Kendel Bolton wearing KidSuper – photo by Marilyn Kirschner
Whether you agree with Carolina Herrera (“The difference between art and fashion is that fashion is art in movement”) or more with Rei Kawakubo (“Fashion is not art. The aims of fashion and art are different and there is no need to compare them”), you’ll find the new exhibition at MFIT very enlightening.
Curator Elizabeth Way examines fashion and art through the last 250 years of the Euro-American zeitgeist. She determines that they are parallel expressions – “deeply connected esthetically and culturally, often drawing on similar social influences.” The idea of “high” art (painting, sculpture, and architecture) vs. “decorative” art (fashion) shares a “reciprocal stylistic relationship.”
Valerie Steele, Curator Elizabeth Way, & President Jason Schupbach – photo by Laurel Marcus
Tuesday’s opening night party (the exhibition runs through April 19th) was a well-attended celebration of this concept. Notable attendees included Ken Downing, Fern Mallis, Freddie Leiba, Alva Chinn, Christian Francis Roth, Robert DiMauro, Kathy Prounis, Marisol Deluna, Nicole Fischelis, as well as former FIT president Dr. Joyce Brown and new president Jason Schupbach.
Exhibition – photo by Laurel Marcus
Guests strolled through the downstairs space, which encompassed over 140 objects, including garments, accessories, photographs, textiles, and original artworks from MFIT’s permanent collection.
Tableaus are presented chronologically, displaying the art of the era with the corresponding fashions of the day. In the first part of the exhibition, the anteroom features the earliest examples of fashion that are also works of art. Georges Seurat’s famous “A Sunday at La Grande Jatte” is accompanied by a bustled gown mirroring the woman in the painting.
Exhibition – photo by Laurel Marcus
Inside the main room, Surrealist art, such as Salvador Dalí, is paired with Elsa Schiaparelli and Charles James fashions. In contrast, pop art, such as Andy Warhol’s, is shown alongside the Campbell’s Company paper soup dress and Yves Saint Laurent’s Mondrian and other color-block dresses of the 1960’s.
Exhibition – photo by Marilyn Kirschner
Some designers or brands collaborate with artists, such as Louis Vuitton with Takashi Murakami and Yayoi Kusama, as well as with design/art partnerships, such as artist Ruben and the late fashion designer Isabel Toledo, who worked as each other’s muses.
Painted Jacket, photo by Laurel Marcus
Many of the guests strove to mimic the art of fashion theory in their attire for the evening, making it a moving feast for the eyes, whether you were taking in the exhibition or the attendees.
Various conversational topics included the demise of the upper echelon department store and hello to the report that Bloomingdale’s is scooping up former Saks and Bergdorf’s personnel while gunning for the higher end of the retail spectrum.
Other advice – buy a few important “statement pieces” of fashion, accessories, or jewelry that speak to you, then fill in with Zara – the old “high-low” mix works, as the status pieces tend to elevate the rest.
I asked Ken Downing for his take on whether fashion is art. “When I was at Neiman’s, we always tried to find the rare art-like fashion pieces for our customers,” he said.
If you still aren’t sure if fashion is art, Curator Elizabeth Way is just happy to raise the question:
“This exhibition will garner strong opinions and spark lively dialogue, but whether you decide that fashion is art or not, fashion’s strong and mutual relationship with fine art is undeniable.” – Curator Elizebeth Way
Upstairs, the wine and champagne flowed, and the lobster dumplings were liberally proffered. A fun mood prevailed on the pre-spring, post-fashion week evening, with relative warmth both inside and out.
LATEST COMMENTS
Wonderful, what a website it is! This website presents valuable data to us, keep it up.
What a great talent Ruben is …… in addition to being a thoroughly lovely man. And the legacy of his…
An Explosion of stunning and playful creativity inspired by the Glorious BEAUTY of ORCHIDS!!!