“Costume art” is not a phrase typically associated with American fashion—sportswear tends to dominate that conversation. Yet, under the direction of Curator in Charge Andrew Bolton and his team, The Costume Institute makes a compelling case for its relevance.
According to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the exhibition—opening this week in the Met’s nearly 12,000-square-foot Condé Nast galleries—examines “the human figure and the dressed body: draped, wrapped, tailored, armored, incised, painted, ornamented, and otherwise fashioned.” Across the galleries, the body is presented as a site where material form converges with social meaning.
Organized into thematic sections including “Naked Body,” “Classical Body,” “Pregnant Body,” “Aging Body,” “Anatomical Body,” and “Mortal Body,” the exhibition explores universal bodily experiences through the lens of dress.
A distinctly American perspective emerges in the treatment of the naked and nude body. Here, Rudi Gernreich plays a central role, with his groundbreaking explorations of exposure—most notably the “Pubikini” and his black synthetic tricot designs—challenging conventions and confronting taboos around nudity.
Gernreich, a founding member of the CFDA, is joined by fellow CFDA designers. Dresses by Tory Burch and Michael Kors are displayed alongside a terracotta statuette of Nike: Burch’s “goddess” gown features straps that twist elegantly across the back, while Kors’s design employs braided fabric cords that cross the abdomen and encircle the waist.
Also on view are an unbleached and black cotton muslin bustle gown by Charles James; an ivory viscose-silk jersey top paired with an ivory silk chiffon skirt by Rick Owens; Batsheva’s “Hag” dress; and a striking Thom Browne ensemble in white silk organza overlaid with navy silk tulle printed with trompe l’oeil statuary.
Beyond CFDA talent, the exhibition includes thought-provoking works by American and America-based designers such as YH Studios, LÙCHEN, Willie Norris Workshop, Chet Lo, and Telfar.
Run, don’t walk, to the Metropolitan Museum of Art on Sunday, May 10.
