkard . it features 30 garments , numerous photographs , illustrations , and oral histories .
american couturier , editor , and artist main rousseau bocher left a legacy in the world of international haute couture fusing his first and last name , he and his couture house were known as mainbocher . three generations of new york and european socialites were mainbocher clients . from 1922 - 1971 , he i nnovated women’s fashion , the couture world , and fashion publications . mainbocher is best remembered for designing wallis simpson ’s wedding dress for her controversial marriage to edward , duke of windsor in 1936 . powder blue , named wallis blue by mainbocher , floor length , with long sleeves and draping in the front , buttons lined the torso below the bustline . it was an international sensation . the dress is known as the most reproduced couture dress in fashion history .
by the 1950s and 1960s , old guard mainbocher customers enjoyed wearing impeccably made classic coats and suits of wool , often fur - lined , in the midst of nouveau - riche ostentation . the typical ladylike daytime mainbocher look was accessorized by a plain velvet bow in the hair instead of a hat , a choker of several strands of real pearls , white gloves , and plain pumps with matching handbag . the integrity of luxurious fabrics , intricate cut , quality workmanship and materials , elegance and classicism , were cherished and worn for years by mainbocher ' s upper crust customers .
american fashion : the life and lines of adrian , mainbocher , mccardell , norell , and trigère / edited by sarah tomerlin lee for the fashion institute of technology . - version details - trove
the chicago history museum’s latest exhibit “making mainbocher : the first american couturier” explores the life and legacy of the west garfield park native in great depth and detail . while his name is not as famous as coco chanel or christian dior , this doesn’t mean his contributions aren’t noteworthy . whether it’s the corset or the strapless gown , you can definitely see a bit of mainbocher in your favorite garments .
as a fellow chicagoan , i was excited and proud that the chicago history museum was able to tell mainbocher ' s story for the first time . what a significant contribution to the fashion industry !
the brand has not yet been resurrected , but it is a great question , as the owner of the mainbocher brand [ paris - based entrepreneur arnaud de lummen of luvanis ] will be at the museum on saturday , october 22 , to discuss the pros and cons of resurrecting “sleeping beauty” brands such as mainbocher . the talk begins at 10 : 30 am and is free with museum admission .
as the years progressed , mainbocher continued to design exclusively on a made - to - order basis , refusing to license his name . la galerie , a department in his salon , did produce clothes in standard sizes , a compromise for busy women without time for lengthy fittings . the reverse snobbery of the humble pastel gingham or cotton piqué used for fancy dresses appealed to mainbocher ' s clientéle , as did refined tweed suits with subtle dressmaker touches such as curved bands or fabric appliqués , worn with coordinating bare - armed blouses . a mainbocher standby was the little black
nothing
sheath dress .
too avant - garde . instead , he admired vionnet and borrowed her bias - cut technique for his own simple slip evening dresses in the 1930s . twenty years later , a very similar slip design was employed by mainbocher , produced in a signature elegant silk velvet fabric . from augustabernard , another 1920s french dress designer , mainbocher was inspired not only to form his name , but to use godets in skirts , and shoulder bows to catch the folds of draped bodices . frequent mainbocher suit treatments in the 1930s included short capelet effects or dropped shoulders widening into full sleeves . the designer knew his client
while there is so much to learn about the first american couturier , i’ve compiled a handy - dandy list of five 5 fast facts you should know about couture and mainbocher before you visit the exhibit .
ou can learn more about the fascinating and wonderful mainbocher at the chicago history museum . you’ll learn all kinds of interesting facts during your visit that will give you a newfound appreciation for a chicago icon .
mrs . ronald balcom ( millicent rogers , the standard oil heiress , with a penchant for indian jewelry , folkloric clothing , and historical costumes , combined with mainbocher , schiaparelli , and charles james ) .
a mover and shaker in the fashion world , mainbocher coined the now commonly - used term off - white during his years as editor at french vogue , and created french vogue’s opening editorial eye view , which ran in print 50 years after he left the publication . as a couturier in the 1930s , mainbocher was first to impose a guarantee of purchase for clients who came to view his collection in the showroom . other couturiers followed . mainbocher moved from chicago to new york city , in 1909 , to study art . but his love of opera pushed him on to europe . during the early 1900s , the difficulties of world war i forced him back and forth between the u . s . and europe . he studied art and made connections in munich , paris , london , and new york . mainbocher began designing clothing for his female friends in the u . s . inspired by his success , he showed some designs to captain molyneux , a british courtier , in paris , 1917 . molyneux and he could not settle on a price , but on his way out of the showroom an assistant suggested that mainbocher apply for the fashion illustrator job at the paris outpost of harper’s bazaar . from there , mainbocher’s fashion career skyrocketed .
making mainbocher : the first american couturier
10 / 22 - 8 / 2017 , chicago history museum , 1601 n . clark , 312 - 642 - 4600 , chicagohistory . org , $ 16 .
tens of thousands of school - aged children visit the museum ' s costume exhibit to learn history through fashion . perhaps mainbocher will ignite a dream in one of these young chicagoans ,
added smith .
wearing mainbocher , i think you felt — perfect ,
vanderbilt says in the recording .
you felt like sylph . there was nothing silly about it . there was no fringe . they were all smooth , you know , unctuous fabrics . they were just so elegantly , beautifully made , probably severely elegant . i felt that if you walked into a room wearing a mainbocher , you were a vision .
lite trade in 1940 new york . no less appealing was the fact that mainbocher had designed the duchess of windsor ' s trousseau upon her marriage in 1937 . in 1930 , after several years as editor of french
in addition to uniforms for the girl scouts and the passavant hospital nurses , mainbocher was asked to outfit the waves ( the women’s branch of the united states naval reserve ) during world war ii . with this in mind , the history museum has scheduled two upcoming events honoring mainbocher’s own war service and the uniforms he designed : a uso dance october 24 and a veteran’s day presentation november 11 , free to veterans and their families .
in the course of his 41 - year career in design , mainbocher would be credited with inventing or popularizing the short ( er ) evening dress ( 1931 ) , the strapless dress ( 1934 ) , a cinched - waist silhouette that predated the new look ( 1939 ) , the evening cardigan ( 1941 ) , and the sheath ( 1946 ) . these were worn by clients including diana vreeland , guest , babe paley , and wallis simpson , who donned a custom mainbocher when she married her prince . he was also admired by christian dior and isabella blow , but not by charles james . “mainbocher , ” james railed against his rival in the new york times , “represents a rich , artificial , and purse - proud exclusivity . ” ( ironically , businessman arnaud de lummen is said to have bought the rights to both the mainbocher and charles james brands . )
the chicago history museum explores the life and legacy of an enterprising chicagoan who rose to the heights of the fashion world in its newest costume exhibition , making mainbocher : the first american couturier opening saturday , october 22 .
known for his elegant , understated designs , mainbocher also created uniforms for the united states naval reserve women accepted for volunteer emergency service ( waves ) ; the girl scouts ; and nursing students at chicago’s passavant memorial hospital .
mainbocher , mrs . loyal davis , mrs . leon mandel ( wearing a uniform by the designer ) , mrs . james ward thorne , and mrs . alden b . swift . courtesy of the northwestern memorial hospital archives .
the exhibition is sponsored by the costume council of the chicago history museum with lead corporate sponsor luvanis . for more on making mainbocher and the chicago history museum’s programs and exhibitions , visit urltoken or call 312 - 642 - 4600 .
main rousseau bocher , the fashion designer from chicago who , under the name of mainbocher , was a dominant figure in the paris couture in the 1930 ' s , died in munich monday night . he was 85 years old .
you don ' t have to be a chicagoan or even a fashionista , for that matter , to be interested in how main rousseau bocher morphed into mainbocher . success , especially when it seems so improbable , is always alluring .
mainbocher suddenly decided to channel his artistic sensibilities into the establishment of a couture salon in paris . editorial experience enabled him to sense what would become fashionable and to package himself as an exclusive designer to the wealthy and the titled .
