‘Bravehearts: Men in Skirts’, is the new exhibit- which runs through February 8th- at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. Curated by Andrew Bolton, the museum’s associate curator, it is being touted as “A colorful salute to the growing numbers of the few, if proud, men in skirts.” This exhibit must have inspired Hamish Bowles when he decided to show off his legs last Thursday evening at Fashion Group International’s Annual Night of Stars (he wore a traditional black tuxedo with a knee length black kilt).
But there were no skirt – clad men in attendance at the museum’s late morning press preview – even Jean Paul Gaultier, who is sponsoring the exhibit, and who has certainly shown skirts for men on his runways, was on hand to field questions from the press conservatively dressed in a black t shirt and pants.
Greeting the guests at the museum’s 5th avenue entrance was a small and quiet group from PETA, wearing fur pelts and carrying placards saying (‘Only Cave People Wear Furs’). Were they demonstrating against Gaultier, who has long used furs in his collections, or did they know that Anna Wintour was going to attend? For the record, she toured the exhibit furless (well, after all, the weather was summer-like and balmy), though accompanied by bodyguards.
Posted by Marilyn Kirschner
