I was in the area and decided to visit the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology of New York. Because fashion? For free? Yes.
When I walked in, the desk guy said, “You’re here to see the shoes, right?” To which, I was like, “Uh maybe.” To be honest, my thought pattern was more like, “Ooh, museum? Let’s go.”
Honestly, I thought it was like art museums I had gone to before, where the permanent collection stayed on display in a particular area while there were also special exhibit spaces. Nope, there was none of that. All three spaces were special exhibits. From my understanding, they incorporate pieces from the permanent collection to tell the story, but they do not remain on display. Honestly, the museum is quite small; I wonder where those pieces are kept. (Also, I was disappointed because I was really hoping to see the Thebe Magugu pink ostrich jacket.)
The first exhibit I went into was
Dior + Balenciaga: The Kings of Couture and their Legacies (Now through November 6, 2022)
Throughout the exhibit they place the designers’ early work side by side to indicate how similar they actually were. In their work you can see the trends of the time and the threads that tie fashion history together.
(Imagine my frustration realizing that I didn’t actually photograph any of their work side by side, which is the point of the exhibit. )
I particularly enjoyed reading the placards that provided context. I found it interested to learn about Balenciaga’s disdain for youth quake culture and his bowing out of fashion. (This may or may not have sent me down a rabbit hole of research, which you may or may not get the brunt of tomorrow.)
And then on to the second exhibit, down the stairs.
Shoes: Anatomy, Identity, Magic (through December 31, 2022)
If you look closely at the wall, you can see that somebody (or somebodies) painstakingly placed shoe stickers everywhere. Who will be tasked with removing them at the exhibit’s close? Hopefully someone who is patient and well paid.
The room is broken into sections or themes. First, I noticed shoes that were just unique (like those bad boys by Comme des Garçons.). Maybe that is not a theme, but it is what I noticed. Then you have some heels. And then you have historical reference shoes.
Of course, I was intrigued by the sneakers. And this theme on the use of air and flight and references to Hermes, the Greek god.
But what really caught my eye were heels by Nicholas Kirkwood. Did I personally take pictures? No, of course not. I am still bad at remembering to capture moments. What caught my eye was that they were like a pop art/art deco vibe with vibrant colors, and from maybe 1994 but I could definitely see them being worked into an outfit today. (Preferably my outfit).
It made me think, are shoes ever dated? Like as an adult, not someone attending an urban high school and trying to fit in with the cool kids, are there any shoe styles that just won’t work? But I guess that could be said of any article of clothing. Can a skilled stylist work anything into a contemporary wardrobe?
Crafting Change (through October 16, 2022)
The final exhibit is the gallery of student and faculty work. This time it was all textiles. A lot of the work was based on experiences at home during the pandemic and the shift it required of their creative expression. Man, I love talented people doing creative things. And yet again, no pictures, because I don’t know why you would expect that of me.
In all, I would go back again when the exhibits change if I were in the area. I know that the day that I went they also had a free event focusing on fashion in Latin America. Alas I found out too late to register. If you are interested in fashion as an art form and for its place in history, I highly recommend you going. I mean, its free and easy to get to using transit. Why wouldn’t you?
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