mainbocher was , undoubtedly , a snob , but one who inspired loyalty and devotion among his well - heeled clients . these women found pleasure , utility , comfort , and even value in clothes that were costly , built to last , and trend - free . as vogue put it : “mainbocher sees fashion as simple , easy , unpretentious . it has a low voice . fits in . does not sniff at last season . yet it is completely contemporary . ”
during the early 1920s he worked at the american edition of harper’s bazaar in paris before moving to french vogue as the paris fashion editor , eventually becoming editor - in - chief of french vogue in 1927 . the year 1929 marked his entrance into the world as a couturier . he left french vogue to start his own couture house . his clothing was based on his personal theory of simplicity - luxuriously draped fabrics and eveningwear cut on the bias . his final collection saw the return of the corset and nipped waist , causing controversy . critics of mainbocher said he lacked creativity . but what mainbocher lacked in ornate or over - embellished design , he made up for in his way of working . in an unusual style , he first chose the fabric , twisting and draping it before having it sketched by a friend , then finally actualized . the mainbocher customer was the epitome of high society . his most famous clients included gloria vanderbilt cooper , daisy fellowes , princess maria christina de bourbon , cz guest and barbara paley . the women who wore mainbocher were very loyal , often wearing it exclusively . despite all this , mainbocher came to an end in 1971 , when he retired .
mainbocher considered his contemporary chanel too plebeian , and schiaparelli too avant - garde . instead , he admired vionnet and borrowed her bias - cut technique for his own simple slip evening dresses in the 1930s . twenty years later , a very similar slip design was employed by mainbocher , produced in a signature elegant silk velvet fabric . from augustabernard , another 1920s french dress designer , mainbocher was inspired not only to form his name , but to use godets in skirts , and shoulder bows to catch the folds of draped bodices . frequent mainbocher suit treatments in the 1930s included short capelet effects or dropped shoulders widening into full sleeves . the designer knew his clientéle personally and designed for the lives they led , specializing in evening clothes . for resort wear he ventured into a mix - and - match ensemble consisting of matching top , skirt , bathing suit , and hat . slim , demure black wool dresses for daytime would sport white chiffon interest at the throat .
designer : mainbocher ( american , 1890–1976 ) date : 1937 culture : french medium : silk , leather , straw , coq feathers credit line : gift of the duchess of windsor , 1950 accession number : c . i . 50 . 110a–j
if you want even more action , you can become a designer for a day at the make your own couture gown station . trust me , you’ll have so much fun exploring the fabrics and patterns of mainbocher by creating your own gown .
“the workshops of mainbocher , famous paris couturier , where you see seamstresses at work preparing the trousseau of the american beauty who will wed the duke of windsor at monts on june 3 . ” bettmann / bettmann nast collection / getty images .
to get a sense of the mainbocher mystique , just listen to jean harvey vanderbilt , who was married to gloria ' s cousin , alfred gwynne vanderbilt , as she shares with exhibit visitors taped memories of visiting the designer ' s manhattan atelier .
i have always loved the classic , clean lines of norman norell and halston , more recently tom ford for gucci , and designers who shake things up a bit like mugler , gaultier , and moschino . i have always known and admired mainbocher .
mcconathy , dale ( 1975 ) , american fashion - the life and lines of adrian , mainbocher , mccardell , norell and trigère , the fashion institute of technology , quadrangle , pp . 115 - 200 , isbn 0 - 8129 - 0524 - 5
mainbocher designed for the most exclusive clientele including diana vreeland , actress claudette colbert , decorator elsie de wolfe , american uber - socialite babe paley , watson armour iii ' s first wife , jean schweppe , gloria vanderbilt , and the duchess of windsor .
pe dress itself , was widely copied . the simple , conservative elegance of mainbocher ' s style , feminine but not fussy , perfectly suited the slim , severe good looks of the duchess and wealthy women like her . additionally , she was honoring a fellow american .
although he left chicago at 19 , he returned frequently for business and lectured at the fashion group in the 1940s . mainbocher returned to his alma mater , john marshall high school , frequently to talk with students and tried always to fit in a lyric opera performance .
at 81 , mainbocher closed his new york fashion house in 1971 and died five years later . the fashion world lost its first french - american designer of international fame and the waves , nurses , and girl scouts lost a friend who cared deeply about their work .
you may have better luck finding mainbocher at auctions , but even still his pieces are incredibly rare . however , if you do manage to get your hands on one of his couture creations expect it to go anywhere from $ 1 , 000 – $ 2 , 000 .
designer : mainbocher ( american , 1890–1976 ) date : ca . 1938 culture : french medium : silk credit line : gift of mrs . harrison williams , lady mendl , and mrs . ector munn , 1946 accession number : c . i . 46 . 4 . 1
in 1939 , world war ii had forced the couturier to move his showroom stateside , and though he vowed to return to paris , he never did . the fact that only about 22 % of mainbocher’s customers were american , combined with the new favor of ready - to - wear over couture drastically reduced his sales . but mainbocher left a lasting impression on the fashion world . as an artist , editor and couturier , his critical eye and passion aided his success in all three categories . mainbocher did things his own way , and wasn’t afraid of what his peers or anyone else thought . on designing clothing , he said : «i don’t believe that dressmaking is an art but i do think that dresses are an important part of the art of living , just as important as food , surroundings , work and play» .
accedance to wartime economies resulted in mainbocher ' s short evening dresses , and versatile cashmere sweaters—beaded , lined in silk , and closed by jeweled buttons—designed to keep women warm in their bare evening gowns . another practical wartime innovation , the
glamor belt ,
an apron - like , sequined or bead - encrusted accessory , could be added to embellish any plain costume . practically gratis , mainbocher designed uniforms for the u . s . women ' s marine corps , the waves ( navy ) , the american red cross , and the girl scouts .
i am absolutely crazy about mainbocher’s clothes . i think they are so subtle , the detailing is so extraordinary , and they are so unbelievably evocative of such a particular time and place and milieu and lifestyle , of absolute subtle luxury . you can really see why a client like
mainbocher’s rise was meteoric ; by 1932 vogue was writing that the designer was “a new star in the firmament of the paris couture . ” from the start , mainbocher was clear about who he wanted to dress and how he wanted his work to be presented . he demanded , and got , double - page spreads . his approach , he would tell vogue , was to make clothes that were “a friend to woman—the kind of friend you can see again and again and not get sick of . ” they were , he said , “intensely wearable , but have great gaiety and mystery , too . ” though unafraid of prints or color , it was his elevation of the humble in the form of decorative cardigans for evening and his concealment of luxury à la fur - lined coats that made signature statements . mainbocher wasn’t a minimalist , at least not in the sense that the word is used today , though he can be placed on a continuum that includes designers such as norman norell , halston , and perhaps bottega veneta’s tomas maier . “severely elegant” is the phrase client jean harvey vanderbilt used to describe mainbocher’s spare , sharply edited designs .
main rousseau bocher ( 1890–1976 ) grew up in a modest home on chicago’s west side . educated at john marshall high school and the lewis institute ( a precursor to the illinois institute of technology ) , mainbocher transformed his interest in the arts into a fashion empire serving royalty , hollywood icons and the social elite . as stated on his plaque on new york’s fashion walk of fame , “mainbocher was known for the understated elegance of his couture clothing . among his innovations were short evening dresses , jeweled sweaters , and a revival of the corset that anticipated dior’s new look . ”
known as the designer of wallis simpson’s dress when she married the duke of windsor in 1937 , main rousseau bocher was the first american couturier in paris . his story and work is the subject of the “ making mainbocher : the first american couturier ” exhibition at the chicago history museum .
most famous for designing the wedding dress of the duchess of windsor in 1937 , mainbocher balanced his elite brand by creating uniforms for the navy w . a . v . e . s . during world war ii , the girl scouts of america and nursing students at chicago’s passavant memorial hospital .
i believe that it was mainbocher’s upbringing that helped enable him to achieve the level of success he did . not having come from a wealthy family meant he had to work hard for everything he achieved and he needed to be smart and flexible in achieving his goals . becoming a couturier requires a great amount of skill and creative talent . haute couture is a complex system of industry standards and social mores . what is most impressive about mainbocher’s path is that he was an american working in the french system and then went on to adhere to the same process in the united states later .
