- Saruta Chaochavanil for POLYCHROME
Top 5 Stylish Exhibits that aren't at the MET
We all know that New York's The Metropolitan Museum of Art hosts one of the fashion world's most anticipated shows each year. Many designers from around the globe make the pilgrimage to see the lavish show and take in the the other marvelous works that the museum is home to.
That being said, what other inspiring exhibits can we look forward to in the next couple of months?
Look no further - here's our handpicked list of the Top 5 exhibits to feed your creative mind.
1. Musée des Arts Décoratifs - Margiela: The Hermès Years (22 Mar - 2 Sep 18, 2018)
The exhibition is a tribute to Belgian designer, Martin Margiela, and his challenging position as Creative Director for the French luxury house, Hermès, spanning 1997 to 2003. This interesting because, in contrast with Hermès brand's identity that offers classic women’s ready-to-wear, Margiela's artistic direction has always pushed boundaries with daring designs and mostly avant-garde concepts. However, when working at Hermès, Margiela seamlessly merged those two distinct styles together in a way that really succeeded in driving sales. He introduced a new perception of clothes -- garments that can be worn in many different ways. His vision and passion is so authentic that it could be translated into any label and it would still be unmistakably Margiela. With pieces from his twelve collections for the house of Hermès on display, you will definitely see why his innovative designs exposed the heritage brand to a whole new audience.
2. London’s Design Museum - Azzedine Alaïa: The Couturier (10 May - 7 Oct 18, 2018)
Known for his groundbreaking vision and superior craftsmanship, designer Azzedine Alaïa was among the most influential couturiers of all time. Alaïa was a true artist and perfectionist who abandoned the traditional fashion show schedule because he designed everything directly on the body and each garment needed to be constructed by hand taking up to five years to finish. The exhibition will celebrate the extraordinary career of the late designer, who passed away on Nov18, 2017. There are more than sixty pieces and iconic garments spanning the designer’s remarkable career. Visitors can view his own cutting patterns, as well as get a close look at his masterful draping techniques and signature body-sculpting designs. It’s a unique chance to absorb his passionate energy for fashion.
“My obsession is to make women beautiful. When you create with that in mind, things can’t go out of fashion.”
-- Azzedine Alaïa
3. Denver Art Museum - Dior : From Paris to the World (19 Nov 18 - 3 Mar 19, 2019)
A much-anticipated exhibit of pieces from the iconic haute couture house, Dior, many of which have rarely been seen outside of Europe. The exhibit will highlight 70 years of Dior’s continuing legacy and global influence and will include garments from both Dior Héritage Collection as well as those of the Dior Atelier, known for its lavish embroidery. Visitors will be able to trace Dior's history starting as an assistant at Paris couturier Robert Piguet to his meteoric rise to become one of the most influential designers of his time with the introduction of his groundbreaking 'New Look'. The exhibit will immerse you in world of this revolutionary design house.
4. The Andy Warhol Museum - Adman: Warhol Before Pop (27 April - 2 Sep 18, 2018)
Andy Warhol was a popular commercial illustrator and artist who is widely considered the king of pop art. He’s the creative behind the iconic Campbell Soup can ad, the Coca Cola logo, and many more well-known and enduring brand visuals. His innovative repeated colorful images and his clear vision about branding are legendary. His intuition of imagery and symbolism prompted him to do things in commercial and fine art that were groundbreaking. Women's fashion, stylized images of celebrities, comic books, and even shoes are among his many works. With over 300 objects in this exhibit, many of the pieces are exclusively displayed here for the first time and underscore his impact in art and design for more than 25 years.
“Being good in business is the most fascinating kind of art. Making money is art and working is art and good business is the best art”
5. McNay Art Museum - Fragments of a Dream (8 May - 9 Sep 18)
If you're a frequent museum-goer and looking for a smaller scale show that's big on inspiration, this exhibit delivers. The show features gorgeous authentic batik textiles as well as fashion and design from the 1950's and 1960's. There is also a wonderful short film called "Intermittent Delight" by Akosua Adoma Owusu which illustrates the contrast between Western and African cultures as well as showing footage of men weaving and women sewing in traditional style.
We have a cheat sheet of upcoming shows which you are welcome to access here. Which shows are you most interested to see? If there are any great shows you think should be included in our list, please let us know!
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Want some help with the print design for your line? Our international team of designers are also museum lovers and travel everywhere seeking inspiration for their work. Be sure to check our extensive print collection which reflects the latest trends observed by our team, and jump start your line development.
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