When the famous Bauhaus school of architecture and design first opened in Weimar, Germany in 1919, the majority of students were women. That wasn’t by design, though founder Water Gropius took the unusual stance of declaring equality among genders; it was simply that more women than men applied the first year. The school’s focus on ushering the world into a new era attracted all manner of radicals, which would later make it a target of the Nazis.

Talk about the Bauhaus movement tends to focus on its most famous figures – Paul Klee, Marcel Breuer, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Wassily Kandinsky. But women like Marianne Brandt, Anni Albers, Florence Henri and Ilse Fehling played key roles in Bauhaus, too, roles that don’t get enough attention. A new film called “Lotte am Bauhaus” fictionalizes their stories, focusing on a character named Lotte Brendel who draws inspiration from Alma Siedhoff-Buscher.

“Although their names were condemned to a footnote, the Bauhaus also trained women. In the hundredth anniversary of its foundation, this historical drama roams the Staatliche Bauhaus classrooms from the point of view of one of its artists, Lotte Brendel, character inspired by the great Alma Siedhoff-Buscher.”

For now, at least, the German-language film appears to only be streaming on the European service Film-in, and translations into English don’t seem to be available. Directed by Gregor Schnitzler, Lotte am Bauhaus premiered in Germany this year and stars Alicia von Rittberg.

You can learn more of the stories of the Women of Bauhaus, including sculptor Alma Siedhoff-Buscher, in a detailed profile at Curbed.

Unfortunately named women‘s wear retailer DressBarn is slamming the door on 650 retail stores in 45 states as sales decline and branding loses focus.

Barn Storm

DressBarn made its debut in 1962 – a time when American women were flooding into the workforce and unlike the era’s Mad Men, had a limited choice of workwear options from which to chose from. Founder Roslyn Jaffe’s bright idea was a hit then… but a Misses now. Kudos to Flickr member Mike Mozart for the two images above taken in early April of 2014.

Agri Culture Wars

In 1982 the company was listed on NASDAQ (symbol DBRN) and in 2011 the reorganized firm was renamed Ascena Retail Group, Inc. DressBarn was flying high… or was it? By almost any measure, the American economy has been on a roll for the better part of the past decade. Yet on May 21st of 2019, Ascena announced the imminent closing of all 650 DressBarn stores. By the way, Flickr member stevetursi‘s image above illustrates what must be the cheesiest “corporate headquarters” we’ve ever seen. Just sayin’.

Not Makin’ Hay

The announcement deals a haymaker (pun intended) to roughly 6,800 employees with the pain spread nationwide as DressBarn has stores in 45 states. “This decision was difficult, but necessary,” explained Steven Taylor, chief financial officer of Dressbarn, “as the DressBarn chain has not been operating at an acceptable level of profitability in today’s retail environment.” One might say management is closing the (Dress)Barn door after the horse has escaped but that would be too obvious, so we won’t. The store above, located in Torrington, CT and snapped by Flickr member JJBers in mid-2018, appears to be getting the jump on the mass-closing.

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Dis Dressed Dressbarn Buys The Farm

Located in the heart of the financial district in New York City, the Charging Bull statue has long been an icon of the industry, but now faces its first opponent: a young girl cast in bronze.

Sponsored by city officials and a local firm and crafted by sculptor Kristen Visbal, The Fearless Girl was erected in recognition of International Women’s Day. Its intended message is to encourage companies to put women on their boards, but of course it carries a series of meanings in the face of Wall Street and the political climate.

“One of the most iconic images on Wall Street is the charging bull,” explains a representative of State Street. “So the idea of having a female sort of stand against the bull or stand up to the bull just struck us as a very clever but also creative and engaging way to make that statement. Even though it’s a little girl, her stance is one of determination, forwardness, and being willing to challenge and take on the status quo.”

Whether the statue will stand the test of time remains to be seen, but its persistence would certainly not be without precedent. Per Colossal, the “Charging Bull was originally an act of guerrilla art by Arturo Di Modica, and only became permanent after its soaring popularity, leaving some to wonder if Visbal’s statue could follow the same story.”

The thrill is gone and so are the thongs! These 15 closed & abandoned lingerie shops have nobody else to blame for their sagging level of support.

Cue “Thunderstruck”… but whether you’re AC or DC, Thunder Lingerie and More is, er, no more. Located at 100 Greenwich Street in NYC’s Financial District, this boldly named ex-lingerie store was open as late as early April of 2011 as can be seen by the last of three images above. Kudos to Flickr users H Y (Haruko16), Scott Lynch (Scoboco), and Andy (ho_hokus) for capturing the late and lamented lingerie (and more) retailer in all of its Old Glory.

Secret Garden of Delights

Lingerie AND flowers? Shoot, a fella’ could have a pretty good weekend in Vegas with all that stuff. But enough about strange love, The Secret Garden in Hamilton Square, NJ closed shop some time before Flickr user Brian McGann came across it on January 1st of 2009. “ASK ABOUT R HOT RESS”… nope, in this case ignorance really is bliss.

We Had Everything

It would seem that even having everything (including “Bras Of All Sizes”) wasn’t enough to stave off retail oblivion for We Have Everything, a quaint and charming now-abandoned lingerie shop on Chicago’s gritty north side. Flickr user John W. Iwanski (Chicago Man) snapped the sad state of the screened & shuttered store on January 25th of 2011.

The Writing’s on the Wall

Netherlands-based lingerie retailer Lindessa is still going strong but the outlet above, according to Flickr user oerendhard1, is closed tighter than the clasps of an outgrown brassiere. The photographer snapped the shop’s graffiti-encrusted exterior on a gloomy, overcast day in December of 2008.

Lead Us Into Temptation

Jesus, what lovely knickers! You knew the Germans always make good stuff but were you aware their shop signs often fill viewers with shock and awe? Take CHRIST, for example, a lingerie shop whose mission it was to make perfect angels look their devilish best. One might’ve called it the best lingerie shop in Berlin, bar nun. Flickr user Squiggly Diggums captured the semi-sacrilegious storefront in Berlin’s central Mitte district on December 8th of 2005.

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Silk Sadden 15 Closed Abandoned Lingerie Shops

Unlike some other prominent artists working with more seamless urban camouflage in strange or offbeat settings, this work in NYC by Trina Merry allows for curves and distortions, and operates with the interplay between painted nudes in more public and iconic surroundings.

In this series, her work features backdrops that are prominent points of interest and world-famous landmarks of New York City, from famous architecture and infrastructure (the Guggenheim Museum, Empire State Building and Brooklyn Bridge) to urban and organic landscapes (like Coney Island and Central Park).

Thanks to the prominence of these locations, this colorful work naturally becomes a live spectacle beyond the sculptural photographs taken of the models in place.

Other body paintings by Trina range from referential to abstract, with blank black or white backgrounds in some cases and period or modern artwork in others.

From the artist: “my surface is living, breathing human beings, making this a highly relevant & immediate. I use non-toxic hypoallergenic paint applied with a brush or airbrush. the painting is temporary like a Tibetan sand painting, beginning to [shift] into another work as soon as I stop painting, changing texture and color.”