the snob appeal of patronizing an american couturier with a french sounding name—extremely successful in paris for a decade before his arrival in the united states—appealed to the socially élite trade in 1940 new york . no less appealing was the fact that mainbocher had designed the duchess of windsor ' s trousseau upon her marriage in 1937 . in 1930 , after several years as editor of french vogue , mainbocher suddenly decided to channel his artistic sensibilities into the establishment of a couture salon in paris . editorial experience enabled him to sense what would become fashionable and to package himself as an exclusive designer to the wealthy and the titled .
with each garment in the exhibit , visitors travel through time and get a firsthand look at the couture of the 1930’s through the 60’s . each piece whether it be the gown worn by mrs armour watson iii or the uniforms from the girl scouts of america revealed mainbocher’s astute attention to detail and quality .
designer : mainbocher ( american , 1890–1976 ) date : 1946 culture : american medium : wool credit line : brooklyn museum costume collection at the metropolitan museum of art , gift of the brooklyn museum , 2009 ; gift of arturo and paul peralta - ramos , 1954 accession number : 2009 . 300 . 169
his philosophy was rooted in simplicity and sophistication . i think , in many cases , less is more when it comes to mainbocher ' s designs , ' ' she said .
he ' s the designer that had great impact , but many people don ' t know who he is . ' '
mainbocher still kept busy even during the war . he designed uniforms for girl scouts , the red cross , and other military services . instead of floor length gowns , his dresses featured shorter hemlines . during this time , shorter evening dresses became the mainstay throughout all designer collections due to the strict fabric regulations .
the chicago history museum’s mission is to share chicago’s stories . mainbocher’s biography had not yet been told through an exhibition and so it seemed like a good fit for us at this time . his story is multifaceted and in my opinion , fascinating . i’m thrilled that we get to share it with them now .
* correction : this post has been amended to correctly reflect the names of mainbocher ' s best - known clients as identified by exhibit curator petra slinkard . several of those mentioned used their husband ' s names , hence were distinguished simply by the title
mrs . ,
which has now been supplied .
petra slinkard , chicago history museum curator of costumes , said ,
one of the things that most impressed me about mainbocher was that he was always a west sider at heart . this man was a chicago - born designer , artist , editor and patriot . he never distanced himself from our city .
in 1934 mainbocher introduced the boned strapless bodice , and before the war forced him to leave paris , a waist cincher , forming tiny waisted , pleated and skirted dresses that presaged dior ' s postwar new look . mainbocher ' s arrival in new york coincided perfectly with the city élite ' s love for french couture , for though he epitomized it , he satisfied their patriotism because he was actually an american . society matrons such as c . z . guest and the vanderbilts , and stage actresses such as mary martin , avidly patronized this
most expensive custom dressmaker
who made women look and feel exquisitely well - bred .
designer : mainbocher ( american , 1890–1976 ) date : 1950 culture : american medium : silk , metal credit line : brooklyn museum costume collection at the metropolitan museum of art , gift of the brooklyn museum , 2009 ; gift of arturo and paul peralta - ramos , 1954 accession number : 2009 . 300 . 173
fashion was the focus at the opening - night gala oct . 21 of
making mainbocher : the first american couturier
presented by the costume council of the chicago history museum . over 200 stylish partygoers attended the event at the museum to celebrate the life and work of chicago - born designer main rousseau bocher .
in addition to his custom order collections , mainbocher also designed costumes for the stage . among the stars he dressed were mary martin in “the sound of music , ” irene worth in “tiny alice , ” ethel merman in “call me madam , ” rosalind russell in “wonderful town” and katherine cornell in “the prescott papers . ”
from the start , mainbocher specialized in simple , conservative , elegant , and extremely expensive fashions , the luxury of cut , materials , and workmanship that could only be recognized by those in the know . most importantly , the clothes , exquisitely finished inside and out , gave self - confidence to the women who wore them .
mainbocher had a design philosophy rooted in elegance and sophistication which became apparent in each of his garments . he remains an iconic figure in the world of fashion and his legacy cannot be ignored . not one to overlook such an iconic figure , we have the chicago history museum to thank for breathing more life into his story .
as the years progressed , mainbocher continued to design exclusively on a made - to - order basis , refusing to license his name . la galerie , a department in his salon , did produce clothes in standard sizes , a compromise for busy women without time for lengthy fittings . the reverse snobbery of the humble pastel gingham or cotton piqu
mainbocher located his salon on the third floor on a quiet residential street in paris . unlike other couturiers , he established a “caution”–a fee to see the designs ; this fee was applied to any orders clients placed . this reduced copying by other designers , manufacturers , and retailers . his business flourished , and he bought out his original investors .
while mainbocher did use some japanese - like kimonos as eveningwear during this period , his hallmark was nonaggressive , not exaggerated or period dressing . a touch of labor - intensive luxury would be bestowed by all - over sequins on an evening jacket or on a bare top worn discreetly under a jacket . the grayish - blue ,
wallis blue ,
of the duchess of windsor ' s wedding dress , as well as the long , fluid crêpe dress itself , was widely copied . the simple , conservative elegance of mainbocher ' s style , feminine but not fussy , perfectly suited the slim , severe good looks of the duchess and wealthy women like her . additionally , she was honoring a fellow american .
designed to keep women warm in their bare evening gowns . another practical wartime innovation , the
glamor belt ,
an apron - like , sequined or bead - encrusted accessory , could be added to embellish any plain costume . practically gratis , mainbocher designed uniforms for the u . s . women ' s marine corps , the waves ( navy ) , the american
n what must be one of most intriguingly messaged wedding looks of all time , simpson wore a silk crepe dress designed for her by mainbocher , an american couturier working in paris at the time . the dress was dyed ‘wallis blue’ , a pale duck egg shade which the designer coined especially to match his client’s eyes - white was obviously not an option , but . . .
mainbocher closed his couture house in 1939 as the germans moved into france . he returned to the united states and opened a small salon in new york city . many of his paris customers had been americans , so it wasn’t a surprise that his first collection was wildly successful . he moved to a new , larger salon near tiffany & co . on 57th street in manhattan .
on friday , october 21 , the costume council will present the exhibition’s opening gala , worthy of the elegance of mainbocher . kristin noelle smith serves as costume council chair and benefit co - chairs are nancy connelley , marci holzer , and mary shearson . chicago’s chicest will have a preview tour of the exhibition , hear remarks by petra slinkard and enjoy dinner and dancing at the museum .
follow the trajectory of mainbocher’s life throughout the exhibition , discovering his bold career choices and unrelenting ambition that guided him through work in chicago , paris and new york . exhibition highlights include a 1937 suit identical to one selected by the duchess for her trousseau , a stunning strapless ball gown worn by mrs . watson armour iii , two items donated by the couturier and samples of his uniforms .
hen we think of the fashion capitals of the world we think of new york , paris , and milan . as a fashion lover in chicago , it always disappoints me that chicago is not part of such a prestigious group . however , chicago is home to a very iconic figure in fashion and chances are you have never heard of him . meet mainbocher , the first american couturier .
it was a time of grandeur and mainbocher ( he ran his name together for his label , in the manner of other reigning couturiers such as louiseboulanger and augustabernard ) startled by his simplicity . he made short evening dresses instead of long ones , he designed cloth coats to wear at night instead of furs and he used peasantlike checked cottons for grand evening dresses . he became the rage of paris .
how a man from east garfield park ( a 1940 new yorker profile described him growing up on
the unfashionable west side of chicago
) found himself dressing some of the world ' s most notable women , first in 1930s paris and then for decades in new york , is the theme of the new exhibit at the chicago history museum :
making mainbocher : the first american couturier .
