By Staff Writer Dominick Sanchez
The Met Gala has emerged as a creative Mecca in the fashion industry. The themes of the Met Gala sets the precedent for the looks on the red carpet. The creativity of designers on display in the cavernous rooms of the Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET) draws crowds of hundreds at any given time. One of the grandest exhibitions was “Alexander McQueen Savage Beauty” which took place from May 4, 2011–Aug 7, 2011, was a remarkable success. Over 650,000 people visited the exhibition, increasing museum membership by 15%. This increased interest by the public has allowed fashion as an exhibition to truly flourish.
The last decade showcased some of the most extravagant of themes. The first, as previously mentioned, is 2011’s Savage Beauty: Alexander McQueen. The ravishing exhibit celebrated the life and work of the prolific designer Alexander McQueen, who died in 2010. McQueen rose to prominence in the early 90s with his avant-garde collections that simultaneously amazed and horrified audiences. He earned the moniker “Enfant terrible” which by definition is a young, “genius” who is very unorthodox, striking, and in some cases, offensive, or rebellious. Imagine a model walking down a raining runway confined inside of a cubic wire top, or a dress made entirely of fresh flowers, and most famously a dress that was spray painted by robots. All of which were displayed in the exhibit. It should come as no surprise that this theme was particularly intriguing.
At its best, fashion can make someone dream. It’s a medium that extends beyond traditional art. The fact that the body can be wrapped inside of it in a way humanizes it. Avant-Garde designers and subjects have long been presented as exhibitions, but what about something in relation to modern times? 2016’s “Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology” was the answer for a theme that could resonate not just through traditional fashion aficionados, but also people who are interested in technology. The juxtaposition between craft and technology paved the way for ubiquitous theme. The evolution of fabrication innovation and construction techniques throughout the decades was on full display. The exhibitions ranged from fabric manipulations created though manual man-made machines all the way to dresses constructed entirely from 3D printed materials. It was an insightful glimpse into how a deceptively simple piece of clothing requires several complex steps to reach completion.
Designers and concepts are not the only subjects to be featured in the exhibit. Cultures have also been featured. In 2015, “China: Through the Looking Glass” explored the impact of Chinese aesthetics on Western fashion and how China has fueled the fashionable imagination for centuries. The exhibition features more than 140 examples of haute couture and avant-garde ready-to-wear alongside Chinese art. Film representations of China are incorporated throughout to reveal how our visions of China are framed by narratives that draw upon popular culture, and to recognize the importance of cinema as a medium through which to understand the richness of Chinese history. Chinoiserie (the European interpretation and imitation of Chinese and other East Asian artistic traditions) has been a staple in design dating back to the 17th century. Similar to Rococo, both are characterized by exuberant decoration, asymmetry, a focus on materials, and stylized nature and subject matter that focuses on leisure and pleasure. A photo shoot for Vogue by famed photographer Steven Meisel was commissioned to promote the Gala. Model Fei Fei Sun was photographed in exquisite haute couture pieces inspired by Chinoiserie.
The first Monday in May is best known as the highlight of the fashion season, however the event it accompanies is where magic lives and breathes. Without these exhibits, the Museum would not be the smashing success it is today. As an alternative to traditional art, fashion has rightfully earned its position as a headlining exhibition.