American fashion is celebrated at The Metropolitan Museum of Art's first post-pandemic fashion exhibit
Record ID:
1636771
American fashion is celebrated at The Metropolitan Museum of Art's first post-pandemic fashion exhibit
- Title: American fashion is celebrated at The Metropolitan Museum of Art's first post-pandemic fashion exhibit
- Date: 13th September 2021
- Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (English) METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART'S COSTUME INSTITUTE, CURATOR, ANDREW BOLTON, SAYING: "It's purely American designers. And it's based on in terms of the how it's structured, it's based on a quote by Reverend Jesse Jackson where he talks about America being - the patchwork quilt being a metaphor for America. So, we use that idea as the sort of organizing principle to the exhibition. So, each, as you see here, each garment has its individual sort of square and as part of a larger, the larger quilt. And they all have their own words like commemoration, in this particular case."
- Embargoed: 27th September 2021 19:19
- Keywords: clothes designer fashion gala met ball museum costume institute
- Location: NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
- City: NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
- Country: USA
- Topics: Arts/Culture/Entertainment,Fashion,United States
- Reuters ID: LVA005EUK0AC9
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute is set to open its first post-pandemic exhibition, In America: A Lexicon of Fashion.
The department's curator Andrew Bolton said it's been amazing to see how American designers have found inspiration during the pandemic.
"It's been very inspiring, you know, just particularly in the last year and a half in terms of how they've responded to the pandemic, in terms of their creativity and the way they're showing."
This year marks the 75th anniversary of the institute and Bolton said that this year's theme reflects back to their initial mission, which is to celebrate American fashion.
Bolton's goal is to create a new vocabulary around American fashion that's more emotional.
"Usually when people describe American fashion it's usually the designer sportswear principles of simplicity and practicality and functionality. And the sort of more emotional language tends to be reserved for European fashion, in particular, the haute couture. So, we want to readdress that imbalance and create a sort of modern lexicon that's based on values and emotions and sentiment."
The two-floor display is made up solely American designers and shows different expressions of Americanism in each piece.
A quote from American political activist Jesse Jackson's 1984 Democratic National Convention speech served as inspiration for how the garments were displayed.
"He talks about America being - the patchwork quilt being a metaphor for America. So, we use that idea as the sort of organizing principle to the exhibition. So, each, as you see here, each garment has its individual sort of square and as part of a larger, the larger quilt. And they all have their own words like commemoration, in this particular case."
Before the exhibit opens to the public the celebrities will pack the space for the annual Met Gala on Monday (September 13) which benefits the Costume Institute.
Last year's event was canceled due to COVID. This year's gala, which usually takes place in May, was postponed to September 13th, with the museum instituting tough COVID protocols.
"Not only is everyone vaccinated, and we check the vaccination. But everybody got tested 24 hours before the event. People will wear masks when they are not at the cocktail or at the dinner. And it's something that we all felt we need to kind of be extra careful. But on the other hand, also make it possible that the community can come together," said museum director Max Hollein.
This year poet Amanda Gorman, actor Timothée Chalamet, tennis star Naomi Osaka and singer Billie Eilish will serve as hosts.
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