“ making mainbocher , ” a new exhibition opening in chicago tomorrow , is a long - overdue hometown homage to an autodidactic designer , main rousseau bocher , who created exquisite designs for the crème de la crème . if his outlook wasn’t particularly democratic , bocher’s life was a rather splendid example of the american dream , which we are hearing so much about this election season , and bears a brief retelling .
ainbocher was a trendsetter in more ways than one . one of his most iconic yet controversial creations was the “mainbocher corset” it dramatically pulled in the waist and altered an undefined silhouette creating a defined bosom . his last and final parisian collection featured the iconic yet controversial piece . he was a little ahead of his time by accentuating the figure of a woman in the 1930’s , so the controversy is understandable .
while mainbocher did use some japanese - like kimonos as eveningwear during this period , his hallmark was nonaggressive , not exaggerated or period dressing . a touch of labor - intensive luxury would be bestowed by all - over sequins on an evening jacket or on a bare top worn discreetly under a jacket . the grayish - blue ,
wallis blue ,
of the duchess of windsor ' s wedding dress , as well as the long , fluid cr
mrs . winston guest . ( c . z . , wife of the dashing sportsman . lambert introduced the outdoorsy guest to mainbocher , a match that proved to be as mutually inspiring as the enduring one he enjoyed with the duchess of windsor . “in main , c . z . was so understated that when she went to spain they didn’t understand her at all , ” recalls a fashion editor . “they thought she dressed like a governess . ” )
“main bocher and five new mainbochers , from left to right : [ on sunny harnett ] silk surah morning glories—pink and fuchsia on black , one of the few long dresses mainbocher showed this season . this has his famous bias cut , a cowboy fling of scarf trickling off the shoulders . at main bocher’s , left , one of those short evening dresses that look almost too fragile to breathe on—embroidered white organdy . over [ isabelle albonico’s ] arm , a short red faille coat . the coat half - hidden by this one [ on anne st . marie ] is fitted white cotton , with a dotty pink - and - white lining . the other dots—mauve on white—belong to one of the famous mainbocher suit blouses , and account for much of the charm of the mauve jersey suit in the foreground [ on dorothy mcgowan ] . finally , a cashmere dress with its own flick of jacket in white and yellow checks . the coiffures by kenneth of lily daché . ”
at the close of the 40s , lambert improvised a “best - dressed fashion professionals” list : the flamboyant valentina , whose producer husband , george schlee , was greta garbo’s lover ; sophie gimbel ( sophie of saks ) ; maxime de la falaise , then a designer at paquin ; and mrs . john c . wilson ( born natasha paley , she was a morganatic russian princess , mainbocher’s directrice , the wife of noël coward’s lover , and the possessor , cecil beaton wrote , of an “instinctive and poetic beauty” ) .
the costume council of the chicago history museum presents a first look at the exhibition at making mainbocher : an opening night gala , on friday , october 21 . the fashionable evening gala promises cocktails , dinner and dancing . the event is sponsored by the costume council of the chicago history museum alongside liz stiffel as presenting sponsor ; luvanis as lead corporate sponsor ; laurent perrier ; jewell catering and bbj linen as event sponsors ; and chicago magazine as media sponsor . co - chairs for the event are nancy connelly , marci holzer , and mary shearson .
“in actual fact , ” mainbocher divulged to town & country in 1967 , the poll was “a publicity stunt for my paris house , ” orchestrated “by the directrice of my salon with the aid of a helpful journalist . naturally , the top awards went to my own clients with a few others sprinkled in for verisimilitude . we did not take it all seriously at the time but others did ; indeed , it was a sensation , and it eventually passed out of our hands altogether . since then , there has been a stupendous escalation of the original idea . ”
mainbocher , known for his sense of decorum , created a garment impeccably suited to the occasion . if his design seems conservative , as compared to the modern experiments of others in the 1930s , it was because he sought an unerring gentility . he held decoration to a minimum , favoring refined feminine forms ( petal - shaped collar , shirring , small embroideries ) . even the gloves were specifically designed to accommodate the wedding ring . while a defect in the stability of the dye has caused the dress to lose its
wallis
blue , it retains the willful seemliness of a marriage in world view .
kristin noelle smith , president of the costume council of the chicago history museum , spoke of mainbocher ' s legacy .
he was born and raised on the west side of chicago , served in world war i in france and rose to become the first american couturier , one of only two ever , to be granted this label by the french government . . . . he was a one - of - a - kind , exceptional chicagoan who reached the pinnacle of design .
his client list included hollywood icons , socialites and royalty . ( he designed the duchess of windsor ' s wedding gown ) .
mainbocher
is usually given a frenchified spin (
man - bo - shay
) , appropriate for a venerated fashion house that dressed generations of a - listers , women such as the duchess of windsor , whose 1937 wedding gown in
wallis blue
is one of the most recognizable garments of the 20th century ; gloria vanderbilt , the jeans designer and anderson cooper ' s mom ; socialite c . z . guest ; legendary vogue editor diana vreeland ; and mary martin , the broadway star . but the name of the man himself was pronounced
maine bocker ,
for he was american — born and raised in chicago .


die gute fabrik aps is a danish independent game developer based in copenhagen , denmark .

founded in 2008 by nils deneken , it is owned by him , douglas wilson , and christoffer holmgård .

the company is best known for developing where is my heart ? and johann sebastian joust , a game included in sportsfriends .

die gute fabrik

road to the igf : die gute fabrik ' s j . s . joust
die gute fabrik is an independent developer that has no problem with having an identity crisis .
die gute fabrik was launched in 2008 and is based in copenhagen and new york city .
gamasutra - road to the igf : die gute fabrik ' s j . s . joust
die gute fabrik is german for “the good factory” - the studio sits atop a cliffside overlooking the majestic fjords of denmark .
die gute fabrik is an independent games studio that develops games which are hand - crafted , synaesthetic , offbeat , and personal .
johann sebastian joust is a game by die gute fabrik . website made by pixelate . this site is best experienced on whatever browser or device you prefer to use .
there ' s very little ego behind the process , wilson and deneken explained ; the permanent and transient members of die gute fabrik pick the projects they love , then work together to get them made .
/ view / news / 129376 / road _ to _ the _ igf _ die _ gute _ fabriks _ js _ joust . php
mutazione , which was unveiled during venus patrol and mocatv ' s alternative e3 press conference horizon after several years of teasing by die gute fabrik , has been formulating in the back of nils ' mind since before he and wilson even met at the very first indiecade in 2008 .
wilson , deneken and the rotating cast of collaborators who create games at die gute fabrik trade leadership roles freely . each of their major game releases were spearheaded by a different person ; johann sebastian joust is led up by wilson , mutazione by deneken , where is my heart by collaborator bernhard schulenburg .
telecommuting is a new issue for die gute fabrik ' s owners , but it ' s always been a trial for their development projects . the studio ' s collaborators are spread out across the world . programmer george buckingham is based out of london . composer alessandro coronas lives in sardinia , italy .
now , development on a retail version of joust — to be released in the sportsfriends bundle for playstation 3 and pc —is
picking up pretty fast ,
wilson explained . die gute fabrik has hired the contractors they needed to finalize the four games included in the package , leaving wilson to polish joust , his own contribution to the project .
mutazione ' s development is supported by a grant die gute fabrik received from the danish film institute all the way back in 2009 . the team has to
burn on a low flame ,
deneken explained , until it receives additional funding — while games like where is my heart were well - received , they didn ' t sell enough to fund the team ' s other efforts .
wilson reached out to game designer and artist dominique
dom2d
ferland , who contributed art for the sportsfriends kickstarter project , to create visual assets for the game . wilson said he ' s incredibly selective when it comes to collaborators on die gute fabrik ' s games , but dom ' s illustrations , which depict baroque - era characters playing the game ' s soundtrack on musical instruments , were an instant hit .
die gute fabrik is a small games studio based in copenhagen and new york city . we take classic play forms from the past - be they physical folk games from the playground or adventure games from old consoles - and breathe new life into them with 21st century technology and our own sense of style and storytelling . we strive to develop games that are hand - crafted , synaesthetic , offbeat , and above all , personal .
die gute fabrik is an independent games studio that develops games which are hand - crafted , synaesthetic , offbeat , and personal . it converts classic play forms from the past such as physical folk games from the playground or adventure games from old consoles into 21st century games with new technology . its games include sportsfriends , johann sebastian joust , where is my heart , mutazione , rückblende , b . u . t . t . o . n . , and more .
those two titles — just a portion of the team ' s full portfolio — have been well received , but couldn ' t be any more different ; one , a highly mechanical and lovingly illustrated traditional video game , the other , a display - free , all - physical sporting event . die gute fabrik hasn ' t pigeonholed itself as a specialist in a singular genre ; and they ' re not looking to , either . that fact is clearly evidenced by the next project coming from the developer : the quiet , painterly adventure game mutazione .
die gute fabrik ' s development strategy of disassociated projects and shifting personnel is not going to change , wilson and deneken said . the freedom they ' ve achieved has allowed them to explore new ideas without shackling themselves to sequels or a specific genre . as long as they keep moving , they won ' t run out of ideas . it ' s that very playfulness with design that led to joust ' s invention in the first place . it ' s what let them develop tower no tumble , a crokinole - inspired sifteo cube game with ties to the mutazione universe , earlier this year .
it was a lot like that when i was with my danish colleagues in copenhagen game collective ,
wilson added .
we were working on a lot of party games and stuff , and that was fun , and great for a few years . but at some point it was like , now i just want to make games with nils and a few other people in our die gute fabrik band , so to speak . whatever that is , that ' s what it ' ll be . will that be intelligible to other people ? i don ' t know . we ' re just going to have to try our best .
douglas wilson is a lead game designer and partner at die gute fabrik , a small games studio based in copenhagen , denmark and new york city . doug recently finished a phd dissertation at it university of copenhagen , where he wrote about designing games that embrace an aesthetic of confrontation , silliness , and brokenness . his games have been shown around the world , in venues such as the independent games festival , indiecade , and the museum of modern art . he grew up playing simple folk games , and also videogames like goldeneye 007 , mario kart , and dance dance revolution , and wants to help carry those kinds of experiences into today’s world .
die gute fabrik experimented with making the screen a more mechanical part of the retail release of joust , but it never felt natural . the studio looked to one of it ' s older titles , button , for inspiration ; in button , the screen simply displayed a real - life action players had to perform before pressing their controller ' s button to win the round . it ' s a game that required its players — perhaps complete strangers demoing the game at an exhibition — to roughhouse in a generally humorous manner . to break the ice , the game ' s visuals featured fittingly humorous graphics (
dumb , kind of stoner graphics ,
in wilson ' s own words ) drawn by deneken .
the denmark - based studio , owned by joint founders douglas wilson and nils deneken , is far from unproven , having critically - acclaimed puzzle - platformer where is my heart and folk game darling johann sebastian joust already under its belt . later this year , the studio will release a mac , windows pc and linux port of the former title , while the latter is being bundled into the sportsfriends package , which met a lofty $ 150 , 000 kickstarter goal late last year .
i kind of conceived the project , and was working on it back then , when we were meeting at indiecade ,
deneken said .
that ' s actually a really long time ! it was always in the back of my head , always developing that world , drawing backgrounds and shaping that world , and looking for people who would love to work on that with me .
he found that collaborator in wilson , beginning a partnership that would shape both the studio they founded and all the games that they would create .
[ mutazione ] really is nils ' s project , it ' s his baby ,
wilson said .
i see myself as wanting to help bring nils ' s vision to life , which is really different from joust . nils was really there for the genesis of joust — i think i ' ve told this story before , but i ' m not sure that game would even exist in its current form if nils hadn ' t been there at this game jam , helping me explore the idea . but that game is very much , kind of , my game that nils has supported along the way . it ' s the flip relationship on mutazione .
where is my heart and johann sebastian joust are two very different games with one common thread ; they were inspired by their mechanics , rather than their aesthetic world design .
that much is obvious regarding joust — a game with zero visuals in its current form — but slightly less evident for schulenburg ' s where is my heart . the world of that game , lovingly pixelated by deneken , is objectively beautiful . but it was where is my heart ' s core mechanic , a puzzle - platforming blend involving panels which players can swap to change the world around them , that inspired the game , wilson explained .
i think that just shows the different interests ,
wilson said .
nils is kind of an illustrator and storyteller , right ? i think that ' s where his creative impulse is coming from .
before the evolving adventure game mechanics of mutazione were put in place , the world of the game — a ruined , semi - post - apocalyptic swamp that ' s overtaken a once pristine holiday resort — was developed .
i thought this holiday village would be the perfect setting for it ; i always wanted to drop a bomb on these , like , holiday resorts ,
deneken laughed .
it has everything : a beautiful valley , a swampy region with a beach close by . it ' s a beautiful place , that ' s also a little bit — i wouldn ' t call it morbid , but it has these traces of our civilization . there ' s a lot of depth to that , you have the possibility for a lot of stories to develop there . it ' s a place that tells a story .
mutazione stars — or rather , co - stars — a human named kay , who is transported to the game ' s titular world after a motorcycle crash . the means of her transportation are vague , layering another mystery on top of the world , as the player ' s not sure if they ' re in another age , another dimension or another reality altogether .
the world was cemented in deneken ' s mind before any mechanics took shape , he explained .
in my head back then , it was always kind of this exploratory platformer game , in that world i was inspired to create ,
deneken said .
since then , it ' s really developed and changed a lot . it got less and less challenge - based , i guess , and more and more in the direction of , i want this to be a world you can explore , and find its different possibilities without having to solve puzzles to progress . or the other way , that it should not be too skill - based , that you don ' t have to control your character in this perfect way to succeed . it should be laid back , and relaxed .
the stories , lives and interactions of mutazione ' s mutant cast will expand over time ; not just with the passing of dialogue , but the passing of time .
the citizens of mutazione won ' t challenge kay in mortal or mental combat . they ' re major characters , each with their own stories . as kay , the player will get to know these characters , interact with them , learn their stories , their motivations and their schedules . they ' re also a colorful cast of characters ; they ' re all mutants who ' ve been physically changed by the cataclysmic event that has thrown the holiday resort into disarray .
but . . . but friendly mutants ,
wilson explained .
this is not fallout .
that ' s not the only time that comparison came up during the interview . deneken emphasized how important it is for him to create a world where players can build deep , meaningful connections with characters on their own terms . it ' s a shortcoming he observed when playing a game he otherwise loved : bethesda ' s fallout 3 .
obviously it ' s a really gigantic world so you can ' t ask for all that much depth from the game , but you get this place , this really scrappy town called megaton , and you have a house there ,
deneken said .
but aside from some few shopkeepers , you can ' t actually interact with your neighbors . i found that really annoying . sometimes one of those villagers would come to you as a player and would give you something , but it didn ' t have any background , and you didn ' t have any relation to those characters . they ' re really just puppets .
the stories , lives and interactions of mutazione ' s mutant cast will expand over time ; not just with the passing of dialogue , but the passing of time . the world will change based on the time of day and day of the week . characters will be at different places depending on their schedules , and will impart new information and carry out new conversations based on where and when they are .
i think the main kernel for me is super inspired by majora ' s mask ,
wilson said .
this idea of how can you make a place feel like a living , breathing place ? this idea in majora ' s mask that everyone had this schedule , and so forth — it ' s almost this kind of trick , because that game feels like it has more content than it really does . it ' s clever , right , because instead of needing to make five towns , you only have the resources for one town , so you do a lot more with that set of resources .
that starts weaving into the way you converse with these characters , how you find them , what mood they ' re in at this place and time ,
wilson added .
that , to me , i ' d say is the core thing i ' m hoping to add to the core adventure - ish template . to make the world seem a bit more alive .
on the complete opposite end of the game design spectrum is johann sebastian joust ; a title that has built a following out of not having a visual element . the game is not suspended in an illustrated world with a charming cast of characters ; it manifests entirely in the physical space , its interactions occurring dynamically between real - life combatants .
johann sebastian joust has gained a fair amount of celebrity among anyone who ' s ever played it . but it ' s never actually been fully released , existing and spreading only in various betas that have been distributed since the game first surfaced at the 2011 nordic game jam .
part of the discussion is , it changes a lot , right ,
wilson said .
when you go from just , like , an exhibition game or art piece or whatever you want to call it , to a commercial product . that ' s both for good and for bad . the tough thing is the expectations change , literally just by putting it on a different platform . it needs to be intelligible to people who aren ' t part of the scene , or who haven ' t seen it in exhibitions .
johann sebastian joust is a game that requires its players to possess a feral awareness of their opponent ' s intentions , ensuring nobody ' s close enough to dive at their vulnerable controller , jostling it enough to remove them from the game . that sense of self - preservation and battlefield assessment is part and parcel of the game ' s magic .
perhaps the biggest question wilson had to answer while making the sportsfriends port of joust is how to preserve that magic while incorporating a screen into the mix .
you can ' t really imagine , like , you turn on your playstation 3 , select this game and then look at a black screen with music ,
wilson said .
that ' s not what happens when you load a playstation . there ' s got to be some kind of smoother path to that .
for me , visuals become a way of framing the experience ,
wilson added .
the idea is not that you look at the screen while you play , but that it sets the tone .
each character is based on one of the colors projected by the playstation move controller ' s tip , providing players and spectators with a quick visual reference for who ' s still in the game . as the music shifts in tempo , so do the character ' s animations on screen . it provides data on the game ' s proceedings without busy , distracting user interfaces . it contributes more to the atmosphere of joust than it takes away .
the same philosophy applies to the sportsfriends version of joust . it is , in a way , wilson ' s method of building a memorable world on top of the one we live in .
it ' s the same reason i ' m using js bach , and not just any old piece of music ,
wilson said .
it kind of sets this , slightly sillier tone , and the baroque bullshit kind of makes you want to act like an old swordsman or something . i think it ' s all part of this subtle mood suggestion stuff , and just looking like , ' ah , this is a product , it was worth my money to spend on it , it wasn ' t just slapped together .
not five minutes into our teleconference interview , the skype call between myself , wilson and deneken dropped .
it ' s an increasingly common and frustrating scenario for wilson and deneken , who , until recently , operated out of the latter ' s office in copenhagen . after finishing up a danish ph . d . program , wilson returned to the united states to work out of new york city .
this is basically , we do this call every day ,
wilson said .
you ' re getting a really good insider view on what it ' s like for us to work out of skype .
the team is happy to work on their own schedules , wilson explained , but he and deneken still try to get as much face time with one another as is financially possible .
we try to be clever ; like , i ' ll wait for if i ' m lucky enough that some exhibition wants to fly me out to europe , i ' ll use that for free plane tickets to europe , then we ' ll turn that into a work camp or something ,
wilson said .
we ' re just kind of scrappily trying to do what we can . we gotta make it work , but i think we ' re slowly getting the hang of it .
yes ,
wilson said ,
but i don ' t know what the answer is . we were just kind of like , ' fuck it , we ' re just gonna do the projects we want to do , and that we ' re excited about , and it ' ll either work out or it won ' t . ' i don ' t understand what the alternative would be . like , we come up with some strategy to be the motion control studio , or whatever .
we were just kind of like , ' fuck it , we ' re just gonna do the projects we want to do , and that we ' re excited about , and it ' ll either work out or it won ' t . '
our goal is to be self - sustaining ,
deneken said .
that ' s our ultimate goal at the moment , just to get to that point where we can just have a game out , and that can finance our next project .
the hope is that mutazione , sportsfriends and the pc , mac and linux ports of where is my heart will bring them into a more financially stable future , wilson explained ; one where they don ' t have to change their freeform development philosophy .
but it ' s difficult , it ' s definitely a struggle ,
wilson said .
but we ' ve gotta give it a good try . i super believe in nils and his work , which is partially why it ' s this crazy , shifting cast of characters and collaborators . you ' re kind of piecing it together . we can barely afford to keep ourselves going . there ' s no staff of like , hiring a big studio of 20 people , or something .
but that ' s kind of okay , that way , because we ' re all involved in production work ,
deneken said .
that ' s really nice , we ' re not all just managing . i wouldn ' t actually want that , to have this big staff and run around , coordinating stuff . i just want to go in myself and do assets and stuff like that . we hope we can stay small , and release a successful project that can keep us going , and add up , and have a back catalog of games that will finance our work .
sure , here and there we could contract an animator , or even hire one on a regular basis ,
deneken added .
but i ' m not interested in growth , basically . i ' m really not .
fallout 76’s todd howard : no cross - console play because ‘sony is not as helpful as everyone would like . ’
this article has a component height of 95 . the sidebar size is long .
and yes , we love let ' s play videos and live - streamers ! if you ' re looking for explicit permission , see here .
sign up for a free crunchbase account to follow and track organizations you care about .
terms of service | privacy policy | © 2018 crunchbase inc . all rights reserved .
descriptive keyword for an organization ( e . g . saas , android , cloud computing , medical device )
johann sebastian joust is a no - graphics , digitally - enabled playground game designed for motion controllers .
the goal is to be the last player remaining . when the music — j . s . bach ' s brandenburg concertos — plays in slow - motion , the controllers are very sensitive to movement . when the music speeds up , the threshold becomes less strict , giving the players a small window to dash at their opponents . if your controller is ever moved beyond the allowable threshold , you ' re out ! try to jostle your opponents ' controllers while protecting your own .
j . s . joust is available on playstation 3 & 4 as part of the sportsfriends compendium . the game is also coming to mac and linux december 19 via steam and the humble store .
a compendium of four joyfully fun local multiplayer games for playstation 3 and home computers .
they already exist as playable prototypes , and have been exhibited around the world at festivals and parties . they ' ve received lots of honors and awards , including three indiecade awards and the innovation award at the 2012 game developers choice awards . most importantly , we know they ' re super fun . sony does too , and they ' ve already given us the go - ahead to put sportsfriends on the playstation 3 !
we want to take the current prototypes to completion , adding tons of different ways to play while keeping them simple at heart . publishers aren ' t interested in local multiplayer - only games , so that ' s where you come in . we need kickstarter funding to make this project happen .
back us with $ 15 or more , and you ' ll get this package of four games plus exclusive rewards . and you ' ll make it possible for us to finally bring these games to the broader public and to you !
this is a game that people need to play .
–ben kuchera , the penny arcade report
joust rides at the vanguard of a genre that ' s as old as written language , but entirely new to video game culture .
–griffin mcelroy , the verge
j ohann sebastian joust is a no - graphics , digitally - enabled playground game that i designed for motion controllers like the playstation move . players try to jostle their opponents ' controllers while protecting their own . how fast you can move your controller depends on the varying tempo of the music . if your controller is ever moved beyond the allowable threshold , you ' re out ! the goal is to be the last player remaining .
i first prototyped the game in 2011 at the nordic game jam . right after the jam , a large throng of people assembled to play the game for hours . from then on , i knew i had stumbled upon something special . over the past year i worked on j . s . joust on the side as i finished my phd , showing the game at exhibitions and festivals around the world . at this year’s game developer choice awards , j . s . joust even won the innovation award , beating out heavy hitters like l . a . noire and portal 2 .
one of the design goals behind j . s . joust was to make a motion - control game where people look at each other , rather than at a screen . the kind of raucous experience i wanted to design was influenced by my previous work on experimental party games like b . u . t . t . o . n .
now i ' m eager to expand and polish the game ! the final version of j . s . joust will contain a variety of new play modes , music options , and adjustable settings - for instance , traitor mode . in one new music mode , i want to assign a separate instrument to each player , such that their
voice
drops off when they ' re eliminated . more generally , i want to allow players to tweak the base game system in a whole bunch of ways , so that each player community can find their own preferred ruleset .
it turns out that j . s . joust is a little too weird for publishers . after all , what do you do with a game that has no graphics or single - player mode ? but i know the game is a blast , and i hope you ' ll help support a commercial release !
it has that perfect mix of pixel elegance and stellar fluid motion , like watching basketball through mosaic sunglasses .
–marc weidenbaum , disquiet
. . . like super smash bros from a superior reality .
–adam smith , rock paper shotgun
barabariball is a fighting / sports game for two or four players . players score by dunking the ball in the water on the opposing team’s side but lose a point for falling into the water themselves .
in addition to a wide range of tactical maneuvers , players have seven air jumps , allowing for unprecedented control and ridiculously awesome aerial combat . barabariball favors responsive controls , improvisation and tactics , and currently features three unique characters with a wide variety of attacks and special abilities .
barabariball has been featured at events such as the nyu game center ' s 2012 no quarter , the evo 2012 indie showcase , the tokyo game show ' s sense of wonder night , indiecade ' s night games , eurogamer ' s rezzed , juegos rancheros , fantastic arcade , wild rumpus and many more .
should this kickstarter be funded , i will continue development with an eye toward new arenas , improved animation and audio , additional game types ( team battle ! challenge mode ! three player mode ! ) and further balance and playtesting .
the barabariball team also includes richard and marcus terrell , as well as michael fisher on tabla .
super pole riders will be an enhanced , extended version of my hit pole - vaulting polo game , pole riders . in pole riders , two athletic men pole - vault into the air to try to kick a ball , suspended on a rope by a pulley , into their enemy ' s goal . it ' s a no - holds - barred sport of launching yourself off your opponent ' s head , kicking him off his pole , and flipping the other guy into orbit with your pole . it brings the awkward physics - based controls of my single player game qwop to a local multiplayer battle .
since i shipped the original pole riders , we ' ve shown it at a number of parties and events around the world . it debuted at babycastles in new york before the web launch . it was at prince of arcade in montreal , juegos rancheros in austin , wild rumpus in london and san francisco , among others . i ' ve heard from a number of game developers that they play pole riders tournaments in their office , at places like maxis and harmonix . the more i watch people play pole riders competitively , the more i ' ve seen how it could be developed further . now i want to make an enhanced edition that can do things that were technically impossible in the web version .
first , i want to make the game playable by four players at once , so that each game in the sportsfriends set can be played by a party of four . more players means more poles , which will place more strain on the physics engine , but i think a downloadable title can handle it .
second , i want to have a number of arenas with more interesting geometry . in some , you ' ll only be able to reach the ball by vaulting into the air . in others , you ' ll have to work quite hard to reach the goals , which will be at the top of hills or at the exits to a greco - roman amphitheater .
finally , the most important addition of all : you ' ll be able to impale your opponent on your pole , and wave his lifeless body around as a kind of club .
in the sense of creating true human connection , hokra shoots and scores .
– jessica conditt , joystiq
it’s got all the fast - paced competitive teamwork and maneuvering of a game like nba jam .
–ryan rigney , wired
hokra is a minimalist digital sports game . a fast - paced , competitive game for two teams of two players each , hokra features simple controls and minimal rules while retaining the depth that makes multiplayer games exciting for advanced players . like the sports from which it draws inspiration , hokra is engaging to both player and spectators .
hokra has been shown at over a dozen events all over the world , from its debut at nyu’s no quarter exhibition to babycastles , wild rumpus , and indiecade 2012 , where it won the audience choice award .
people have already had a lot of fun playing hokra at these events , but i’m still working to make the game even better . i ' m currently experimenting with new arenas , including some with moving goals , walls that impede movement , and special terrain where players move slowly . i’m also adding a super hectic 8 - player mode . i can’t wait to get the final version of hokra into everybody’s hands !
with sportsfriends , our goal is to bring people together to the same physical space to enjoy simple , spectator - friendly videogames . online multiplayer is great and everything , but there’s nothing quite like gaming together with friends who are there with you in person , or competing in front of a cheering crowd . think back to those games you played at the arcade , or on the playground , or on your friend’s couch . many of our favorite gaming memories come from local multiplayer games , and we want to celebrate that kind of co - located play .
sportsfriends takes some our favorite aspects of popular sports – playful competition , performance , and spectatorship – and tries to make those elements more palatable to a broader game - loving audience . you don ' t have to be a sports fan or even a fan of sports games to enjoy sportsfriends . we want to draw attention to what ' s happening in front of the screen , between the human beings playing and watching .
sportsfriends is more than your typical
bundle
of games . it ' s one tight - knit package of multiplayer games that all embrace a similar design philosophy . the four of us made our games around the same time , and we’ve all influenced each other . by collaborating on one project , we hope to make something that transcends any of the individual games .
developing videogames is expensive , especially for console and for multiple platforms . games like ours that require joypads or motion controllers make the task even trickier .
chief among our project costs , we ' ll need to hire two expert multi - platform programmers to port all the games . the four of us are primarily designers , so we can ' t do it ourselves . we ' re eager to get these games out to the public , so we want to hire programmers who can help us do this efficiently .
we ' ll also need a bit of graphic design and sound design work to help tie the four games together into one cohesive , quadrathlon - tastic package .
the good news is , sony likes the games enough that they ' ll help us a little on the back end and with marketing . but we’re still far short of the funds we need to port the games and wrap them together in one package . the fact is , our four games don’t look or play like most console titles . we need your help and support to get us to the finish line and to prove that , yes , people are interested in these games .
by self - publishing this compendium , we want to show that the gaming public does indeed care about local multiplayer ; that the future of this medium concerns more than just fancy graphics , but also innovative design and replayability ; that sometimes , the best games of them all are the simplest .
• we plan to debut on playstation 3 ( digitally via psn ) in fall 2013 , with a mac / pc / linux release shortly afterwards .
• if you donate at $ 30 , you ' ll get alpha versions of the games shortly after the kickstarter campaign ends .
• hokra , super pole riders , and barabariball require controllers , and cannot be played with a keyboard . we ' ll try our best to support a wide range of controllers .
• for j . s . joust we ' re investigating sixaxis support and also wiimote support ( for the home computer version ) , but in the meantime playstation move controllers and bluetooth will be required .
• due to bluetooth issues , native windows support for j . s . joust may not be possible . we ' ll look into it . meanwhile , for you windows users , you ' ll be able to boot your pc directly into a special linux version from a standard usb thumbdrive . we ' ll provide full directions .
• right now we can only guarantee the playstation 3 version to the following countries : united states of america , canada , mexico , austria , belgium , croatia , czech republic , denmark , france , germany , greece , israel , italy , luxembourg , netherlands , portugal , slovenia , spain , sweden , switzerland , united kingdom . we hope to support additional countries too - stay tuned .
see
release plans
above for technical specifications , platforms , applicable countries , and release schedule .
all release copy backers ( no matter which version you choose ) will also receive a copy of jan willem nijman ' s unreleased tennis game , tennnes .
much like hokra and barabariball , tennnes is a minimalist sports game commissioned by the nyu game center ' s no quarter exhibition . it features sound by eirik suhrke ( of spelunky and super crate box fame ) . jw has graciously agreed to donate an exclusive copy of the game in support of our kickstarter campaign .
sure , there are already lots of tennis videogames out there , but none of them feel quite as good as tennnes . jw , co - founder of dutch game studio vlambeer and one of the minds behind super crate box , excels at designing game systems that feel
juicy
and are tweaked to perfection . tennnes is no exception . stripped down to the bare essentials , tennnes captures the elegance of tennis , yet is fun even if you aren ' t a tennis fan .
in addition to everything above , early alphas backers will receive current alpha versions of the games . start playing now , before we ' re even done ! the alpha versions aren ' t thoroughly tested , but we ' ve shown them at many events around the world , and they ' re already super fun . here ' s some more info about each alpha :
johann sebastian joust alpha • expected delivery date : mid december • requirements : mac only ( osx 10 . 5 or above ) , bluetooth , two or more ps move controllers
at this tier we ' re also throwing in five unreleased local multiplayer games ( for pc / mac ) , donated by some of our favorite indie designers .
qwopfriends by bennett foddy - race your friends in a game of precision qwop using dual analogue sticks . hop , skip and jump your way to victory across three events . based on the highly popular qwop for ios . requirements : for windows , mac , and linux . requires xbox 360 controllers .
miracle adventures in 2113 by noah sasso - - an experimental action game with one foot in the bullet hell / shmup tradition . players alter the trajectory of bullets using a mouse - controlled magnet , and attempt to dodge the inevitable chaos that ensues . requirements : for windows and mac . supports both xbox 360 controller and mouse / keyboard .
boss battle ( working title ) by ramiro corbetta - a local multiplayer shmup boss fight in which the boss is controlled by a human player . a game for 2 to 4 players . requirements : for windows only . requires xbox 360 controllers .
backers at this level will also receive access to an exclusive series of podcasts that we ' ll produce throughout the development process . the four of us will go in - depth on the design process , explaining how we balance the games and what new features we ' re playtesting .
in addition to everything above , backers at the sportsfriends forever level will receive a stylish t - shirt . wear your sportsfriendship proudly , for the whole world to see !
backers at this level will also get their name into the game credits . show your support and become a part of sportsfriends history !
everything above , plus we ' ll mail you seven brand new move controllers , and you ' ll be able to put them to use with your early alpha build .
for each controller , we ' ll also include a special controller
charm
- a decorative memento to clasp onto the wrist strap .
everything in the sportsfriends forever tier and above , plus we ' ll send you everything you need to run bennett ' s and doug ' s popular mega - girp , a game installation exhibited at galleries and parties around the world and at venues like gdc ' s experimental gameplay session .
mega - girp is a game played on four modified dance pads . it takes bennett ' s award - nominated web game , girp , and transforms it for public events and spectators , combining the game ' s cheeky physics system with physical , performative play . read more about it here .
this package includes four xbox 360 dance pads specially modified by us , a usb hub , and an exclusive full - screen build of girp .
the bluetooth hardware spec only allows up to seven controllers . that ' s why the normal version of j . s . joust supports 2 to 7 players .
but in early 2012 , doug , together with psmoveapi wizard thomas perl , prototyped a special 18 + player version of j . s . joust by networking together three macbook pros . doug also modified the design of the game to include a special
traitor
feature . it ' s kind of like j . s . joust with a strong dose of the famous parlor game mafia .
doug has since exhibited this special version of the game at several public events , including a raucous showing at pax 2012 . ben kuchera of penny arcade report chronicled the event in this in - depth account .
backers at this tier will receive everything in the sportsfriends forever tier and above , plus we ' ll ship you 18 move controllers , a full set of 18 controller charms ( see above ) , three charging stations , a wireless router , and the specially prepared j . s . joust build required to network the computers together .
( note : you will need three bluetooth - enabled mac computers to support 18 players - not included in this package ) .
backers at this tier will receive everything in the sportsfriends forever tier and above , plus one of us will travel out to you in person to run the sportsfriends games for your very own private ( or public ! ) event . we ' ll even even bring 18 - player j . s . joust , as described above .
to backers at the ultimate trampoline package level , we ' re offering everything in the sportsfriends forever tier and above , plus an erotic , physics - based wrestling trampoline game by bennett and doug , called get on top ( see kotaku coverage here ) . get on top pits two players head - to - head in a contest to see who can dump their opponent ' s avatar on the ground . thanks to a set of gyroscopes attached to the trampolines , you make your avatar jump by jumping on the trampoline yourself ! players also hold a move controller , which they use to control their avatar ' s arms .
we recently exhibited the game in public at gamecity , at the venus patrol training facility . suffice to say , it was a big success !
we ' ll ship you everything you need to run the game , including two specially prepared trampolines , the game controllers , and an exclusive build of get on top . a wildly fun installation for public events !
noah sasso has a background in audio and web development , and spent the mid 00s managing and recording music for the record label / collective kracfive , as well as paying dues working for clients like major league gaming and zeitgeist films . after several years developing game prototypes , freelancing and working as a game designer at nyc ' s this is pop , he was awarded a commission to produce an original game for the nyu game center ' s no quarter exhibition . the result was barabariball , a crowd favorite that has since appeared at festivals and tournaments around the world . his work has also appeared at the star pine cafe in tokyo , new york ' s knitting factory , vice magazine , pitchfork , the los angeles times , xlr8r and many more .
bennett foddy is a philosopher at oxford university , who writes about things like new technology and medicine . but he is better known for writing videogames that explore rhythm , muscle power , and the immoral abuse of players . he is best known for the single - player web games qwop , girp , and clop , and local multiplayer games winner vs . loser , pole riders , fistmonger and now the new trampoline game , get on top . his games have been shown at the museum of modern art and the pulse art fair in new york , gamecity in nottingham and at the indiecade festival in los angeles , and nominated for an igf award at the 2012 game developer ' s conference . the free web versions of his games have been played by tens of millions of players worldwide . his games have been featured in wired magazine , popular science , and on the television show the office . all of the best gaming experiences in his life have been played sitting or standing next to another real - live human being .
ramiro corbetta is a new york based independent game developer . his work has been shown all over the world , including at the new museum , babycastles , the independent games festival , and indiecade . ramiro designed glow artisan , winner of the 2010 independent games festival award for best mobile game design . he grew up in brazil with a balanced diet of super nintendo , soccer , and surfing .
thanks to all our fellow devs who gave us video testimonials , as well as the following people who provided footage for our trailer : johan lindegaard , robert meyer , gwynna forgham - thrift , colin snyder / gameifesto , george buckenham / wild rumpus , will smith / urltoken and matt broach .
our biggest challenge will be porting the games to the playstation 3 . console development isn ' t trivial , and it ' s expensive . nevertheless , if we can make our funding target , we ' ll have enough money to pay programmers who have console experience .
friend of sportsfriends - a thank you on our website , plus a set of high - res sportsfriends wallpapers .
release copy - everything above , plus the finished game for your choice of either playstation 3 or home computers ( windows / mac / linux for hokra , super pole riders , and barabariball , and mac / linux and pc hardware for j . s . joust , see
release plans
) . also includes a special copy of jan willem nijman ' s unreleased tennis game tennnes . ( note : the sportsfriends home computer version will be released a few months after the playstation 3 debut ) .
early alphas - everything above , plus early access to alpha versions of j . s . joust , hokra , and barabariball soon after this campaign ends . start playing months before the official release !
super sportsfriends - everything above , plus three unreleased games by bennett foddy , noah sasso , and ramiro corbetta ( including a new version of qwop ! ) , and access to an exclusive podcast series with the game developers . listen in as we go in - depth about designing and producing all the games ! delivered early 2013 .
sportsfriends forever - everything above , plus special credits in the game itself and a special sportsfriends backer t - shirt . wear your sportsfriendship proudly ! delivered spring 2013 .
7 - player j . s . joust kit - everything above , plus seven playstation move controllers and a set of controller charms . because the more players , the better ! ships spring 2013 .
mega - girp deluxe - everything in sportsfriends forever tier , plus extra special credits in the final game , and a set of mega - girp pads and a standalone , fullscreen version of girp . ships spring 2013 .
18 - player j . s . joust kit - everything in sportsfriends forever tier , plus extra special credits in the final game , 18 playstation move controllers , three charging stations , a wireless router , a set of controller charms , and the ultra - exclusive 18 - player build of j . s . joust . ships spring 2013 .
ultimate sportsfriends package - everything in sportsfriends forever tier , plus extra special credits in the final game , and one of us will travel out to you to run a live sportsfriends event featuring the ultra - exclusive 18 - player j . s . joust .
ultimate trampoline package - everything in sportsfriends forever tier , plus extra special credits in the final game , and we send you everything you ' ll need for the ultra - exclusive foddy / wilson trampoline - controlled game , get on top . we ' ll ship you two specially prepared , game - enabled trampolines anywhere in the continental usa , along with controllers , cabling , and a build of the game . ships spring 2013 .
digital extremes ltd . — london , ontario , canada [ 07 . 08 . 18 ] level designer
deep silver volition — champaign , illinois , united states [ 07 . 06 . 18 ] senior project manager
rabbit — san mateo , california , united states [ 07 . 06 . 18 ] lead game designer - contract
rovio entertainment corporation — espoo , finland [ 07 . 05 . 18 ] senior game designer
owners : estimated number of people owning this game . the number might be way too small for new releases and sometimes way too big for games that had free weekend event recently . read more on about page .
playtime : average hours played in total per person that have actually launched this game since march 2009 . this time is calculated for the whole lifetime , not for the particular year .